The history of Watford

First documented reference to Watford

The first reference to the area of Watford was made in the Domesday book of 1086 which refers to the Manor Of Cashio, though the records do not specifically mention Watford. Evidence in The Domesday records suggest that agriculture was important during the 11th Century as they show four corn-grinding mills. Watford is now the largest Hertfordshire town.

History of Watford

By Mary Forsyth Watford began as a settlement in the 12th century when the Abbot of St Albans who owned the land here was given permission to hold a weekly market. He chose a site on a slight rise above the ford over the river Colne, along a route already used by travellers.

This is where the market continued to be held until 1928. The Abbot also arranged for the first church to be built adjacent to the market: St Mary's, the parish church of Watford.

Although there is no evidence for a settlement here before the 12th century, earlier people may have passed through, using the natural route from London to the West Midlands, a line to be followed later by the road (until recently the A41), the canal and the railway. So it is believed that "Watford" is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name for the ford. The first documentary evidence for the name appears in the Oxhey Charter of 1007. Some of these passers-by have left evidence of their time here and this can be seen in Watford Museum. As well as flint tools from various periods in the Stone Age found to the west and north of the later town, along the valleys of the Colne and the Gade, a Bronze Age metal worker left a hoard of artefacts near Cassio Bridge, and an Anglo - Saxon lost six 10th century silver pennies in Whippendell Woods - enough to buy a sheep. At the time of King William I's Domesday Book of 1086 there is no mention of a place called Watford. The area of the current town and the land around it belonged to the Abbot's Manor of Cashio (later Cassio) and it continued to be controlled by the Abbot until the 16th century. A few buildings remain from this period: Monmouth House from the17th century; the Free School, Frogmore House, Benskin House (now Watford Museum), Little Cassiobury and Russells from the 18th century, and also some of the High Street shops. It was the early 1800s, which saw the greatest and most rapid changes to the town. The Grand Union Canal brought goods not easily available before. Even more significant was the opening of the railway in 1837. With its links to London, the West Midlands and Lancashire, it encouraged new industry here. The traditional agricultural industries had been supplemented in the 18th century by brewing and the preparation of raw silk, and printing had started on a small scale. The development of paper-making along the local rivers led to the manufacture of the machinery it needed and from this grew other types of engineering. By the early 1900s Watford was an established industrial centre. The 19th century also saw a rapid expansion in housing as people moved to the town for work. Most of the streets in the town centre were laid out in the second half of the 19th century and by 1900 the Earl of Essex had sold most of his farmland to the west and north east of the High Street for housing. Cassiobury Park remained undeveloped while the family owned the house. Local government had to change to meet the demands of the growing population. First the local Board of Health, then the Urban District Council and finally, from 1922, the Borough Council took control of the town's affairs. Industry changed too. In the 20th century, between the wars, the major employer was the railway. After World War II printing became the most important industry. Now with the decline in manufacturing, the service industries have become the main employers. And still more people have been attracted to the town, whether for work or for leisure, as the M1 and the M25 made it more accessible and Watford continues to thrive as a regional centre. For more information on Watford’s history, visit the Watford Museum website