Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, "Bent, James" to "Bibirine" by Various
5140. It lies pleasantly in the narrow well-wooded valley of the
341 words | Chapter 19
Bulbourne, and is close to the Grand Junction canal. The church of St
Peter, a large cruciform structure, exhibits all the Gothic styles, and
earlier fragments are traceable. There are several brasses of interest.
The poet William Cowper was born in the rectory in 1731. The large
grammar school is a foundation of 1541. Straw-plaiting and the
manufacture of small wooden wares are the principal industries, and
there are large chemical works. Of the castle earthworks and fragments
of walls remain. The name of the town is Great Berkhampstead (or
Berkhamsted), in distinction from Little Berkhampstead near Hatfield in
this county.
Berkhampstead (Beorhhamstede, Berchehamstede) was undoubtedly of some
importance in Saxon times since there were fifty-two burgesses there at
the time of the Conquest. In 1156 Henry II. granted the men and
merchants of the town the same laws and customs as they had in the time
of Edward the Confessor, and that they should be quit of toll throughout
England, Normandy, Aquitaine and Anjou. Berkhampstead rose to importance
with its castle, which is said to have been built by Robert, count of
Mortain, and when the castle fell into ruin after 1496 the town also
began to decay. In 1618, however, the burgesses received an
incorporation charter; but after the civil wars the corporate body began
to fail through poverty, and in the 18th century had ceased to exist.
The burgesses returned two members to parliament in 1320 and again in
1338 and 1341, but were never represented again. Before the 13th century
the burgesses held a weekly market on Sunday and a yearly fair on St
James's day, but in 1218 Henry III. altered the market day to Monday.
Roofing tiles were manufactured in Berkhampstead as early as the 13th
century, and in Elizabeth's reign the making of malt was the chief
industry.
BERKSHIRE, THOMAS HOWARD, 1ST EARL OF (1587-1669), 2nd son of Thomas
Howard, 1st earl of Suffolk and of Catherine, daughter of Sir Henry
Knevet, Kt., widow of Richard Rich, was baptized on the 8th of October
Reading Tips
Use arrow keys to navigate
Press 'N' for next chapter
Press 'P' for previous chapter