Part 12

Butchery Green. (See Hertford.)

BYGRAVE (13/4 mile N.E. from Baldock Station, G.N.R.) has a small church built of clunch from the Ashwell pits near by. It dates from perhaps 1320. Note (1) octagonal font (about 1420-40), (2) slab on floor to a former rector, a Huguenot (d. 1725), and (3) the piscina in chancel. Close by, at the Manor House, are the remains of some moats constructed five centuries ago by the resident knight, Sir John Thornbury, because of the many marauders that infested the neighbourhood. The place was once a market-town; the market, granted by Henry III., was held each Monday. The village lies on high ground, a few minutes' walk N. from the Icknield Way.

CALDECOTE (about 3 miles N.N.E. from Baldock Station, G.N.R.) has a Perp. church of rubble, containing a few memorials, a very finely canopied holy water basin, and a font dating from, say, 1480.

Caldicot Hill is 1 mile E. from Bushey Heath, on the Middlesex border.

CASSIOBURY PARK. (See Watford.)

Catlip is a hamlet near Chorley Wood Station, Met.R.

Chandler's Cross (21/2 miles S.W. from King's Langley Station, L.&N.W.R.) is a small hamlet.

Chapmore End is 21/2 miles N. from Hertford.

Chelsing is near the river Rib, 3 miles N. from Ware.

Cherry Green (1 mile S.W. from West Mill Station, G.E.R.) is a small hamlet.

CHESHUNT, according to Grose's Antiquities, the Durolitum of Antoninus, is a large parish which contains much of interest. Its ancient names, Cestre, Ceaster, Cestrehunt, leave little doubt that it was a Roman station. At Roman Urn Inn, near the station, G.E.R., is an urn imbedded in the wall; it was discovered close by some years ago, and is probably of Roman manufacture. Cheston, yet another old name of this spot, has been thought to be derived from the chestnut trees once plentiful in the neighbourhood, of which many of the houses were built. William I. gave the manor to Alan the Red, Earl of Brittany, and it remained an appendage to that earldom for a long time. Edward III. granted a weekly market to be held in the town every Monday. The Church of St. Mary the Virgin was built in 1420 by Nicholas Dixon, who held the living of Cheshunt for thirty years. It is Perp., entirely embattled; the W. tower has an octagonal cupola. Restoration was carefully effected during 1872-4, under Mr. G. F. Bodley. The rood-screen, lectern and pulpit are of carved oak, all comparatively new. The memorials are very numerous; amongst them may be noted (1) brass on chancel floor to the above-mentioned Nicholas Dixon (d. 1448); (2) brass to William Pyke (d. 1449); (3) two female effigies, 1500-20; (4) altar tomb in chancel to Robert Dacres, Privy Councillor to Henry VIII. There are windows of stained glass to a former vicar (d. 1858); to General Miles (d. 1860), and, in the tower, to one Robert Archer, for thirty-six years parish clerk. N. from the main street, near the river Lea, stood a small Benedictine nunnery. It originally belonged to the Canons of Cathele, but Henry III. turned them out and gave the property and rights to the "Prioress and Nuns of Cesthont". The college, a famous institution, stands near the church; it was founded in 1768 by Selina, Countess of Huntingdon, at Trevecca, near Talgarth, S. Wales, and removed to Cheshunt after her death. A few years ago it was bought by the Church of England, for use as a theological college. Close by, too, is the site of Pengelly House, once the home of Richard Cromwell. Cheshunt Park (1 mile N.) is full of memories of the Cromwells and the Russells. The Great House, near Church Gate, was one of the many residences of Cardinal Wolsey. Both the house and the moat are still preserved.

CHESS, river. (See Introduction.)

Cheverell's Green (11/2 mile N.W. from Flamstead, and about 4 miles N.W. from Redbourn Station, M.R.) is a small hamlet and green adjoining Beechwood Park.

Childwick Green is 1 mile S. from Harpenden Common, and 21/2 miles N. from St. Albans.

CHIPPERFIELD (21/2 miles W. from King's Langley Station, L.&N.W.R.) was made an ecclesiastical parish in 1863. The small church on the common, E.E. in style, built in 1837, is of little interest. There is a good lich-gate at the N. entrance to the churchyard. The neighbourhood is pleasant and varied.

Chipping (2 miles N. from Buntingford) is a small village on the Royston Road.

Chivesfield (or Chesfield) is 2 miles N.E. from Stevenage Station, G.N.R. It is locally famous for its ruined church. One John Wykins was rector here as early as 1323. The windows were partly destroyed in 1642. Some interesting memorials were extant in Chauncy's day, and are mentioned in the second volume of his Antiquities.

CHORLEY WOOD, a village 21/2 miles N.W. from Rickmansworth, has a station on the Met.R. near the Amersham Road. The church, E.E. in style, dates from 1845, but was largely rebuilt in 1870. William Penn, the Quaker, was married here. There are many pretty walks through the Valley of the Chess, which flows between the village and Sarratt (q.v.).

Church End is a small hamlet in the parish of Albury, 3 miles E. from Braughing Station, G.E.R.

Clapgate, a hamlet on the river Ash, is close to Church End.

Clay End (11/2 mile S.E. from Walkern) is about equidistant--5 miles--from Stevenage or Westmill Stations.

Clay Hill is on the high road between Bushey and Bushey Heath (q.v.).

CLOTHALL (21/4 miles S.E. from Baldock) has an interesting church, chiefly Perp., on a gentle hill. There is a good brass in the chancel to John Vynter, first rector of the church (d. 1404), and one to John Wright, Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, also rector here (d. 1519). On the S. of the church is a small Dec. chantry chapel. Note also a sixteenth century brass to the wife and sixteen children of William Bramfield of Clothall. The Saxons are said to have called the spot Cley Hall, because it stood on a hill of clay. Clothall Bury is a little to the E.

Cockernhoe Green is 21/2 miles S.W. from Offley, and 21/2 miles N.E. from Luton Station (Beds).

Cockhampstead (2 miles N.E. from Braughing Station, G.E.R.) is near Albury Hall.

CODICOTE (3 miles N.W. from Welwyn Station, G.N.R.) is a large village on the Welwyn-Hitchin Road, with a pleasant heath a little W. The Church of St. Giles is an ancient structure, E.E., restored in 1853; it stands in a field 1/2 mile N. from the village. The S. chapel dates from 1312. The embattled W. tower is a fine structure. There are several memorial windows, comparatively modern.

COLE GREEN has a station on the G.N.R. branch line from Hatfield to Hertford. From the station little is to be seen except the Cowper's Arms and a few cottages.

Coleman's Green (11/2 mile S.E. from Wheathampstead Station, G.N.R.) is prettily situated near the "Devil's Dyke" and Brocket Hall. John Bunyan sometimes preached in a cottage here; a large chimney-stack, bearing an inscription, still marks the spot, unless quite recently removed.