Descriptive Gazetteer Entry for HEXTON

HEXTON, a village and a parish in Hitchin district, Herts. The village stands near Icknield street, among hills, adjacent to Beds, 5½ miles W by N of Hitchin r. station; and is a small but ancient place, known at Domesday as Hegastanestone. The parish comprises 1, 453 acres. Post town, Silsoe, under Ampthill. Real property, £2, 216. Pop., 234. Houses, 48. The property is divided among a few. The manor belonged to St. Alban's abbey; was given, at the dissolution, to Sir Richard Lee; passed to the Sadleirs, the Taverners, and others; and belongs now to the family of Lautour. Hexton house is a stately mansion, of some antiquity; and stands in a well wooded park, with beautiful views. A spot, called Bury Stede, near the church, is supposed to have been occupied as a residence of the Saxon kings. A Danish camp, called Ravensburgh castle, is on a high hill ¾ of a mile to the S. A battle was fought in the parish, in 914, between the Saxons and the Danes. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Rochester. Value, £100. Patron, Mrs. Young De Lautour. The church was restored in 1824; and consists of nave and chancel, with porch and tower.


(John Marius Wilson, Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72))

Linked entities:
Feature Description: "a village and a parish"   (ADL Feature Type: "populated places")
Administrative units: Hexton AP/CP       Hitchin RegD/PLU       Hertfordshire AncC
Place names: HEGASTANESTONE     |     HEXTON
Place: Hexton

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