Editing Elstree (section)

== History ==
[[File:Elstree war memorial.jpg|thumb|Elstree War Memorial, Elstree Hill North]]

=== Etymology ===
The name "Elstree" derives from the [[Old English|Anglo-Saxon]] phrase for "Tidwulf's Tree", which is mentioned as ''"Tidulfres treow" '' in an 11–12th-century manuscript of an A.D. 786 charter.<ref>George Salveson & Lyn Blackmore, "Excavations at Elstree Hill South, 1981 – 1983", ''Transactions of the London & Middlesex Archaeological Society'', Volume 36, 1985. ([http://www.lamas.org.uk/ Website])(Google Books [https://books.google.com/books?id=a4lnAAAAMAAJ&q=Tidwulfs snippet])</ref><ref>John Field, "Discovering Place-Names: A Pocket Guide to Over 1500 Place-names in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales", Issue 102 of Shire Discovering, Publisher Osprey Publishing, 2008, {{ISBN|0-7478-0617-9}}, {{ISBN|978-0-7478-0617-2}}, 72 pages ([https://books.google.com/books?id=SR8FnSFQ0WgC&dq=Tidwulf's%20tree&pg=PA23 page 23])</ref> It is thought that "the "T" [was] lost in the [[rebracketing|wrong division]] of <nowiki>'</nowiki>''aet Tidwulfes treo''<nowiki>'</nowiki><ref>Gover, J.E.B.; Mawer, A.; Stenton, F.M. eds., "The place-names of Hertfordshire", English
Place-Name Society, 15 (1938)</ref> ("at Tidwulf's Tree")."

A reference to a place in Hertford as "Ilestre" in 1460 may also be a variation.  <ref> entry number 6 in a membrane from the Plea Rolls of the Court of Common Pleas: CP 40/799, with John Lyon as plaintiff, line 3, in Latin;  
 http://aalt.law.uh.edu/AALT1/H6/CP40no799/aCP40no799fronts/IMG_0727.htm </ref>

In 1723, [[topographer]] [[John Norden]] noted in his book ''[[Speculum Britanniae]]'', that in the county of Hartfordshire{{sic}} was one "Elstre or Eglestre".<ref>John Norden, ''Speculum Britanniæ: an historical and chorographical description of Middlesex and Hartfordshire'', Published 1723 ([https://books.google.com/books?id=gpFbAAAAQAAJ&dq=elstre&pg=PA65 page 5 (65)])</ref> In an earlier edition, he writes:<ref>''Speculi Britan[n]iae'' pars the description of Hartfordshire by Iohn Norden., London, Printed by Thomas Dawson, 1598 (page 17)</ref>
:"ELSTREE n. 20. in OFFAES grant EAGLESTRE
:''Nemus aquilinum'': a place wherit may be thought Eagles bredd in time past, for though it be nowe hilly and heathy – it hath beene replenished with stately trees, fit for such fowle to breede and harbour in. It is parcell of the libertie of ''S. Albans''.
''Nemus aquilinum'' is the Latin for "grove of eagles".

''[[Robinson Crusoe]]'' author, [[Daniel Defoe]] wrote in his 1748 travel guide that:
:"Idlestrey or Elstre, is a Village on the Roman Watling-street, on the very Edge of Middlesex; but it is chiefly noted for its Situation, near Brockly-hill, by Stanmore, which affords a lovely View cross Middlesex, over the Thames, into Surry."<ref>Daniel Defoe, ''A tour through the whole island of Great Britain: Divided into circuits or journeys'', Printed for S. Birt, T. Osborne, 1748. ([https://books.google.com/books?id=HSgJAAAAQAAJ&q=elstre&pg=PA175 page 175])</ref>

In 1811, topographer [[Daniel Lysons (antiquarian)|Daniel Lysons]] writes:
:"The name of this place has been variously written; — Eaglestree, Elstree, Ilstrye, Idlestrye, etc. Norden says that it is called, in Offa's grant to the Abbey of St. Alban's, Eaglestree, that is, says he, "''Nemus aquilinum'', a 'place where it may be thought that eagles bred in time past'." It has been derived also from Idel-street, i.e. the noble road; and Ill-street, the decayed road. May it not have been, rather, a corruption of Eald-street, the old road, i.e. the ancient [[Watling Street|Watling-street]], upon which it is situated?"<ref>Daniel Lysons, ''The Environs of London: pt.1. Surrey. Volume 1, Part 2 of The Environs of London: Being an Historical Account of the Towns, Villages, and Hamlets, Within Twelve Miles of that Capital: Interspersed with Biographical Anecdotes'', Printed for T. Cadell and W. Davies, 1811. ([https://books.google.com/books?id=JJcjAQAAMAAJ&dq=elstree&pg=PA767 page 767])</ref>

=== 5th century: Battle of Ailestreu (Elstree) ===
In the 5th century, [[Britons (historical)|British]] warlord [[Vortigern]] and his two sons, [[Vortimer]] and [[Catigern]], took part in the Battle of Elstree, then called the Battle of Ailestreu,<ref>Edw Stillingfleet, Origines Britannicae; or, the antiquities of the British churches. Publisher University Press, 1842, 582 pages ([https://books.google.com/books?id=fNAAAAAAcAAJ&dq=ailestreu+vortimer&pg=PA482 page 482])</ref> where the Saxon [[Horsa]] was killed. It's possible there is confusion with the [[List of Anglo-Welsh Wars#Fifth Century|Battle of Aylesbury]]. George Moberly writes:

:"[[Nennius]], [[Monumenta Historica Britannica|MHB]] p. 69, calls the place of battle where [[Hengist and Horsa|Hors]] fell Episford; Britannicè 'Sathenegabail' = the Saxon battle. The Saxon Chronicle, ad a. 455, calls it Ægæles-threp, and [[Henry of Huntingdon]], M.H.B. p. 708, Ailestreu. This would naturally be Elstree, of which name there is a place in Herts; but [[Beda]]'s description of its situation has caused it rather to be referred to [[Aylesford]] in Kent, near which is a small village called Horsted."<ref>Venerabilis Baedae, George H. Moberly (ed.), ''Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum, Historia abbatum, et Epistola ad Ecgberctum, cum Epistola Bonifacii ad Cudberthum; Publ. 1881 Oxonii: E Typographeo Clarendoniano ([https://books.google.com/books?id=9nLPAAAAMAAJ&q=elstree&pg=PA37 page 37])</ref>

=== 16th–18th centuries ===
The Manor of Elstree was formerly included in the Manor of Parkbury, and belonged to the [[Abbey of St. Albans]]. On the [[Dissolution of the Monasteries]], it was granted by [[Henry VIII]], to [[Anthony Denny]] (1501–1549).<ref name="lysons1796">Daniel Lysons, ''The Environs of London: Counties of Herts, Essex & Kent. Volume 4 of The Environs of London: Being an Historical Account of the Towns, Villages and Hamlets, Within Twelve Miles of that Capital'', Publisher T. Cadell, 1796 ([https://books.google.com/books?id=LPxBAAAAYAAJ&dq=elstree+denny&pg=PA25 page 25])</ref><ref>J. Britton and E. W. Brayley, ''The beauties of England and Wales; or, Delineations... of each county'', Publ. 1808 ([https://books.google.com/books?id=KXFbAAAAQAAJ&dq=elstree+denny+henry&pg=PA316 page 316])</ref>

In 1607, Anthony Denny's grandson [[Sir Edward Denny, 4th Baronet|Edward Denny]] sold part of the estate, with all manorial rights, to Robert Briscoe, who sold it the same year to [[Baptist Hicks, 1st Viscount Campden|Sir Baptist Hicks]]. Part of the estate became the Manor of Boreham, and was sold to Edward Beauchamp. It remained with the [[Proctor-Beauchamp Baronets|Beauchamp-Proctor family]] until 1748,<ref>"The twelve churches; or, tracings along the Watling Street", Publisher Rivingtons, 1860, 56 pages ([https://books.google.com/books?id=xJ8_AAAAYAAJ&dq=%22manor+of+boreham%22&pg=PA40 page 40])</ref> when it was sold to [[James West (antiquary)|James West]], M.P. for St. Albans, who, in or about 1751, alienated it to a Mr Gulston of Widdial{{Clarify|date=April 2012}}. Gulston then sold it to a Mr Pigfatt, a gunsmith, who, within a few years, conveyed it to Thomas Jemmet. In 1774 it was purchased from Mr Jemmet by the late [[George Byng (1735–1789)|George Byng]], M.P. for Middlesex, who passed it on to his son, by which time the estate was called the Manor of Boreham.<ref name="lysons1796" />

In 1776, the House of Lords granted:
:"An Act for dividing and closing the Common or Waste Ground, called Boreham Wood Common, in the Parish of Elstree otherwise Idletree, in the County of Hertford."<ref><Journals of the House of Lords, Volume 34, Publisher HMSO, 1774 ([https://books.google.com/books?id=JxpDAAAAcAAJ&dq=elftree&pg=PA614 page 614])</ref>

In 1796 topographer [[Daniel Lysons (antiquarian)|Daniel Lysons]] writes:
:"The parish of Elstree contains about 3,000 acres of land, which is divided between arable and pasture nearly in an equal proportion. The soil is, for the most part, clay. Boreham Wood, a waste of nearly 700 acres, was inclosed about the year 1778, and is now in culture. This parish pays the sum of £151 11s 0d to the land-tax, which is raised by a rate of about 1s 9d in the pound".<ref>Daniel Lysons, ''The Environs of London: Counties of Herts, Essex & Kent. Volume 4 of The Environs of London: Being an Historical Account of the Towns, Villages, and Hamlets, Within Twelve Miles of that Capital'', Publisher T. Cadell, 1796</ref>