1867 P.O. Directory
Walkern is a village and parish in Broadwater Hundred, Hertford Union, Hitchin County court district, rural deanery of Benington, archdeaconry of St Albans and diocese of Rochester, situate on the river Beane, which runs into the Lea, near Hoddeston, distant from Buntingford six miles south-west, three east from Stevenage Station on the Great Northern Railway, and 32 from London. The church of the Virgin Mary, an ancient structure in the Norman style, with square tower and five bells, contains a curious tomb of a knight Templar, which is supposed to have been brought from Baldock Priory. The living is a rectory value £600, with 16 acres of glebe and a residence, in the gift of Kings College Cambridge, and held by the Rev John Harding MA, of that college. A National School was built in 1834. Here are chapels for Baptists, Independents and Weslyans. On the brook is a mill. The street is 1 mile long. The Earl of Essex is lord of the manor. The area of the parish is 2,924 acres, and the population in 1861 was 823.
At Walkern Bury, one mile east, are the remains of a castle; Bassett’s Green is one mile east; Clay End is a mile and a half south-east.
Parish Clerk, William Green
Post Office: Daniel Pearman, postmaster. Letters through Buntingford, arrive 6am; dispatched at 8.30pm. The nearest money order office is at Stevenage.
National School, Mrs Jane Ditcher, mistress.
Carrier: Owen Cannon, to Hertford, on Saturday, returning same day.
Private Residents
Beecroft, Mr George
Garratt, Mr Thomas
Harding, Rev John M.A., J.P [rector]
Ivory, Robert esq. Walkern Park
Melsham, Rev Henry M.A. [curate]
Pryor, Morris esq. Clay Hall
Tily, James esq.
Commercial
Allison, James, shopkeeper
Andrews, Joseph, farmer
Aylott, George, carpenter
Bridges, Lydia (Mrs), farmer, Clay End
Camp, William, farm bailiff
Cannon, Owen, poulterer
Cock, Charles, blacksmith
Collis, Thomas, beer retailer
Dearman, Daniel, beer retailer
Dearman, Frederick, blacksmith
Dickison, John, beer retailer, Clay End
Dickison, Joseph, shoe maker
Dilley, Philip, ‘Red Lion’ & shopkeeper
Elliott, Eliza (Mrs), ‘White Lion’
Elliott, Henry, ‘Yew Tree’ & bricklayer
Estwick, Thomas, shopkeeper
Gazely, Jonas, wheelwright
Green, William, carpenter
Hill, Robert, farmer The Bury [Walkernbury Farm]
Hills, William, farmer
Ivory, Robert, farmer Walkern Park
Kitchener, John Elliot, shopkeeper
Knott, James, shopkeeper
Martin, Hannah (Mrs), harness maker
Moulden, Thomas, butcher & beer retailer
Pearman, Daniel, baker
Pearman, Edward, farmer Box Bury Farm
Pearman, George David, miller & farmer, Walkern Mill
Pearman, Thomas, farmer Rooks Nest
Petitt, George, plumber
Porter, Samuel, farmer Bassett’s Green
Porter, Samuel Jnr, farmer
Rowlatt, Thomas & Sons, farmers, Walkern Place
Rust, John, Tailor
Smith, John, beer retailer
Spriggens, William, shoe maker
Stockbridge, Thomas, baker & corn dealer
Tily, James, surgeon
Woollaston, William, farmer
Wright, Samuel, brewer, maltster & farmer
