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A History Tour of Walkern
by Janet Woodall
Walkern is an attractive parish in north east Hertfordshire. It’s village nestles in the valley of a charming chalk stream – the river Beane- surrounded by the small hamlets of Bassus Green, Clay End, Walkern Park and Boxwood.
More than 2000 years of history can be seen around the parish, and this book is a guide to that rich history. Use this guide when walking around the village, or as a virtual tour from the comfort of your armchair.
There are many notable buildings in the parish, reflecting the lives of the men and women who have lived here, from the Anglo-Saxons who carved a 4ft high crucifix at St Mary’s, the 13th century effigy of our Magna Carta baron, the Keepers of the Medieval Deer Park, the farmers, brewers, millers, bakers, tradesmen, shopkeepers, agricultural labourers and the straw plaiters feeding the Luton hat industry. There are tales of witchcraft, political dissention, religious non-conformity, poverty, crime, punishment and rioting, set against the backdrop of centuries of ordinary people getting on with their lives.
This is the third reprint by Walkern History Society and incorporates lots of new information from our latest Heritage Lottery funded project, Women of Walkern.
Janet Woodall, a research scientist, who gained her PhD at Rothampsted and University College London, has lived in Walkern for 30 years. She helped found Walkern History Society in 2012, and is the current chair.
Cover photo by Hubert Adam