A HISTORY OF HERTFORDSHIRE 



been discovered near to Lockleys and a Roman villa 

 in the garden of the rectory. 



Danesbury is the property of Colonel A. M. 

 Blake, C.B., D.L., J. P., and is situated in a park of 

 about 200 acres. Lockleys is an 18th-century red 

 brick house with a park, the property and residence 

 of Mrs. Neall. The Frythe, a modern brick gabled 

 house with extensive ground?, is the residence of the 

 Misses Wilshere. Sherrard's House, to the south of 

 the Frythe, is the residence of Mr. Robert D. Balfour. 

 In the north of the parish is the hamlet of Woolmer 

 Green, with Mardleybury to the east and Mardley 

 Heath to the west. Welch's Farm lies about u mile 

 south. Harmer Green is situated in an eastern 

 extension of the parish, and part of Burnham Green 

 is included in a detached part of Welwyn parish 

 about a mile north-east. 



There was a chalybeate spring in the parish, 

 referred to by Camden as being in the corner of the 

 old rectory garden.* An attempt was made in the 

 18th century under the auspices of Dr. Young to 

 make Welwyn a watering-place. Assembly rooms 

 were built, which enjoyed a short vogue, and which 

 still survive as tenements. ,a The spring has been 

 covered over, the garden having been converted into 

 a timber-yard, but is believed still to exist. 1 



The main line of the Great Northern railway runs 

 through the parish ; the railway station is situated rather 

 more than a mile to the south-east of the town. 



In 1882 a detached portion of the parish was 

 transferred to Digswell for civil purposes.' The sub- 

 soil of the parish is chalk, except for a small district in 

 the east, where it gives way to Woolwich and Read- 

 ing Beds. There are a number of chalk-pits in the 

 north of the parish and some gravel-pits in the centre. 

 The inclosure award was made in 18 19, the 

 Authorizing Act being dated 1810. Both are in the 

 custody of the clerk of the peace. 5 



In the time of Edward the Confessor 

 MANORS ITELlfTN was held of the king in 

 frankalmoign by the priest of the vill, and 

 belonged to the church of Welwyn. 6 The same man 

 held it in 1086 'in alms' of King William, when it 

 was assessed at 1 hide. It was stated at that time 



and in 1469 Thomas Dene of Ayot Montfitchet 

 broke and entered it to the rector's damage." 

 In 1+71 Thomas Payn the miller was fined for 

 obstructing the course of the mill-stream and 

 causing it to overflow the king's highway." In 1 463 

 John Porter, chaplain, and Thomas son of William 

 Fyssh of Welwyn were presented as ' common fishers ' 

 for taking fish on the banks of the river and carrying 

 them away without licence. In the following year 

 the same chaplain was presented for making an ' unjust 

 footpath' through Diggesmede." In 1475 various 

 people in the manor were fined for playing at dice 



In addition to this rectory manor there were others 

 in Welwyn of which the early history is obscure. 

 Mr. Round points out that in 1235-6 Geoffrey de 

 Beauchamp held half a fee in ' Welewe ' of Robert 

 'de Hirbeygin' (of Cainhoe) and that in 1346 both 

 the quarter fees in Welwyn (one of which was 

 Lockleys) are entered as held ' de baronie de 

 Kaynho.' This holding he takes back to 1 183, when 

 'Robert de Albeneio ' gave r\ marks that Baldwin 

 'Wach' might be summoned to warrant his wife ' de 

 terra de Welewe.' '«> 



The manor of LOCKLEYS (Lockele, Lokkelebery, 

 Lokley) was held in 1303 as a quarter fee of Agnes de 

 Valence," daughter of William and sister ofAylmer 

 de Valence, Earl of Pembroke, to whom the over- 

 lordship came at her death about 1309." 1 After 

 Aylmer's death in 1 3:4," Lockleys was granted in 

 dower to his widow Mary, who obtained possession in 

 1325." Aylmer's heirs were his nephew John de 

 Hastings and his two nieces Elizabeth Talbot and 

 Joan the wife of David de Strathbolgi. 19 Lockleys was 

 assigned to Joan and David," but it so happened that 

 neither they nor their heirs obtained possession, for 

 Mary de Valence lived until 1377, while David de 

 Strathbolgi, grandson and heir of David and Joan, died 

 without male issue in 1375." The overlordship is 

 found later vested in John of Gaunt, Duke of Lan- 

 caster, of whom Lockleys was held as of his manor 

 of Hertingfordbury." He was succeeded in 1 399 by 

 his son Henry, who in the same year became king as 

 Henry IV," and the overlordship of Lockleys 



