English Heritage sites near Ayot St Lawrence Parish
ROMAN WALL OF ST ALBANS
8 miles from Ayot St Lawrence Parish
A section of the two-mile long wall built between AD 265 and 270 to defend the Roman city of Verulamium: including the foundations of towers and the London Gate.
OLD GORHAMBURY HOUSE
8 miles from Ayot St Lawrence Parish
The remains of a once immense mansion built in 1563-8 by Sir Nicholas Bacon, Queen Elizabeth’s Lord Keeper and visited by the queen on at least four occasions.
WREST PARK
14 miles from Ayot St Lawrence Parish
Explore the evolution of the English garden and take a stroll through three centuries of landscape design at Wrest Park.
BERKHAMSTED CASTLE
14 miles from Ayot St Lawrence Parish
Visit the substantial remains of a strong and important motte and bailey castle dating from the 11th to 13th centuries, with surrounding walls, ditches and earthworks.
DE GREY MAUSOLEUM, FLITTON
15 miles from Ayot St Lawrence Parish
Among the largest sepulchral chapels attached to any English church, this cruciform mausoleum houses a remarkable sequence of 17 sculpted and effigied monuments.
WALTHAM ABBEY GATEHOUSE AND BRIDGE
15 miles from Ayot St Lawrence Parish
A fine 14th century gatehouse, bridge and other remains of the abbey refounded by Harold, last Saxon King of England.
Churches in Ayot St Lawrence Parish
St Lawrence "Palladian"
Church Lane, off Bibbs Hall Lane
Ayot St Lawrence
Welwyn
(01438) 820371
http://www.ayotstlawrence.com
We are a very small village of only 45 houses, and with a ruined
church and a Grade 1 listed neo-classical, or more precisely (and more rarely!), a Greek Revival church to maintain,
we have quite a bit on our plate! We welcome people (the majority who come do not live here!) to our services once a month,
usually the second Sunday and also welcome weddings
(about which we try to be very flexible!) and special events. We
have a toilet and minimal kitchen facilities. This enables
us to hire the building for a range of activities and
generate some income. We have a wide range of concerts, plays and other events: please see our website or facebook page for details.. Please talk to us!
You may be interested to know that we have a rather special
organ in the church: it is believed that this is not original to the
church but dates from the same period and is in very good
condition, having been restored and maintained by Bishop and Son of
London who consider it an excellent example of its type - and
still playing true! It seems it was inaugurated in 1815, and any further information would be gratefully received. We have found the following diary extract, (read through to 1815!), courtesy of Matthew Adam Publications:
WOMEN'S LANGUAGE AND EXPERIENCE, 1500-1940
Women's Diaries and Related Sources
Part 6: Sources from Wiltshire, Somerset and Hampshire Record Offices
Extracts
Reel 1 Wiltshire Record Office 1915/39
Diary of Mrs S Chauncey of Ayot St Peter, Herts, 1788, 1790, 1815
"1788
July 16 Dined a large party at Sir Lionel Lyde.
July 21 Betsy's first Assembly.
Aug 1 We dined at Lord Salisbury's went in Sir Lionel's Chariot with our horses.
Aug 3 Took Betsy to school at St Albans, Lady Cathcart gave her a large silver spoon being her God
mother.
Aug 16 Betsy's first letter to me.
Oct 30 Mr Howard and servant came.
Nov 28 A French Nobleman from Paris came recommended by Mr Mallet our friend.
Dec 8 Mr Howard went away.
1790
Jan 4 A very grand Ball and supper at Lord Salisbury's took Betsy and Miss Dove with me.
July 6 Mrs Dove and Miss dined with me at Sir Lionel Lyde's, they being on a visit to me.
Aug 4 Mrs Dove and Miss went to the Assembly with me.
1815
Jan 8th We were robbed of poultry and bees.
Jan 11 Mrs Caton sent three of his children to Mr Bewley, the Grandfather to Lincoln, Richard, Harriot and Thomas.
Jan 18 The sale of Mr Catons at Welwyn he absent. I ill in a fever.
Jan 29 Mr North's sale at Bodicot, Mr William Wanen succeeded him, the same night our young plantation of trees shere loped of and spoil'd 19 in number, in ye front field.
Feb 28 Miss Noni died.
March 25 The infant son of Mr Beale died at Nurse Gregory's, the person we bought ye phaeton of. Dined at Sir Lionel Lyde's, with a party ye first time the organ was used.
June 5 Lord Napier gave Betsy a sash ye same as Princess Mary".
Sadly we simply do not have the resources to help you in searches for family members as all of our old records were sent to Hertfordshire County Archives, but if you are interested in researching the church in a more general way that we will do what we can - and would be delighted to receive information about our rather odd building and the fascinating families involved with the church through the years.
Pubs in Ayot St Lawrence Parish
Brocket Arms
Hill Farm Lane, Ayot St Lawrence, AL6 9BT
(01438) 820250
brocketarms.com