 Detail of Charles Smith Map, 1808 |
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Detail of Charles Smith Map, 1808 |
Ayot St Peter
Adjacent Parishes: Ayot St Lawrence, Codicote, Digswell, Hatfield, Sandridge, Welwyn
It is in Broadwater Hundred and the Welwyn Union
The Rectory, Ayot St Peter - posted 1907
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AYOTT (ST. PETER), a parish in the hundred of Broadwater, county of Hertford, 1¼ mile (W. bu S.) from Welwyn, containing 233 inhabitants. The living is a rectory, in the archdeaconry of Huntingdon and the diocese of Lincoln, rated in the king's books at £7.8.6½., and in the patronage of the Earl of Hardwicke. The church, dedicated to St. Peter, a neat octagonal building, was erected about 80 years ago, by the late rector, Dr. Freeman, who built also the steeple, on the opposite side of the churchyard. |
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Ayot Green, Welwyn Garden City
Note the young man at the village pump |
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About two miles and a half from Wheathamstead by a cross road we reach the very small Village of Ayott St. Peter, which until lately had a curious Church of an octagonal form, with a small detached brick turret as a bell tower in one corner of the churchyard. The Rev. Ralph Freeman, who became Rector of this Parish in 1782, according to Clutterbuck pulled down the old Church, and erected, entirely at his own expense, this curiously-shaped building, which a modern writer says looked very much like "a gigantic pigeon-house." This was replaced by a new Church, built in 1862 in the Norman style of architecture, which shortly after, on July 10th, 1874, was struck by lightning, and completely burned to the ground. A very handsome little Church has now been erected in its stead, which forms a prominent and pleasing object in the landscape. It is built half-a-mile nearer the Village than the old one, and was consecrated by the Bishop of St. Alban's, October 26th, 1875. The style is Early Decorated; the Church consists of a nave with north porch, a chancel with semi-circular apse, and a tower containing a peal. of six bells, the gift of Mrs. Robinson, of Ayott Bury. There are sittings for 200 persons. The living is a Rectory, in the gift of E. Prodgers, Esq.; the value, £250 per annum.
The Village Schools are neat and commodious. The Village consists of only a few scattered farm-houses and cottages, but there is a handsome Rectory House, and a Mansion in a small Park, which used to be the Rectory, now called Ayott Bury. The population is 232; the number of acres, 1100.
Young Crawley, Guide to Hertfordshire, 1880
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The Old Horse and
Jockey
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For more about the parish and its history see the online version of the book Ayot St Peter - The Parish Story
See also Vital Records
If you know of other books, websites, etc, relating to this place, please tell me.
Page updated June 2007
Ayot Green is a pretty village on the Great North Road on
the western boundary of Welwyn Garden City. Opposite the Green an old coaching
inn stood in former times.