1902 Kelly’s Directory of Herts: Walkern
Walkern is a village and parish on the river Beane, a feeder of the Lee, and is 6 miles north-north-east from Knebworth and 5 east from Stevenage stations on the main line of the Great Northern Railway, 9 ¾ north by north-west from Hertford and 32 from London, in the northern division of the county, Broadwater Hundred, Stevenage petty sessional division, Hertford Union, Hitchin county court district, and in the rural deanery of Benington and archdeaconry and diocese of St Albans. The street forming the village is 1 mile long.
The church of St Mary the Virgin is an edifice of flint and stone dating from about 1200 and consists of chancel, nave of 4 bays, aisles, south porch and an embattled western tower containing 5 bells dating from 1713 to 1833; there are some remains of Norman work in the arcade of the north aisle, but the greater part of the existing church belongs to the Perpendicular period; the chancel was rebuilt in 1878 in the Early English style and an organ chamber and vestry added; in a recess on the south wall is a remarkably fine effigy in Purbeck marble of a knight in complete chain mail, with armed legs, probably representing one of the family of Lanvalei, who were lords of the manor from 1160 to 1220; there is a brass with effigies to Edward Humberstone, ob.1583 and Anna (Welche) his wife and 8 children; another, with effigies, to William Chapman, citizen and haberdasher of London, ob. 1621 and Anne, his wife, ob. 1636 and 12 children, and a third of a civilian and his wife, c. 1480, inscription lost: In 1882 a new aisle was erected on the north side of the chancel by the Rev JG Cotton-Browne MA DL in place of a faculty pew which had belonged to the family at Walkern Hall; the aisle, designed by Mr Hugh Roumieu Gough, architect, was opened on St Andrew’s Day, Nov. 30th 1882: there are 260 sittings, 240 being free.
The register dates from the year 1680. The living is a rectory, net yearly value £263, with 20 acres of glebe and a residence, in the gift of Kings College Cambridge, and held since 1889 by the Rev Henry John Phillpotts MA, of Christ Church Oxford. Here are Baptist, Congregational and Wesleyan chapels. The library and reading room, established in 1880, is managed by a committee of 12 members; the library contains about 800 volumes.
Here is an extensive brewery, mineral water works and a steam flour mill.
The charities for distribution of bread to the poor amount (now 1902) to £8 6s 8d yearly, derived from 11 acres of land situated in the parish; a sum of £2 19s 8d left in 1838 by John Izard of Weston is given to the nursing fund.
Walkern Hall, standing in a well-wooded park of 30 acres is the residence and property of the Rev John George Cotton-Browne MA DL JP. Rev JG Cotton Brown, who is lord of the manor and EN Ward Esq of London, are the principle landowners.
The soil is gravel, flint and clay; subsoil various. The chief crops are wheat, barley, beans and turnips. The area is 2986 acres of land and 6 of water; rateable value £3,722; the population in 1901 was 788.
At Walkern Bury, 1 mile east, is the site of an old castle, portions only of the moat now remain; Bassus Green, 1 mile south-east; Clay End, a mile and a half south-east, are hamlets in this parish
Parish Clerk, William Newberry
Post & Money Order and Telegraph Office, TMO, Express Delivery, Parcel Post, Savings Bank & Annuity & Insurance Office. CE Pearman, postmaster. Letters through Stevenage arrive at 7.25am; dispatched at 11.15 am & 6.50 pm; Sunday dispatched at 10.20am. Parcels are received and dispatched same time as the mails on week days only.
Wall Letter Box (near Rectory), cleared at 11.5 am & 6.45 pm; Sundays at 10.10 am.
Pillar Letter Box, Finches End, cleared at 11.20am & .50pm; Sundays 10.20am
Pillar Letter Box, Walkern Hall, cleared at 9.50am & 5.30pm; Sundays 9.15am
National School (mixed) erected by the late Rev JC Wright, rector here in 1830, an addition being made in 1852 by Mrs Harding; the school will hold 120 children; average attendance, 100; the infants’ school was built in 1877, for 80 children; average attendance 45; Frank R Askew, master; Mrs Sarah J Askew, infants’ mistress; there is a residence attached.
Police Station, William Ebling, constable in charge.
Tax Collector, GA Deards, Welwyn
Carriers: to Hitchin & Stevenage, John Goodchild & John Savage, on Tuesday returning same day
Private residents
Andrews Mrs
Brand William B. Boxwood
Cannon Mrs Owen
Chittenden Samuel Bowring
Cotton Browne Rev John George MA DL JP, Walkern Hall
Holland James
Mozley Mrs. Capel house
Pearman George David. Mizpah house
Pearman Mrs. Mizpah house
Phillpotts Rev Henry John MA (rector). Rectory
Ryves George Bernard. The Laurels
Searle George Frederick. Brewery house
Websdale Mrs. Stoke Doyle
Wimble Herbert Charles, Glebe cottage
Wright Herbert Wortham, Springhill
Wright Samuel, Lyndhurst
Commercial
Aldridge John Henry, builder & contractor; builders’ materials of all kinds for sale
Allison Joseph, saddler & shopkeeper
Bailey Francis, farmer. Walkern Park farm
Boorman Charles Asher, engineer & machinist; agent for cycles & accessories & repairer
Cain William Henry (late J Gazeley), coach builder & wheelwright
Canning Francis Richard, builder
Canning Marion (Mrs), White Lion
Cannon John, boot maker
Carter George, boot maker
Cordell John, farmer, Bridgefoot farm
Dearman Bros. coal merchants
Dearman Frederick, blacksmith
Dearman William, agricultural implement agent & machinist
Estwick Thomas, brickmaker. Montague house
Farr Albert, farmer. Walkern Place
Foster Diana (Mrs), farmer. Rook’s Nest
Goodchild John, carrier
Goodsell George William, head gardener to Rev JG Cotton Browne
Gray Frank, butcher
Gray William, farmer. Glebe farm (residence Luffenhall)
Green Walter, builder, contracter & undertaker
Hale John, gamekeeper to Rev JG Cotton Browne
Hastings Donald, beer retailer & florist
Kerr James, beer retailer
Kitchener Ebenezer, grocer, draper & ironmonger
Kitchener John Elliot, baker
Law Thomas, farm bailiff to Rev JG Cotton Browne. Walkern Hall farm
Library & Reading Room (FR Askew, hon sec)
Lines Albert, farmer, Bassett’s Green
Livings George William, farmer. Bridges farm
Pearman Daniel (executors of), bakers & confectioners, Post Office
Pearman George David, miller (steam & water), Walkern Mill
Petitt William, plumber
Phillips John, Red Lion PH
Porter Samuel, farmer. Finches farm & Walkern Bury
Savage James, well sinker
Savage John, boot maker & carrier
Smith John, King’s Cross inn. Clay End
Stockbridge James Edward, baker
Tucker William John, baker & dairyman; pony & trap lent on hire
Victoria Brewery & Mineral Water Works (James Holland, brewer & manager) see advertisement
Wackett Samson, farmer, Boxbury farm
Wade William, saddler
Warner James, painter & house decorator, & plumber & glazier
Wimble Herbert Charles LRCP Lond., MRCS Eng. Physician and surgeon & medical officer, & public vaccinator 5th district, Hertford Union, Glebe cottage
Wright Samuel & Co., ale, stout & porter brewers & maltsters and aerated water manufacturers, Victoria Brewery and Mineral Water Works.
Wright William. Yew Tree PH; horse dealer & breaker
