1908 Kelly’s PO 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 about 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, one dated 1626, three 1713, and one 1833; the south aisle is Norman work, and has a priest’s chamber over it, 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; on the wall of the vestry is a brass inscription to Richard, son of John Humberstone, 1581, the reverse of which bears the greater portion of an inscription to John Lovekyn, four times mayor of London, ob. 1370, and buried in St Michael’s, Crooked Lane, London: there is a brass with effigies to Edward Humberstone, ob.1583 and Anna (Welche) his wife and 8 children; the reverse of this brass is made up of eleven pieces out of several Flemish brasses of various dates from c. 1400 to 1510, and in parts commemorating the Van Lauwe and Gryse families: In 1903 it was on the wall of the north aisle; 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: the embattled parapets of the church are now (in 1908) being rebuilt in flint and stone: 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, an extensive brewery, mineral water works and a steam flour mill. The consolidated charities for distribution of bread to the poor consist of John Izard Pryor’s, dated 1861, and which, invested in Consols, brings in £2 14s yearly; an unknown donor in 1707 gave 1 ½ acres of pasture at Yardley, now producing £3 yearly; another unknown donor left before 1786 3 ½ acres of arable land, bringing in £5 yearly; a third unknown donor before 1786 gave one acre at Brockwellshot, which yields £1 annually, and the rector pays 6s 8d as a yearly charge. There is in addition the interest on a sum of £300, left by the late Rev JG Cotton Browne, which is distributed in gifts to the poor at Christmas.

Walkern Hall, standing in a well-wooded park of 30 acres is the residence and property of Mrs Cotton-Browne. Miss Cotton Browne, who is lady of the manor. EN Ward Esq of 57 Cromwell Road, London SW, and RT Hargreaves esq of Bennington Park, 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 2,986 acres of land and 6 of water; rateable value £3,131; the population in 1901 was 783.

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, Savings Bank & Annuity & Insurance Office. CE Pearman, postmaster. Letters through Stevenage arrive at 7.25am and 4pm; 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 11.20 am & 6.50pm; Sundays 10.20am
Pillar Letter Box, Walkern Hall; cleared at 9.50am & 5.30pm; Sundays, 9.15am.

Public Elementary School (mixed & infants) erected by Rev JC Wright, rector here in 1830, an addition being made in 1852 by Mrs Harding; the school will hold 120 children; average attendance, 105; the infants’ school was built in 1877, for 80 children; average attendance 45; Frank R Askew, master; Mrs sarah J Askew, infants’ mistress. The school is under the control of six managers; Miss ME Phillpotts, The Rectory, correspondent.

Police Station, Harry Wright, constable in charge.

Carrier to Hitchin & Stevenage – John Goodchild & John Savage, on Tuesday returning same day

Private residents
Cannon Mrs Owen
Chittenden Samuel Bowring
Cotton Browne Miss, Walkern Hall
Cotton Browne Mrs, Walkern Hall
Estwick Misses. Montague house
Glover Edward. Shanklin
King William Athol Desmond
Matthews Rev George William (curate of St Mary the Virgin). Capel house
Pearman Albert. Brewery house
Pearman Mrs. Mizpah house
Phillpotts Rev Henry John MA (rector). Rectory
Tucker James. The Laurels
Williams Rev Amrose John BA (curate). Bassus Green
Wright Herbert Wortham. Springhill
Wright Samuel Eustace, Lyndhurst

Commercial
Aldridge John Henry, builder
Allen Charles Frederick, butcher
Allison Brothers, saddlers
Bailey Francis, farmer. Walkern Park farm
Brown Frank Ernest, beer retailer
Canning Francis Richard, builder
Cannon John, boot maker
Carter George, boot maker
Cordell John, farmer. Bridgefoot farm
Cox William, farmer. Bridges farm
Cudlipp Thomas, farmer. Bassetts Green
Dearman William & Walter O, blacksmiths & ironmongers
Dearman William, agricultural implement agent
Farr Albert, farmer. Walkern Place
Foster Diana (Mrs), farmer. Rook’s Nest
Foster John, White Lion inn; good accommodation for cyclists & visitors; pleasure parties catered for; stabling etc.
Gillham Jn. King’s Cross inn, Clay End
Goodchild John, carrier
Gray Thomas, farmer. Glebe farm
Green Wallace, general dealer
Green Walter, builder & undertaker
Hale John, gamekeeper to Miss Cotton Browne
Handscombe Bertie, baker
Harmer Frederick & George, wheelwrights
Jones John, Red Lion PH
Kerr James, beer retailer
King William Athol Desmond MRCS, LRCP Lond. Surgeon & medical officer & public vaccinator 5th district, Hertford Union
Kitchener Ebenezer, grocer, draper & ironmonger
Kitchener John Elliot, baker
Pearman Albert, miller (steam & water). Walkern Mill
Pearman Daniel (executors of), bakers & confectioners, Post office
Pearman Ernest, gardener to Rev HJ Phillpotts MA
Pettit William, plumber
Porter Samuel, farmer, Finches farm & Walkern Bury
Sadler Thomas, head gardener to Miss Cotton-Browne
Savage James, well sinker
Savage John, boot maker & carrier
Sawkins James, gamekeeper to CH Omanney esq. Boxwood
Stockbridge James Edward, baker
Taylor William, farm bailiff to Miss Cotton-Browne. Walkern Hall farm
Victoria Brewery & Mineral Water Works (S Wright & Co proprietors)
Vye Thomas, Yew Tree inn; good accommodation for cyclists, visitors & pleasure parties; traps on hire
Wackett Samson, farmer, Boxbury farm
Wade William, saddler
Warner James, painter
Westwood Ernest, butcher
Wright Samuel & Co., ale, stout & porter brewers & maltsters and aerated water manufacturers, Victoria Brewery and Mineral Water Works.