About three miles and a half from Kimpton, and six from Hitchin, is St. Paul's Walden, near which the River Mimram has its source. The Church is a small ancient building, with a tower and five bells; it contains some elegant windows of stained glass, presented by Lady Glamis, who resides in the neighbouring Mansion. A chapel adjoining the chancel was erected by one of the Hoo family, who for many years possessed the Manor. Cluttcrbuck states that under the arch which separates the chancel from the nave, is an inscription which tells us that" this chancel was repaired and beautified by Edward Gilbert, Esq., of the Bury." There are many inscriptions in this chapel to different members of the Hoo, Hale, and Stapleford families; and in the Church, to the former occupants of Stagenhoe, another Mansion situate in this Parish. There is also a long inscription to the memory of Captain William Fothergill, R.N., who died in 1817. The Church is dedicated to All Saints, and the living is a Vicarage, of the value of £200 per annum, in the gift of the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul's, London. The Manor of this Parish formerly belonged to the Bowes family, of Durham, and from them passed by marriage to the Earl of Strathmore, the present possessor. The pleasant Hamlet of WHITWELL is in St. Paul's Walden Parish. The Parish contains 3678 acres; the population is 1154.

STAGENHOE PARK, in this Parish, descended from John de Verdun, in the reign of Edward III, through several families, till it came to Richard Hale, Esq., of King's Walden, whose grandson, Sir John Hale, was Sheriff of Herts. in 1663. The old House was erected in 1650, and was rebuilt some years since; it IS now the seat of the Earl of Caithness. A place called TEMPLE DINSLEY, near here, formerly a preceptory, belonged to the Knights Templars, and is now a Mansion, the property of the Harwood Darton family.

A curious circumstance occurred in this Parish, which has been deemed worthy of record. In a book called Rural Sports, the Rev. W. B. Daniel states the case of "a person named Joseph Man, gamekeeper at Paul's Walden, Herts., whose hair, when he was nineteen years old, was changed to grey in a single night by a violent fever. He lived till he was 82, stout and healthy." This case appeared in the Medical Times in 1859.

Guide to Hertfordshire 1880

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