Little Berkhamsted
- Not to be confused with Berkhamsted
| Little Berkhamsted | |
| Hertfordshire | |
|---|---|
 St Andrews, Little Berkhamsted | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | TL291077 |
| Location: | 51°45’11"N, 0°7’52"W |
| Data | |
| Post town: | Hertford |
| Postcode: | SG13 |
| Dialling code: | 01707 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Welwyn Hatfield |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Welwyn Hatfield |
Little Berkhamsted is a Hertfordshire village 5 miles southwest of the county town, Hertford.
The village is in a hilly location, some 400 feet above sea level. It has a row of weather-boarded cottages opposite St Andrews Church. The Conservative Cabinet Minister Reginald Maudling (1917-79) and his widow Beryl were buried here. Nearby there is an Elizabethan house and 'Stratton's Folly', a 1789 built brick tower.
There is a shop, a public house (the Five Horseshoes), a playground and a sports field there, and in the summer a traditional hog roast takes place. Ice cream can be bought from the Village Shop, however it is not the only communal attraction; there is also a day for open gardens, when people can go look at other people's gardens. Little Berkhamsted has many cycle paths, as well as a road named after itself: Little Berkhamsted Lane.
History
The manor of Little Berkhampstead is mentioned in the Domesday Book as Berchehamstede when it was held by Hardwin de Scales. The Parish Church of St Andrew is faced with Kentish ragstone and has a wooden bell-cote for three bells. The church was first mentioned in the 12th Century but was totally rebuilt in 1647, although little from that date survived reconstruction in the 19th century.[1]
Stratton's Tower (also known as "Stratton's Folly") is a 5 storey, 155 feet tall observation tower in the village. It was built in 1789 for Admiral John Stratton who lived at The Gage; legend has it that he wanted to see ships in the Thames, but it is more likely to have been for astronomy. It is now a residential property and is a Grade II* Listed Building.[2]
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Little Berkhamsted) |