The Watford Observer is again delighted to be teaming up with its friends at Watford Museum to take another journey back to the past to recall the key events and dates that helped shape the town’s future.

The second part of '50 events and dates that shaped Watford’ takes us hundreds of year before the great aerial picture of the High Street at the top of this page was taken.

The museum's volunteer archivist Christine Orchard said: "Long before the time of this 1920’s photograph, the area that forms our town seems to have begun to take its shape.

"In 793, when Offa, King of Mercia, established a new monastery at St Albans, he also granted large areas of land to support it.

"One of these areas was known as Caegesho (Cassio) but at this early period there was only a river crossing.

"It seems likely that, in the 12th century, parts of this land had been selected for a settlement and the town of Watford began to develop."

Watford Museum has reopened to the public. Admission is free but book first – call 01923 232297 or email info@watfordmuseum.org.uk. For more information, visit www.watfordmuseum.org.uk