History and Geography
The name of the village has variously been recorded as Haingesteworde, Hainsteworde, Hamsteworde (in the 11th century); Hingslewurd (12th century); Hengsteworth, Hyngstrigge, Heynceworth (13th century); Hangteworth, Hynxworth (14th century); Hyggextworth, Hyngxtworth (15th century); and Henxworth (16th century).
The parish of Hinxworth is in the extreme north of the county on the border with Bedfordshire. It lies low, the ground nowhere rising more than 172 ft (52 m) above mean sea level. The ancient track called The Ridgeway crosses the low land to the east of the parish, running parallel with the River Rhee, which forms the north-east boundary. The area of the parish is 1,463 acres (5.92 km2), most of which is arable land, the remainder woodland and pasture. The soil is loam and blue clay, the subsoil varies. The chief crops are wheat, barley, field beans and oilseed rape. Coprolites have been dug in the parish and are still to be found. An Act authorizing enclosure of the common fields was passed in 1802 and the award was made in 1806.
The nearest railway stations are Baldock, 5 miles (8.0 km) to the south and Ashwell 6 miles (9.7 km) to the southeast, both on the Hitchin and Cambridge branch of the Great Northern Railway.
The Great North Road skirts the parish on the west and forms its southwest boundary. Not far from this road, on the borders of Hinxworth and Caldecote, Roman remains were discovered in about 1720 by workmen who were digging there for gravel with which to repair the road. These included several human bodies, urns, paterae and other objects, with a Danish or Dutch coin. In 1810 a further find of great interest was made in the parish of two rare Greek coins or medals, one of Mithridates King of Pontus, and the other of Perseus King of Macedonia, both very well preserved.
Near the River Rhee in the north of the parish and not far from the camp at Arbury Banks or Harboro, and near the Ridgeway, a hoard of more than 500 Roman coins was discovered. Near them were found other Roman remains.
The village of Hinxworth lies a mile and a half to the east of the Roman road, with which it is connected by roads leading northwest and southwest, the former continuing to Ashwell. The 14th century St Nicholas' church and former rectory stand on the southeast of the angle formed by the road to Ashwell and that leading southwest to the Roman road, and the village lies a little to the northwest of the church.
At the beginning of the 18th century it had only thirty-five houses, of which three were almshouses. [2]
Hinxworth is home to 'Hinxworth Archers', one of the few Archery clubs in the area.
The medieval manor house Hinxworth Place is about half a mile southwest of the village.
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial county in the East of England and one of the home counties. It borders Bedfordshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Essex to the east, Greater London to the south, and Buckinghamshire to the west. The largest settlement is Watford, and the county town is Hertford.
Royston is a town and civil parish in the District of North Hertfordshire and county of Hertfordshire in England.
The Icknield Way is an ancient trackway in southern and eastern England that runs from Norfolk to Wiltshire. It follows the chalk escarpment that includes the Berkshire Downs and Chiltern Hills.
Baldock is a historic market town in the North Hertfordshire district of Hertfordshire, England. The River Ivel rises from springs in the town. It lies 33 miles (53 km) north of London and 14 miles (23 km) north northwest of the county town of Hertford. Nearby towns include Royston to the northeast, Letchworth and Hitchin to the southwest and Stevenage to the south.
North Hertfordshire is one of ten local government districts in the county of Hertfordshire, England. Its council is based in Letchworth. The district borders East Hertfordshire, Stevenage, Welwyn Hatfield, St Albans, Central Bedfordshire, Luton, and South Cambridgeshire.
Willian is a village and former civil parish, adjoining the town of Letchworth, in the North Hertfordshire district of Hertfordshire, England. Along with Norton and Old Letchworth, it is one of the original three villages around which the garden city of Letchworth Garden City was created. Despite this, the village retains a separate character to the rest of Letchworth Garden City. In 1931 the parish had a population of 210.
Therfield is both a small village of approximately 4,761 acres (19 km²) and a civil parish which sits upon the chalk range, three miles southwest of Royston, and six miles (10 km) northeast of Baldock and within the English county of Hertfordshire.
Ashwell is a village and civil parish in Hertfordshire situated 4 miles (6 km) north-east of Baldock.
Barkway is a long-established village and civil parish in the North Hertfordshire district of Hertfordshire, England, about five miles south-east of Royston, 35 miles from London and 15 miles from the centre of Cambridge. The Prime Meridian passes a mile or so to the west of Barkway.
Barley is a village and civil parish in the district of North Hertfordshire, England. According to the 2001 census, it has a population of 659, increasing to 662 at the 2011 Census. The place-name refers to a lea or meadow and not to the grain-producing plant. Coincidentally to the southwest lies the village of Reed. The Prime Meridian passes to the west of Barley, which is located on the Royston to Saffron Walden road, as well as the medieval London to Cambridge road.
Bassingbourn cum Kneesworth is a civil parish in the South Cambridgeshire district of Cambridgeshire, England, 14 miles south-west of Cambridge and just north of Royston, Hertfordshire. Since the 1960s the parish contains the villages of Bassingbourn and Kneesworth.
Melbourn Rural District was a rural district in Cambridgeshire, England, from 1894 to 1934.
Kelshall is a small village in North East Hertfordshire, England. It is near the town of Royston. It has a village hall and the local church is St Faith's. Kelshall is also the name of the civil parish. Kelshall also has a major road running along one of its boundaries. In the 1880s the church was described as being "ancient, plain, and good, with a tower; and contains a few brasses and monuments".
Nuthampstead is a small village and civil parish in North East Hertfordshire located a few miles south of the town of Royston. In the 2001 census the parish had 139 residents, increasing to 142 at the 2011 Census.
Hitchin was a parliamentary constituency in Hertfordshire which returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until it was abolished for the 1983 general election.
Edworth is a hamlet and civil parish in the Central Bedfordshire district of the county of Bedfordshire, England about 12 miles (19 km) south-east of the county town of Bedford. It sits just off the Great North Road (A1) between Baldock and Biggleswade. There are fewer than one hundred inhabitants. At the 2011 Census, Edworth's population was amalgamated with the civil parish of Dunton.
Eyeworth is a small, rural village and civil parish in the Central Bedfordshire district of the county of Bedfordshire, England; about 12.5 miles (20 km) east south-east of the county town of Bedford.
Reed is a small village and civil parish in North Hertfordshire. It is situated on a chalk ridge, approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) south of the market town of Royston. The Prime Meridian passes just to the east of the village, between Reed and Barkway. The modern A10 road passes just to the west of the village. The population of the parish was 310 at the time of the 2011 census.
Hitchin Rural District was a rural district in Hertfordshire, England from 1894 to 1974, covering an area in the north of the county.
Ashwell Rural District was a rural district in Hertfordshire, England from 1894 to 1935, covering an area in the north-east of the county.
