PLACES OF HISTORICAL INTEREST
St Peter's Church |
Dean Incent's House dates from the latter half of the fifteenth century, but incorporates part of an even older structure. It was used as a public meeting place before the Court House was built. The house was the home of Robert Incent, Secretary to Cicely, Duchess of York at Berkhamsted Castle. His son John, later Dean of St. Paul's and founder of Berkhamsted School, was probably born here.
The Court House |
Sayer's Almshouses: these were built in 1684 as the result of a gift of £1,000 left in trust by John Sayer, chief cook to Charles II, to provide accommodation for six poor widows. Sayer lived at Berkhamsted Place. His tomb is in St. Peter's Church.
The Bourne School: Thomas Bourne bequeathed £8,000 to build and endow a charity school, opened in 1737 for twenty boys and ten girls. In 1853 the school was extended largely through a donation from General John Finch of Berkhamsted Place. In 1875 the children transferred to the National School in the Court House. In 1888 the Bourne School became the first home of Berkhamsted School for Girls. The coats of arms above the door are those of Berkhamsted, Thomas Bourne and John Finch.
St. John's, Chesham Road: on 2nd October 1904 the author Graham Greene was born in this Berkhamsted School boarding house of which his father was housemaster. Charles Greene later became Headmaster. With the formation of the Berkhamsted Collegiate School the house became a girls' boarding house.
Berkhamsted Collegiate School: Castle Street Campus was formerly Berkhamsted School, founded in 1544 (School House). The Chapel is late nineteenth century and Deans' Hall early twentieth century. Newcroft was opened by the late Queen Mother in 1958.
Berkhamsted Collegiate School: Kings Road Campus, was formerly Berkhamsted School for Girls, founded in 1887, and housed originally in the Bourne School. The school moved to Kings Road in 1902. Further buildings were opened by the Queen Mother in 1957, and later a new Hall was built to mark the Centenary.
The Town Hall was built in 1859 and designed by Edward Buckton Lamb, it comprised a market hall, large assembly hall, and rooms for the Mechanics' Institute. It replaced a medieval market hall near present-day Tesco, destroyed by fire in 1854. The clock was erected in 1897 in memory of Thomas Read, who was described in his obituary as the "most remarkable man in Berkhamsted".
Kings Arms |
The Rex Cinema was built in 1938 and has a fine art-deco interior by David Nye. It replaced Egerton House, a fine Elizabethan mansion, the home of the Llewellyn-Davies family, on whose children J.M. Barrie based the story of Peter Pan.
Clementine Hozier's House: Clementine Hozier, later Lady Churchill, lived here with her mother and sister and was a pupil at Berkhamsted Girls' School.
The Poplars: fine early eighteenth century house. William Cooper, the inventor of the world famous sheep dip, lived here during the last years of his life. The actor Michael Hordern was born here.
The Red House dates from the eighteenth century, but stands on the site of an earlier timber structure. A prominent local citizen, John Tawell lived here. He was hanged in 1845 for poisoning his former lover with arsenic.
The castle setting |
Berkhamsted Castle: the present flint and stone walls of the ruined castle date from the 12th century, having replaced the wooden structure on the same site erected by Robert of Mortain, half-brother of William the Conqueror. Edmund, nephew of Henry III, was born here, the Black Prince honeymooned here and Prince Louis of France besieged the Castle in King John's reign. Thomas a Becket was granted the Castle while Chancellor and Chaucer was Clerk of the Works.
