Editing Elstree (section)

=== 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>