Sawbridgeworth
Encyclopedia
Sawbridgeworth is a small, mainly residential, town
and also a civil parish in Hertfordshire
, England
.
, twelve miles east of Hertford
and nine miles north of Epping
. It lies on the A1184 and has a railway station
that links to Liverpool Street station
in London
. The river Stort
flows through the east of the town, past the Maltings (now a small business and residential area).
Nearby towns and cities: Bishop's Stortford
, Harlow
Nearby villages: High Wych
, Spellbrook
, Much Hadham
The Manor of "Sabrixteworde" (one of the many spellings previously associated with the town) was recorded in the Domesday Book
. After the Battle of Hastings
it was granted to Geoffrey de Mandeville
by William the Conqueror. Local notables have included Sir John Leventhorpe, who was an executor of King Henry V
's will
, and Anne Boleyn
, who was given the Pishiobury/Pishobury estate, located to the south of the town.
Much of the town centre is a conservation area; many of the buildings date from the Tudor
, Stuart
, and Georgian
periods. Great St. Mary's church was originally built in the 13th century (although a church on the site existed in Saxon times) and includes a Tudor
tower containing a clock bell (1664) and eight ringing bells, the oldest of which dates from 1749. Historically, it is unclear where the apostrophe
lies in "Great St. Mary's", and even which St. Mary
it was, and why it is "Great". Ralph Jocelyn
of Hyde Hall, who was twice Lord Mayor of London in the 15th century, is buried here; images of many of his family and other locals have been engraved on brass, and hence the church is popular for enthusiasts of brass rubbing
.
The town's prosperity came from the local maltings, owned by George Fawbert and John Barnard; in 1839 they set up the Fawbert and Barnard charity
to fund local children and their education, funding a local infant school that still exists today.
Apart from the historic nature of the town, attractions include local river cruises in the summer, one annual fair held on Fair Green on the Sunday of the first May Bank Holiday and Carol singing on the green on Christmas Eve.
By the time of the Norman conquest
, or soon after, Sawbridgeworth's rich farming land was fully developed for cultivation as was possible with the means available at the time: it was the richest village community in the country. It is, then, hardly surprising that many important medieval families had estates here. The land was divided amongst them, into a number of manors
or distinct estates; the Lord of each manor had rights not only over this land but also over the people who farmed it. The number of manors increased during the Middle Ages
, by a process of subinfeudation
, that is the granting out of a part of an existing manor to a new owner so that the new manor was created. Many manors sprang from the original Domesday Book holding of the de Mandeville family. The first came to be called Sayesbury manor, from the de Say family who inherited it from the de Mandeville's in 1189. The many important people who held these manors built themselves houses with hunting parks around them; when they died their tombs enriched the parish church
, so that today St. Mary's has one of the finest collections of church monument
s in the country. The Lordship of Sawbridgeworth includes the estate of Sayesbury. The Lordship of Pishobury
is officially held by a family living in Germany.
During World War II
RAF Sawbridgeworth operated Supermarine Spitfire
s, Westland Lysander
, P-51 Mustang
, and de Havilland Mosquito
s.
it is believed to have been pronounced "Sapserth", and since then the pronunciation has varied to include "Sapsa", "Sapster" and "Sapsworth", and even until the Second World War was pronounced "Sapsed". Current residents often use the casual abbreviated name "Sawbo".
district council. The local Town Council currently has 12 councillors, covering both Sawbridgeworth and Spellbrook.
Sawbridgeworth is twinned with: Bry-sur-Marne
in France
(1973)
In Parliament
, it is in the Hertford and Stortford constituency. Since the election of May 2005
Sawbridgeworth is represented by Mark Prisk
, a Conservative
.
The village of Lower Sheering in Essex adjoins Sawbridgeworth, east of the railway station, along the Hertfordshire - Essex border. It shares the same postal code as Sawbridgeworth, although for local government purposes it comes under the Epping Forest
district of Essex, with the Member of Parliament being Robert Halfon
(Conservative)
.
, the Leventhorpe School
, which also offers a public swimming pool
and gym
. There is also one primary school Mandeville, one junior school
Reedings and one infant school
Fawbert & Barnard in Sawbridgeworth.
is one of the leading cricket
clubs in the south of England, fielding five senior sides on a Saturday and seven colts sides, from ages nine to fifteen. The 1st XI plays in the Home Counties Premier Cricket League, and the other league sides play in the Hertfordshire Cricket League. The main ground is Town Fields, situated behind Bell Street. The second ground is at the Leventhorpe School
.
Sawbridgeworth also has a football, tennis
and bowls
clubs.
is situated on the London to Cambridge line. There is a ticket office and self service ticket machine, but there is no longer a permit to travel machine.
There are also many bus services to the nearby towns of Harlow
and Bishops Stortford. See Essex Bus Routes.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
and also a civil parish in Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Location
Sawbridgeworth is four miles south of Bishop's StortfordBishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford is a historic market town and civil parish in the district of East Hertfordshire in the county of Hertfordshire in England. It is situated just west of the M11 motorway, on the county boundary with Essex and is the closest large town to London Stansted Airport and part of the...
, twelve miles east of Hertford
Hertford
Hertford is the county town of Hertfordshire, England, and is also a civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district of the county. Forming a civil parish, the 2001 census put the population of Hertford at about 24,180. Recent estimates are that it is now around 28,000...
and nine miles north of Epping
Epping
Epping is a small market town and civil parish in the Epping Forest district of the County of Essex, England. It is located north-east of Loughton, south of Harlow and north-west of Brentwood....
. It lies on the A1184 and has a railway station
Sawbridgeworth railway station
Sawbridgeworth railway station serves the town of Sawbridgeworth in Hertfordshire, England. Formerly, part of the station was in Essex and it is still immediately adjacent to the boundary with Lower Sheering, in the Epping Forest District...
that links to Liverpool Street station
Liverpool Street station
Liverpool Street railway station, also known as London Liverpool Street or simply Liverpool Street, is both a central London railway terminus and a connected London Underground station in the north-eastern corner of the City of London, England...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The river Stort
Stort Navigation
The Stort Navigation is the canalised section of the River Stort running from the town of Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire downstream to its confluence with the River Lee Navigation at Feildes Weir near Rye House, Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire.-History:...
flows through the east of the town, past the Maltings (now a small business and residential area).
Nearby towns and cities: Bishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford is a historic market town and civil parish in the district of East Hertfordshire in the county of Hertfordshire in England. It is situated just west of the M11 motorway, on the county boundary with Essex and is the closest large town to London Stansted Airport and part of the...
, Harlow
Harlow
Harlow is a new town and local government district in Essex, England. It is located in the west of the county and on the border with Hertfordshire, on the Stort Valley, The town is near the M11 motorway and forms part of the London commuter belt.The district has a current population of 78,889...
Nearby villages: High Wych
High Wych
High Wych is a village and civil parish in Hertfordshire, England.High Wych lies two miles south west of the town of Sawbridgeworth, which it was considered part of until 1845, and about five miles from Harlow. Its parish includes Great Pennys, Trimms Green, Sacombs Ash, Allens Green, Chandlers,...
, Spellbrook
Spellbrook
Spellbrook is a village in Hertfordshire, situated between Bishop's Stortford and Sawbridgeworth.-Location:Spellbrook is three miles south of Bishop's Stortford, thirteen miles east of Hertford and ten miles north of Epping. It lies on the A1184 The river Stort flows through the east of the town,...
, Much Hadham
Much Hadham
Much Hadham is a village and civil parish in the district of East Hertfordshire, Hertfordshire, England, formerly known as Great Hadham. It is situated on the B1004 road, midway between Ware and Bishop's Stortford...
History
Prior to the Norman Conquest, most of the area was owned by the Saxon Angmar the Staller.The Manor of "Sabrixteworde" (one of the many spellings previously associated with the town) was recorded in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
. After the Battle of Hastings
Battle of Hastings
The Battle of Hastings occurred on 14 October 1066 during the Norman conquest of England, between the Norman-French army of Duke William II of Normandy and the English army under King Harold II...
it was granted to Geoffrey de Mandeville
Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex
Geoffrey de Mandeville II, 1st Earl of Essex was one of the prominent players during the reign of King Stephen of England. His biographer, the 19th-century historian J. H...
by William the Conqueror. Local notables have included Sir John Leventhorpe, who was an executor of King Henry V
Henry V of England
Henry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
's will
Will (law)
A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
, and Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn ;c.1501/1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536 as the second wife of Henry VIII of England and Marquess of Pembroke in her own right. Henry's marriage to Anne, and her subsequent execution, made her a key figure in the political and religious upheaval that was the...
, who was given the Pishiobury/Pishobury estate, located to the south of the town.
Much of the town centre is a conservation area; many of the buildings date from the Tudor
Tudor architecture
The Tudor architectural style is the final development of medieval architecture during the Tudor period and even beyond, for conservative college patrons...
, Stuart
House of Stuart
The House of Stuart is a European royal house. Founded by Robert II of Scotland, the Stewarts first became monarchs of the Kingdom of Scotland during the late 14th century, and subsequently held the position of the Kings of Great Britain and Ireland...
, and Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
periods. Great St. Mary's church was originally built in the 13th century (although a church on the site existed in Saxon times) and includes a Tudor
Tudor period
The Tudor period usually refers to the period between 1485 and 1603, specifically in relation to the history of England. This coincides with the rule of the Tudor dynasty in England whose first monarch was Henry VII...
tower containing a clock bell (1664) and eight ringing bells, the oldest of which dates from 1749. Historically, it is unclear where the apostrophe
Apostrophe
The apostrophe is a punctuation mark, and sometimes a diacritic mark, in languages that use the Latin alphabet or certain other alphabets...
lies in "Great St. Mary's", and even which St. Mary
Saint Mary (disambiguation)
Saint Mary is Mary of Nazareth, the mother of Jesus.Saint Mary may also refer to:* Saint Mary * Saint Mary Parish, Antigua and Barbuda* Saint Mary Parish, Jamaica* Saint Mary Cray, United Kingdom...
it was, and why it is "Great". Ralph Jocelyn
Jocelyn
Jocelyn is a surname and first name. It is a unisex name. Variants include Joscelyn, Joscelin, Josceline, Jocelin, Jocelyne, Jocelynne, Jocelynn, Joslin, Joslyn, Joclyn, Joselyn, Joselyne and Josslyn; people that have this name may find it is often misspelled by others...
of Hyde Hall, who was twice Lord Mayor of London in the 15th century, is buried here; images of many of his family and other locals have been engraved on brass, and hence the church is popular for enthusiasts of brass rubbing
Brass rubbing
Brass rubbing was originally a largely British enthusiasm for reproducing onto paper monumental brasses – commemorative brass plaques found in churches, usually originally on the floor, from between the 13th and 16th centuries. The concept of recording textures of things is more generally called...
.
The town's prosperity came from the local maltings, owned by George Fawbert and John Barnard; in 1839 they set up the Fawbert and Barnard charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
to fund local children and their education, funding a local infant school that still exists today.
Apart from the historic nature of the town, attractions include local river cruises in the summer, one annual fair held on Fair Green on the Sunday of the first May Bank Holiday and Carol singing on the green on Christmas Eve.
By the time of the Norman conquest
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
, or soon after, Sawbridgeworth's rich farming land was fully developed for cultivation as was possible with the means available at the time: it was the richest village community in the country. It is, then, hardly surprising that many important medieval families had estates here. The land was divided amongst them, into a number of manors
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
or distinct estates; the Lord of each manor had rights not only over this land but also over the people who farmed it. The number of manors increased during the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, by a process of subinfeudation
Subinfeudation
In English law, subinfeudation is the practice by which tenants, holding land under the king or other superior lord, carved out new and distinct tenures in their turn by sub-letting or alienating a part of their lands....
, that is the granting out of a part of an existing manor to a new owner so that the new manor was created. Many manors sprang from the original Domesday Book holding of the de Mandeville family. The first came to be called Sayesbury manor, from the de Say family who inherited it from the de Mandeville's in 1189. The many important people who held these manors built themselves houses with hunting parks around them; when they died their tombs enriched the parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
, so that today St. Mary's has one of the finest collections of church monument
Church monument
A church monument is an architectural or sculptural memorial to a dead person or persons, located within a Christian church. It can take various forms, from a simple wall tablet to a large and elaborate structure which may include an effigy of the deceased person and other figures of familial or...
s in the country. The Lordship of Sawbridgeworth includes the estate of Sayesbury. The Lordship of Pishobury
Pishobury
Pishobury or Pishiobury was the second great estate in medieval Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire.- History :This sub-manor of Pishobury originated in a grant of 74 libartes of land within the Manor of Sawbridgeworth, which Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex, who died in 1144, made to Warin...
is officially held by a family living in Germany.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
RAF Sawbridgeworth operated Supermarine Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
s, Westland Lysander
Westland Lysander
The Westland Lysander was a British army co-operation and liaison aircraft produced by Westland Aircraft used immediately before and during the Second World War...
, P-51 Mustang
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
, and de Havilland Mosquito
De Havilland Mosquito
The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"...
s.
Pronunciation
The name of the town is now almost universally pronounced in the obvious way, but this was not always the case. In the Middle AgesMiddle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
it is believed to have been pronounced "Sapserth", and since then the pronunciation has varied to include "Sapsa", "Sapster" and "Sapsworth", and even until the Second World War was pronounced "Sapsed". Current residents often use the casual abbreviated name "Sawbo".
Politics and local government
Sawbridgeworth is administered by East HertsEast Hertfordshire
East Hertfordshire is a local government district in Hertfordshire, England. Its council has offices in Bishop's Stortford and Hertford ....
district council. The local Town Council currently has 12 councillors, covering both Sawbridgeworth and Spellbrook.
Sawbridgeworth is twinned with: Bry-sur-Marne
Bry-sur-Marne
Bry-sur-Marne is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.The commune of Bry-sur-Marne is part of the sector of Porte de Paris, one of the four sectors of the "new town" of Marne-la-Vallée.-Personalities:...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
(1973)
In Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
, it is in the Hertford and Stortford constituency. Since the election of May 2005
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
Sawbridgeworth is represented by Mark Prisk
Mark Prisk
Michael Mark Prisk is a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. He is the Member of Parliament for Hertford and Stortford, and was appointed Minister of State for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in May 2010...
, a Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
.
The village of Lower Sheering in Essex adjoins Sawbridgeworth, east of the railway station, along the Hertfordshire - Essex border. It shares the same postal code as Sawbridgeworth, although for local government purposes it comes under the Epping Forest
Epping Forest
Epping Forest is an area of ancient woodland in south-east England, straddling the border between north-east Greater London and Essex. It is a former royal forest, and is managed by the City of London Corporation....
district of Essex, with the Member of Parliament being Robert Halfon
Robert Halfon
Robert Henry Halfon is a British Conservative politician. He is the current Member of Parliament for Harlow, and was first elected at the 2010 general election.-Early life:...
(Conservative)
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
.
Education
Sawbridgeworth has a secondary schoolSecondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
, the Leventhorpe School
The Leventhorpe School
The Leventhorpe School is a mixed, 11-19 secondary school and sixth form in the historic market town of Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire. The school has held Specialist Business and Enterprise College status since 2004. It belongs to the Bishop's Stortford and Sawbridgeworth Consortium of Secondary...
, which also offers a public swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
and gym
Gym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
. There is also one primary school Mandeville, one junior school
Junior school
A junior school is a type of school which caters for children, often between the ages of 7 and 11.-Australia:In Australia, a junior school is usually a part of a private school that educates children between the ages of 5 and 12....
Reedings and one infant school
Infant school
An Infant school is a term used primarily in the United Kingdom for school for children between the ages of four and seven years. It is usually a small school serving a particular locality....
Fawbert & Barnard in Sawbridgeworth.
Sport
Sawbridgeworth Cricket ClubSawbridgeworth Cricket Club
Sawbridgeworth Cricket Club is a cricket club located in Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, England.The club is affiliated to the Hertfordshire County Cricket Association, the Club Cricket Conference and is a member of the Home Counties Premier League and Saracens Hertfordshire Cricket League. The club...
is one of the leading cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
clubs in the south of England, fielding five senior sides on a Saturday and seven colts sides, from ages nine to fifteen. The 1st XI plays in the Home Counties Premier Cricket League, and the other league sides play in the Hertfordshire Cricket League. The main ground is Town Fields, situated behind Bell Street. The second ground is at the Leventhorpe School
The Leventhorpe School
The Leventhorpe School is a mixed, 11-19 secondary school and sixth form in the historic market town of Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire. The school has held Specialist Business and Enterprise College status since 2004. It belongs to the Bishop's Stortford and Sawbridgeworth Consortium of Secondary...
.
Sawbridgeworth also has a football, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
and bowls
Bowls
Bowls is a sport in which the objective is to roll slightly asymmetric balls so that they stop close to a smaller "jack" or "kitty". It is played on a pitch which may be flat or convex or uneven...
clubs.
Transport
Sawbridgeworth railway stationSawbridgeworth railway station
Sawbridgeworth railway station serves the town of Sawbridgeworth in Hertfordshire, England. Formerly, part of the station was in Essex and it is still immediately adjacent to the boundary with Lower Sheering, in the Epping Forest District...
is situated on the London to Cambridge line. There is a ticket office and self service ticket machine, but there is no longer a permit to travel machine.
There are also many bus services to the nearby towns of Harlow
Harlow
Harlow is a new town and local government district in Essex, England. It is located in the west of the county and on the border with Hertfordshire, on the Stort Valley, The town is near the M11 motorway and forms part of the London commuter belt.The district has a current population of 78,889...
and Bishops Stortford. See Essex Bus Routes.