Broxbourne or Broxborne, Hertfordshire

Historical Description

Broxbourne or Broxborne, a village, a township, and a parish in Herts, on the river Lea. The New river also runs through the parish. The village stands on the verge of the county, ½ of a mile W of the G.E.R., and 4½ miles N by W of Waltham Abbey, has a station on the railway, and a post, money order, and telegraph office (S.O.) The township includes the village, and comprises 1932 acres; population of the civil parish, 776; of the ecclesiastical parish, 1179. The parish includes also part of the town and chapelry of Hoddesdon. The manor belonged to the Knights of St John, and passed to the Cocks, the Monsons, and others. Broxbourne-Bury is now the seat of the Smith-Bosanquets, and here Sir H. Cock entertained James I. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of St Albans; net value, £361 with residence. The church is a fine building of the Perpendicular period, dating about 1420, and consists of nave, chancel, aisles, and two small chapels, with a plain tower and beacon-turret; contains an old pillared font, Norman or Saxon, and many interesting brasses and monuments; was restored in 1857, and further repaired and improved in 1880. The perpetual curacy of Hoddesdon is a separate benefice. There are some decorative terra-cotta works, and some extensive nursery grounds in the neighbourhood. The village is also a favourite resort during the summer months on account of its facilities for boating and fishing.

Administration

The following is a list of the administrative units in which this place was either wholly or partly included.

Any dates in this table should be used as a guide only.

Church Records

Findmypast, in association with the Hertfordshire Archives & Local Studies have the Baptisms, Banns, Marriages, and Burials online for Broxbourne or Broxborne

Civil Registration

For general information about Civil Registration (births, marriages and deaths) see the Civil Registration page.

Directories & Gazetteers

We have transcribed the entry for Broxbourne or Broxborne from the following:

• Samuel Lewis' A Topographical Dictionary of England, by Samuel Lewis, seventh edition, published 1858. (Broxbourn (St. Augustine))

Land and Property

A full transcript of the Return of Owners of Land in 1873 for Hertfordshire is online.

Maps

Online maps of Broxbourne or Broxborne are available from a number of sites:

• Bing (Current Ordnance Survey maps).
• Google Streetview.
• National Library of Scotland. (Old maps)
• OpenStreetMap.
• old-maps.co.uk (Old Ordnance Survey maps to buy).
• Streetmap.co.uk (Current Ordnance Survey maps).
• A Vision of Britain through Time. (Old maps)

Newspapers and Periodicals

The British Newspaper Archive have fully searchable digitised copies of the following Hertfordshire newspapers online:

• Hertford Mercury and Reformer
• Herts Guardian, Agricultural Journal, and General Advertiser
• Watford Observer

Visitations Heraldic

The Visitations of Hertfordshire, 1572 and 1634. Edited by Walter C. Metcalfe, F.S.A. is available on the Heraldry page.