PREFACE 



FOR the design and scope of the History of Hertfordshire the 

 reader is referred to the General Advertisement of the Victoria 

 History. 



While it is intended in the earlier portion of each History to 

 keep to a chronological order as far as possible, the conditions obtaining 

 in some counties make it desirable to depart slightly from the general 

 rule. In the case of Hertfordshire the break in continuity is made by 

 omitting the Romano-British chapter from this volume. Although our 

 knowledge of Saxon times as far as this county is concerned is very 

 imperfect, there is at present no such activity of research in this 

 department as to encourage the hope that important facts may be 

 brought to light if publication be delayed. But the excavations which 

 are proceeding at Verulamium may add something to the very scanty 

 material available for reconstructing the story of the county at the time 

 of the Roman occupation, and Mr. Haverfield's contribution will there- 

 fore be reserved for a future volume. 



It may be questioned by some whether there be any need for 

 another History of Hertfordshire^ seeing that three histories of the county 

 have been issued already at various times. But it may be pointed out 

 that in none of them is there to be found a general view of the county 

 and its life such as is projected in the present work ; nor has the true 

 foundation of modern county history the Domesday Survey been 

 examined by previous historians with the care it deserves. In this 

 respect the Victoria History claims to supersede its predecessors ; and 

 while the public must ultimately judge whether the ideals of the editors 

 be in any degree realized, it is believed that in the manorial history, 

 which will follow in two of the three succeeding volumes, the student 

 will find a greater measure of accuracy than in the earlier histories. A 

 particular statement of the plan upon which the topographical history 

 has been compiled will be given in the preface to the next volume, in 

 which the first portion of this section will find a place. The fourth 

 volume will contain general articles on Ecclesiastical, Political, Social 

 and Economic history and other subjects, as announced in the prospectus. 



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