BERKHAMPSTEAD

WITH THE VILLAGE OF NORTHCHURCH AND NEIGHBOURHOODS

Berkhampstead or Great Berkhampstead, is a market town and parish, in Dacorum hundred ; 26 miles N.W. by W. f, and 5 S.E. from Tring ; situated upon the main road leading from London to Aylesbury-upon the banks of the Grand Junction canal, and close to the line of the London and Birmingham railway. Berkhampstead is supposed by some writers to have been a Roman station ; from the name, however it appears to be of Saxon origin, its designation having been Berghamstedt, or 'the town among the hills,' which accords well with its local situation. In this place the Kings of Mercia often resided and kept their court, and some of the walls of their castle are still standing at the end of Castle street. 'Berkhampstead place,' the seat of the Honourable Miss Grimstone, in this parish, was formerly occupied by the first and second Charles during their infancy. Formerly lace making and the manufacture of wooden ware was carried on extensively here, but have become nearly, if not entirely, extinct. Brewing, malting, and the making of straw plat are the present existing branches. Petty sessions are held here once a fortnight, at the 'King's Arms Inn;' and courts baron and leet annually, for the 'Honour and Borough' of Berkhampstead. The church, dedicated to St. Peter, is a beautiful pile of architecture, cruciform, with a tower rising from the intersection ; within the church are two chapels, and some interesting monuments. The living is a rectory, in the gift of the Crown, and incumbency of the Rev. John Crofts. The baptists, and those of Lady Huntingdon's connexion, have each a chapel, and the society of friends a meeting house. Two excellent charity schools are established here, a parochial school of industry, and another conducted on the national plan. There are almshouses for six poor widows, erected and endowed by John Sayer Esq. in 1684 ; besides other minor charities, by which the poor of this parish are benefitted. The poet Cowper was born in this parish in 1731. The market, held on Saturday, is chiefly for corn, but indifferently attended ; the fairs are on Shrove-Tuesday, Whit-Monday, and October 12th - they are toy and pleasure fairs, but are like the markets, unimportant as regards advantage to the town. In 1831 the number of inhabitants was 2,369.

Northchurch is a village, in the parish of Berkhampstead St Mary, contiguous to the above town. It is pleasantly situate on the high road to Tring, and respectably inhabited. The population of the parish amounted, in 1831, to 1,156 persons.

Pigot's Directory for Hertfordshire, 1839

Page reorganised December 2008