108-779: Motor Rail was a British locomotive-building company, originally based in Lewes , Sussex, they moved in 1916 to Bedford . Loco manufacture ceased in 1987, and the business line sold to Alan Keef Ltd of Ross-on-Wye , who continue to provide spares and have built several locomotives to Motor Rail designs. The origins of the Motor Rail company can be traced back to the patenting of a gearbox by John Dixon Abbott of Eastbourne in 1909 ("Change speed and reversing gearbox suitable for use in motor-trams", UK Patent 18314). In March 1911, he formed The Motor Rail & Tramcar Co Ltd, with his father John Abbott and brother Tom Dixon Abbott. The stated aim of
216-778: A coat of arms on 25 November 1936. Hitchin Urban District was abolished under the Local Government Act 1972 , becoming part of the district of North Hertfordshire on 1 April 1974. No successor parish was created for the town, and so it became an unparished area . Hitchin railway station is on the East Coast Main Line Great Northern Line , and is also on the Cambridge Line as the last stop before it diverges towards Cambridge, 1.42 kilometres (0.88 mi) to
324-686: A 16th-century timber-framed Wealden hall house known as Anne of Cleves House . Other notable features of the area include the Glyndebourne festival, the Lewes Bonfire celebrations and the Lewes Pound . The place-name "Lewes" is first attested in an Anglo-Saxon charter circa 961 AD, where it appears as Læwe . It appears as Lewes in the Domesday Book of 1086. The addition of the <-s> suffix seems to have been part of
432-533: A 7th-century document, the Tribal Hidage . Hicce, or Hicca, may mean the people of the horse. The tribal name is Old English and derives from the Middle Anglian people. The ancient Icknield Way runs just north of Hitchin, passing through the neighbouring village of Ickleford . It has been suggested that Hitchin was the location of ' Clofesho ', the place chosen in 673 by Theodore of Tarsus
540-471: A 7th-century type, with a later enlarged chancel and transepts , perhaps added in the 10th century. This makes the church older than the story (not recorded before the 15th century) that the church was founded by Offa , king of Mercia 757-796. In 1697, Hitchin (and the nearby village of Offley ) were subject to what is thought to have been the most severe hailstorm in recorded British history. Hailstones over 4 inches in diameter were reported. In
648-522: A broader trend of Anglo-Norman scribes pluralising Anglo-Saxon place-names (a famous example being their rendering of Lunden as Londres , hence the modern French name for London ). The traditional derivation of Læwe , first posited by the Tudor antiquarian Laurence Nowell , derives it from the Old English word hlæw , meaning "hill" or " barrow ", presumably referring to School Hill (on which
756-747: A few years later and adopted its present name, Girton College . Hitchin is in the district of North Hertfordshire . There is no town council in Hitchin, which is an unparished area , administered directly by North Hertfordshire District Council , with higher order functions provided by Hertfordshire County Council . Residents elect 13 members to the North Hertfordshire District Council . There are five electoral wards in Hitchin: Bearton , Highbury , Oughton , Priory and Walsworth . The 13 Hitchin councillors on
864-640: A friary (now known as Hitchin Priory ) were established, both of which closed during Henry VIII 's Dissolution of the Monasteries . They were never reformed, although The Biggin was for many years used as almshouses . The British Schools Museum in Hitchin is home to the world's only surviving complete Lancasterian Schoolroom , which was built in 1837 to teach boys by the Lancasterian method ( peer tutoring ). This unique community project demonstrates
972-590: A gap in the South Downs , cut through by the River Ouse , and near its confluence with the Winterbourne Stream. It is approximately seven miles north of Newhaven , and an equal distance north-east of Brighton . The South Downs rise above the river on both banks. The High Street, and earliest settlement, occupies the west bank, climbing steeply up from the bridge taking its ancient route along
1080-457: A load of 4 tons up a 1 in 5 gradient. It was available with front control (driver at the front facing forward), or rear control (driver looking over the load, and hence with rear wheel steering, as is common modern practice). New models of this dumper for 1960 were the MR450 with 4.5 cubic yard capacity, reversible seat, and three speeds in either direction using a Dorman 37 bhp 2LB diesel engine; and
1188-711: A major port. During the Crimean War , some 300 Finns who had served in the Russian army during the Åland War and been captured at Bomarsund were imprisoned in the naval prison at Lewes. Lewes became a borough in 1881. Lewes Town Hall opened in 1893 in premises converted from the former Star Inn and in 1913 Council Offices were added in Arts-and-Crafts style. Lewes Victoria Hospital opened in 1909 in its current premises, as Victoria Hospital and Infirmary, having previously been on School Hill where it opened as
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#17327823404641296-523: A new way of life for Hitchin. Hitchin established itself as a major centre for grain trading after the Corn Exchange was built in the market place in 1853. Hitchin was also a centre for manufacturing products from the lavender which was cultivated in the surrounding area, with multiple lavender distilleries operating in the town. The latter half of the 20th century has also brought great changes in communication to Hitchin. Motorways have shortened
1404-469: A pitched battle on the hills above the town (roughly in the area of modern Landport Bottom). The king's son Prince Edward , commanding the right wing of the royal army, succeeded in driving off some of the baronial forces, but he got carried away with the pursuit, which took him as far as Offham . In Edward's absence the remainder of the royal army was attacked by de Montfort and Gilbert de Clare and decisively defeated. The king's brother Richard of Cornwall
1512-517: A voluntary group with their community development programme. Hitchin Town F.C. was established in 1865 and later reformed in 1928. It is one of only three clubs who competed in the inaugural FA Cup , paying the then £25 entry fee (£2,892 in 2019 adjusted for inflation), and continue to compete. They claim to be the second oldest club in English football, but some dispute this due to the reformation in
1620-779: A yarn festival. Music plays a very big part all year round with many venues hosting regular gigs. Hitchin Folk Club is one of the longest running and most respected clubs in the country meeting at The Cricket Pavilion, Lucas Lane on Sunday evenings; Hitchin Light Orchestra, Hitchin Symphony Orchestra and Hitchin Chamber Orchestra give regular concerts often in St Mary's Church and Hitchin Band perform around
1728-545: Is a professional theatre, has a year-round programme including comedy plays, thrillers, historical shows, jazz nights and cocktail evenings. The Market Theatre is known for its annual Adult Panto (running between December and May) which also tours nationally. Additionally, the Queen Mother Theatre hosts the town's Bancroft Players, Big Spirit Youth Theatre and occasional visiting companies as well as Hitchin Films in
1836-462: Is a site of biological interest, an isolated area of the South Downs. Lewes Brooks, also of biological importance, is part of the floodplain of the River Ouse , providing a habitat for many invertebrates such as water beetles and snails. Southerham Works Pit is of geological interest, a disused chalk pit displaying a wide variety of fossilised fish remains. The Railway Land nature reserve
1944-535: Is adequate rainfall year-round. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is " Cfb " (Marine West Coast Climate/ Oceanic climate ). The Roman Catholic church is dedicated to St. Pancras in memory of the Priory and is a red-brick building over the street from St Anne's. In 2001 the service industries were by far the biggest employers in Lewes: over 60% of the population working in that sector. A little over 10% are employed in manufacturing, mostly in
2052-457: Is also the venue for the annual Duck Race during Hitchin Festival. The town centre has a wealth of independent retailers in food and drink and fashion and the historic core is a place to find niche boutiques. Since 1995, Hitchin has benefited from award-winning town centre management and in 2009 established one of Hertfordshire's first Business Improvement Districts. In 2019 the town's centre
2160-643: Is an eight-mile (thirteen-kilometre) walking route along the River Hiz Valley, believed to have been used for trade between the Danes and English in the Anglo-Saxon age. It is also likely that Hitch Wood, which lies some six miles (ten kilometres) south of the town also derives its name from the Hicce tribe, who gave their name to Hitchin. St Mary's Church is remarkably large for a town of its size and
2268-504: Is due in 2027. Since 2010, the town has been included within the South Downs National Park . The National Park Authority has therefore taken over some functions from the local councils, notably relating to town planning . There are also a number of local political groups without council representation. The far-left group Lewes Maoist Action has operated in the town since 2013, frequently handing out leaflets at
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#17327823404642376-656: Is equal to £1. Like the similar local currency in Totnes , the initiative is part of the Transition Towns movement. The Lewes Pound and the Transition Towns movement have received criticism for a failure to address the needs of the wider Lewes population, especially lower socio-economic groups. Such local currency initiatives have been more widely criticised in light of limited success stimulating new spending in local economies and as an unrealistic strategy to reduce carbon emissions. The Lewes Pound can be exchanged for
2484-534: Is housed in original Edwardian and Victorian school buildings. In March 2013 a poll in The Times voted Hitchin the 9th best town in the UK in which to live. Hitchin hosts an annual Arts and Music Festival with over 100 events taking place during the month. Hitchin Festival includes picnics, concerts, theatre, ghost walks, art exhibitions, comedy club, talks, summer fetes and fireworks. Since 2014, Hitchin has hosted
2592-675: Is no shortage in the Lewes area). This unusual word was borrowed into Old English from Old Welsh , the Modern Welsh spelling being llechwedd . The immense strategic value of the site, which is able to command traffic between the Channel coast and the Sussex interior, was recognised as early as the Iron Age , when a hill-fort was built on Mount Caburn , the steep-sided hill that overlooks
2700-623: Is on the east side of the town next to the Ouse, and contains an area of woodland and marshes, which now includes the Heart of Reeds, a sculpted reed bed designed by local land artist Chris Drury . The Winterbourne stream, a tributary of the Ouse, flows through it. This stream flows most winters and dries up in the summer, hence its name. It continues through Lewes going through the Grange Gardens and often travelling underground. The Heart of Reeds
2808-541: Is one of the sites in East Sussex and Kent home to the marsh frog , an introduced species. It is popular with pond-dippers and walkers. A centre for the study of environmental change is due to be built at the entrance to the nature reserve. On 21 August 1864, Lewes experienced an earthquake measuring 3.1 on the Richter magnitude scale . Climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there
2916-529: Is the county town of East Sussex , England. The town is the administrative centre of the wider district of the same name . It lies on the River Ouse at the point where the river cuts through the South Downs . A traditional market town and centre of communications, in 1264 it was the site of the Battle of Lewes . The town's landmarks include Lewes Castle , Lewes Priory , Bull House (the former home of Thomas Paine ), Southover Grange and public gardens, and
3024-889: Is well served by local buses including Arriva, Centrebus, Grant Palmer, Stagecoach and Uno. There are several primary schools in Hitchin. Secondary education is provided at Hitchin Girls' School , Hitchin Boys' School and the Priory School . There is a campus of the North Hertfordshire College in Hitchin, and it is also the home of the Benslow Music Trust which provides music education for adults, while North Herts Music School adjoined to Hitchin Girls' School delivers music lessons & activities for children & young people. The Emil Dale Academy
3132-575: The 7th century . It lies in the valley of the River Hiz at the north-eastern end of the Chiltern Hills . It is 16 miles (26 km) north-west of the county town of Hertford , and 35 miles (56 km) north of London . The population at the 2021 census was 35,220. Hitchin grew around a market place and the adjoining parish church of St Mary on the western banks of the River Hiz. At
3240-574: The Archbishop of Canterbury during the Synod of Hertford , the first meeting of representatives of the fledgling Christian churches of Anglo-Saxon England , to hold annual synods of the churches as Theodore attempted to consolidate and centralise Christianity in England. By 1086 Hitchin is described as a Royal Manor in Domesday Book : the feudal services of avera and inward , usually found in
3348-730: The Kingdom of Wessex , and in 838 Ecgberht, King of Wessex donated the estate of Malling, on the opposite side of the Ouse from Lewes, to the Archbishop of Canterbury . As a result, the Parish of Malling became a ' peculiar ', which means that the parish was directly subject to the Archbishop of Canterbury rather than the Bishop of Chichester like every other parish in Sussex. Malling would retain this anomalous status until as late as 1845. Information about Lewes becomes much more plentiful from
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3456-529: The Rape of Lewes passed to his sororal nephew Richard Fitzalan, 4th Earl of Arundel . Fitzalan preferred to reside at Arundel Castle rather than at Lewes, and the town therefore lost the prestige and economic advantages associated with being the seat of an important magnate. This was only the beginning of a series of misfortunes that struck Lewes, for in 1348 the Black Death arrived in England and later on in
3564-514: The last earl , namely John Mowbray, 3rd Duke of Norfolk , Edward Neville, 3rd Baron Bergavenny , and Edmund Lenthall. As a result of this dismemberment the district became even more neglected by its lords, although feudal politics was starting to become less important anyway due to the centralising reforms of the Yorkist and Tudor kings. The English Reformation was begun by one of these Tudor monarchs, Henry VIII , and as part of this process
3672-522: The monasteries of England were dissolved ; Lewes Priory was consequently demolished in 1538 and its property seized by the Crown. Henry's daughter Mary I reversed the religious policy of England, and during the resulting Marian Persecutions of 1555–1557, Lewes was the site of the execution of seventeen Protestant martyrs , most of them actually from the Weald rather than Lewes itself, who were burned at
3780-465: The twin town of Blois attend, vending on Cliffe Bridge. From 1794 beers, wines and spirits were distributed from Lewes under the Harveys name, and the town is today the site of Harvey & Son 's brewery celebrated as one of the finest ale producers in England. In September 2008, Lewes launched its own currency, the Lewes Pound , in an effort to increase trade within the town. One Lewes Pound
3888-574: The 1920s. The side currently compete in the Southern League Premier Division Central , the seventh tier of English football. The club play at 4,554-capacity ground Top Field, in the north of the town, and came close to achieving promotion in the late 2010s, but have recently come into a more troubled spell. Their highlights include wins in the F.A. Cup against higher ranked sides Hereford United in 1994 and Bristol Rovers in 1995 during which period they developed
3996-693: The Brush Company building the body, delivered to the South Indian Railway Company where it was expected to be run on the Pamban Viaduct line. The coach weighed 12 tons, would carry 70 people, and was powered by a four-cylinder Dorman petrol engine rated at 45 bhp. The tram car part of the company name was dropped in 1931, so it is presumed there was no tram car part of the business beyond this date. In 1919, Motor Rail manufactured some standard gauge inspection cars for
4104-474: The High Medieval Period the town was surrounded by open arable fields, divided into shotts and narrow strips, that survived into the early 19th century. The town flourished on the wool trade, the sheep being pastured on the high hills to the south. By the 17th century the town was a staging post for coaches coming from London . By the middle of the 19th century the railway had arrived, and with it
4212-520: The Hitchin Local Board was held on 2 May 1850. The board proceeded to build a waterworks and install new sewers for the town, which had previously used the River Hiz as a public sewer. However, the board quickly became embroiled in legal disputes with Joshua Ransom, owner of Grove Mill, who complained about the flow of water and sewage at his mill. No solution could be found which would allow the board to continue to operate, and gradually all
4320-530: The Lewes Dispensary and Infirmary in 1855. In October 2000, the town suffered major flooding during an intense period of severe weather throughout the United Kingdom. The commercial centre of the town and many residential areas were devastated. In a government report into the nationwide flooding, Lewes was officially noted the most severely affected location. As a result of the devastation,
4428-553: The Lewes Flood Action group formed, to press for better flood protection measures. There are three tiers of local government covering Lewes, at parish (town), district and county level: Lewes Town Council, Lewes District Council and East Sussex County Council . The town council is based at Lewes Town Hall on the High Street. The county council has its headquarters at County Hall on St Anne's Crescent in
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4536-529: The MR375 with 3.75 cubic yards capacity and 6 forward and 2 reverse gears which had a Lister 33 bhp HA3 air-cooled engine. Many Motor Rail products survive in preservation, and they are probably the most common make of narrow gauge locomotive still in existence in the United Kingdom . Heritage railways with Motor Rail locomotives include: Lewes Lewes ( / ˈ l uː ɪ s / )
4644-683: The Ministry of Munitions, and the testing of these cars on the branch line between Bedford and Hitchin was reported in The Engineer. The cars were powered by the two cylinder Dorman engine with Dixon-Abbott 2-speed gearbox, and averaged over 30 mph on the test, and reached 43 mph. One of the cars was run on paraffin, though it was intended they would be run on petrol. They were lightweight at only 3.25 tons, though could carry up to 2 tons payload if required. The seating being easily removable to offer load space. In 1939, Motor Rail introduced
4752-624: The Motor Rail Dumper - a 4-ton, 2-wheel-drive dump truck (running on tyres rather than rails). It again used a Dorman engine, and a variant of the Dixon-Abbot gearbox. A working example (works number 8389 of 1947) with Dorman engine can be found at the Moseley Railway Trust . According to a 1955 advert, the diesel engine dumper had a capacity of 3 cubic yards, and had six forward gears and two reverse. It would carry
4860-453: The Ouse (and the modern town of Lewes) from the east. During the Roman period, there was an aristocratic villa at Beddingham , at the foot of Mount Caburn, and there have been several finds of Roman coins and pottery sherds in Lewes itself. The Victorian historian Thomas Walker Horsfield therefore reckoned that there must have been a Roman settlement on the site, and he identified it with
4968-415: The Ouse valley from the coast to the Surrey boundary. De Warenne constructed Lewes Castle within the walls of the Saxon burh , while his wife Gundreda founded the Priory of St Pancras , a Cluniac monastic house, in about 1081. During the Second Barons' War , King Henry III was ambushed at Lewes by a force of rebel barons led by Simon de Montfort . Henry marched out to fight de Montfort, leading to
5076-493: The Phoenix Bridge and through the Cuilfail Tunnel to join the A27. The town boundaries were enlarged twice (from the original town walls), in 1881 and 1934. They now include the more modern housing estates of Wallands, South Malling (the west part of which is a previously separate village with a church dedicated to St Michael), Nevill, Lansdown and Cranedown on the Kingston Road. Countryside walks can be taken starting from several points in Lewes. One can walk on Mount Caburn to
5184-436: The Richard Whitmore Studio. Hitchin Market remains one of the largest in the area with general markets every Tuesday and Saturday, a bric-a-brac and collectables market on Fridays, and a Sunday Car Boot. There are also Local Produce and Crafts specialist markets on the last Saturday of each month. A Lifestyle market is held on every second Saturday of the month, while infrequently there are occasional Art Markets. Hitchin Markets
5292-530: The War Department of the prototype, a small order was placed for evaluation in France. Success here led to significant orders and as a result the company moved to new premises in Houghton Rd, Bedford in May 1916. John Abbott died in August 1916, and John Dixon Abbott took over as chairman. A second but armoured version was made to a specification defined by the Ministry of Munitions . This used an upgraded Dorman 4JO 40 hp engine and two speed gearbox, coming in three versions: The Dorman engine used by Motor Rail from
5400-401: The board members resigned. By December 1857 the board only had three members, at which point it effectively ceased to function. New members were elected in March 1858, but none was prepared to take the declaration of office unless Ransom accepted an offer of settlement which had been put to him. He did not accept the offer and so the board became defunct, and the town was once again governed by
5508-449: The business was developing the gearbox and incorporating it in tramcars and railcars. At about the same time operations moved to Lewes , Sussex and rented space in the Phoenix Foundry of John Every, where they developed a narrow-gauge rail vehicle around the Dixon-Abbott gearbox using a twin cylinder water-cooled Dorman engine. In January 1916, the company answered a War Department tender for military supply railways . The specification
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#17327823404645616-404: The century the Hundred Years War led to a series of French and Castilian raids on Sussex, which badly disrupted trade. On one occasion in 1377 the Prior of St Pancras , John de Charlieu, was abducted by the raiders and held to ransom. Furthermore, after the main branch of the Fitzalan family died out in 1439, the Rape of Lewes was subsequently partitioned between the three sororal nephews of
5724-401: The council built a new Town Hall on the opposite side of the street, incorporating a large public hall. The older building became known as Old Town Hall, but continued to serve as office space for the council in addition to the new Town Hall. On 1 April 1921, Walsworth parish was abolished and the area was incorporated into Hitchin Urban District. Hitchin Urban District Council was granted
5832-470: The country in brass band championship competition as well as the home town. An independent music venue, Club 85, hosts an "eclectic mix of contemporary bands and DJs" in the area. There are three theatres in the town. The Factory Playhouse is located on Wilbury Way and is the theatre of Emil Dale Academy . They host several full-scale musicals each year with professional producers, directors, choreographers and West End musicians. The Market Theatre, Hitchin
5940-475: The district council meet as the Hitchin Committee. The town is represented in Parliament by the constituency of Hitchin . The incumbent Labour Party MP for the former Mid Bedfordshire comstituency Alistair Strathern was elected in 2024 . Before 1997 Hitchin was included in the constituency of North Hertfordshire . From 1997-2024 it was in the constituency of Hitchin and Harpenden . The ancient parish of Hitchin covered an extensive rural area as well as
6048-469: The earliest days was reported in 1918 to have been "designed by Mr Abbott, in conjunction with W.H. Dorman Ltd of Stafford", which could explain why the company exclusively used this engine. The same article states that the WW1 production of the Dixon-Abbott gearbox was contracted out to David Brown Ltd. of Huddersfield . With over 900 such locomotives supplied to the WD and MoM, post-WW1 the resultant large and cheap supply of these trench tractors opened up
6156-440: The eastern counties, especially Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire , were due from the sokemen , but the manor of Hitchin was unique in levying inward. Evidence has been found to suggest that the town was once provided with an earthen bank and ditch fortification, probably in the early tenth century but this did not last. The modern spelling of the town first appears in 1618 in the "Hertfordshire Feet of Fines" . The name of
6264-510: The first in the UK, was started in the 1990s by Common Cause Co-operative Ltd and is a popular re-invention of Lewes as a market town. The Farmers' Market takes place in pedestrianised Cliffe High Street on the first and third Saturdays of every month, with local food producers coming to sell their wares under covered market stalls. A weekly food market in the Lewes Market Tower was established in July 2010 by Transition Town Lewes to allow traders to sell local produce. Occasionally French traders from
6372-412: The foundation of education for all. Girton College – a pioneer in women's education – was established on 16 October 1869 under the name of College for Women at Benslow House in Hitchin, which was considered to be a convenient distance from Cambridge and London. It was thought to be less 'risky' and less controversial to locate the college away from Cambridge in the beginning. The college moved to Cambridge
6480-417: The frame along with its Dixon-Abbott patent gearbox , which drove the unsprung axles through a chain-drive . At one end of the frame the operator sat facing to one side allowing him to drive equally well in either direction, and at the other end was the silencer and the water cooling radiator mounted with fan to provide transverse air flow. A large flywheel gave relatively smooth operation. After approval by
6588-404: The governance section, the town is also where three tiers of local government have their headquarters, and the head office of Sussex Police is also in Lewes. The town's most important annual event is the Lewes Bonfire celebrations on 5 November, Guy Fawkes Night . In Lewes this event not only marks the date of the uncovering of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605, but also commemorates the memory of
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#17327823404646696-410: The historic centre of Lewes stands) or to one of the five ancient burial mounds, all now levelled, in the vicinity of St John sub Castro . However, this etymology has been challenged by the Swedish philologist Rune Forsberg on the grounds that the loss of the initial ⟨h⟩ in hlæw would be unlikely phonologically in this context. He suggested that the name Læwe instead derives from
6804-400: The journey time and brought Luton , a few miles away on the M1 , and the A1 (M) even closer. By the close of the 20th century, Hitchin had developed a strong commuter interest being midway between London and Cambridge. Hitchin also developed a fairly strong Sikh community based around the Walsworth area. During the medieval period, both a priory (Newbigging, now known as The Biggin) and
6912-435: The line in 1850. The Cambridge line opened shortly afterwards, diverging from the main line just north of Hitchin, which therefore became an important junction station. The A1 motorway passes Hitchin a short distance to the east. The town's historic character and accessibility make it popular with commuters . Hitchin is first noted as the central place of the Hicce people, a tribe holding 300 hides of land as mentioned in
7020-510: The local voluntary group actively consulting with train companies on behalf of local people. The A505 , A600 and A602 roads intersect in Hitchin, which is about three miles (5 km) from the A1(M) motorway and about ten miles (16 km) from the M1 motorway . Hitchin is about 14.48 km (9.00 mi) from Luton Airport, with a direct bus service linking the two. The connections are provided by National Express (number 787) and Arriva in Herts and Essex (100 Saphire services). Hitchin
7128-544: The northeast of Hitchin. The station is a call on services provided by Govia Thameslink Railway under its Great Northern and Thameslink brands. These provide direct connections to Cambridge , Letchworth Garden City , Peterborough and London Kings Cross ; as well as St Pancras International , Gatwick Airport , Three Bridges and Brighton . Journeys to London and Cambridge typically take 33 minutes. Journeys to Stevenage take 5 minutes, Peterborough 45 minutes, and Gatwick Airport 78 minutes. Hitchin Rail Users Group serves as
7236-460: The otherwise unlocatable town of Mutuantonis . Another antiquarian, John Elliot, even suggested that central Lewes's distinctive network of twittens was based on the layout of a Roman legionary fortress ; however modern historians are rather more cautious about the possibility of a Roman Lewes, as there is as yet no archaeological evidence for a built-up area dating back to the Roman period. The earliest phase of Anglo-Saxon settlement in Sussex
7344-452: The parish vestry alone. The Times was scathing of the Hitchin Local Board's inability to negotiate a solution, saying "...they simply resigned, like rustics of unfertile brains...". Legal action continued for some years afterwards trying to resolve who was liable for the old board's debts. In August 1872 sanitary districts were established, with public health and local government responsibilities being given to boards of guardians of
7452-407: The poor law unions for all areas which did not have urban authorities (including local boards). As Hitchin's previous local board was defunct, the town therefore became part of the Hitchin Rural Sanitary District, governed by the Hitchin Board of Guardians. On 31 October 1872 a meeting was held in the town with the aim of securing a new board to allow the town to govern itself independently. A new board
7560-411: The principal market towns of Sussex, as well as an important port, and by the end of the Georgian era it also had well-developed textiles, iron, brewing, and shipbuilding industries. The severe winter of 1836–7 led to a large build-up of snow on Cliffe Hill, whose sheer western face directly overlooks the town. On Tuesday 27 December 1836 this snow cornice collapsed, and the resulting Lewes avalanche
7668-468: The rare Old English word lǣw ("wound, incision"), and reflects the fact that from the top of School Hill Lewes overlooks the narrow, steep-sided "gash" where the River Ouse cuts through the line of the South Downs. This theory was endorsed in 2011 by A Dictionary of British Place Names . A third possibility has been advanced by Richard Coates , who has argued that Læwe derives from lexowia , an Old English word meaning "hillside, slope" (of which there
7776-524: The reign of Alfred the Great onward, as it was one of the towns which he fortified as part of the network of burhs he established in response to the Viking raids . The peace and stability brought by Alfred and his successors evidently stimulated economic activity in the area, for in the late Anglo-Saxon period Lewes seems to have been a thriving boom town – during the reign of Alfred's grandson Æthelstan it
7884-483: The ridge; the summit on that side, 2.5 miles (4.0 km) distant is known as Mount Harry. On the east bank there is a large chalk cliff , Cliffe Hill that can be seen for many miles, part of the group of hills including Mount Caburn , Malling Down (where there are a few houses in a wooded area on the hillside, in a development known as Cuilfail) and Golf Hill (home to the Lewes Golf Club). The two banks of
7992-594: The river and contains a number of light industrial and creative industry uses, as well as car parks and a fire station. A potential regeneration project (formerly "The North Street Quarter", renamed "The Phoenix Project" by the Lewes-based eco-development company Human Nature which took on ownership of the land in December 2020) for the area would be the largest in Lewes since the South Malling residential area
8100-504: The river are joined by Willey's Bridge (a footbridge), the Phoenix Causeway (a recent concrete road bridge, named after the old Phoenix Ironworks) and Cliffe Bridge (an 18th-century replacement of the mediaeval crossing, widened in the 1930s and now semi-pedestrianised). The High Street runs from Eastgate to West-Out, forming the spine of the ancient town. Cliffe Hill gives its name to the one-time village of Cliffe, now part of
8208-556: The same amount of pounds sterling in several shops in Lewes and can be spent in a wide range of local businesses. Many of the notes were sold on eBay at a higher amount. Early numbers and sequenced notes fetched very high prices from foreign collectors. Hitchin Hitchin ( / ˈ h ɪ tʃ ɪ n / ) is a market town in the North Hertfordshire district of Hertfordshire , England. The town dates from at least
8316-537: The seat for 18 years until defeated in 2015 by Conservative Maria Caulfield , who retained her seat in the 2017 and 2019 general elections. As of July 2024, Liberal Democrat James MacCleary is the MP. You can see Lewes lying like a box of toys under a great amphitheatre of chalk hills ... on the whole it is set down better than any town I have seen in England. Lewes is situated on the Greenwich or Prime Meridian , in
8424-757: The seventeen Lewes Martyrs , Protestants burnt at the stake for their faith during the Marian Persecutions . The celebrations, which controversially involve burning an effigy of Pope Paul V , who was pope during the Gunpowder Plot, are the largest and most famous Bonfire Night celebrations in the country. The Lewes Chamber of Commerce represents the traders and businesses of the town. The town has been identified as unusually diversified with numerous specialist, independent retailers, counter to national trends toward 'chain' retailers and large corporate retail outlets. Lewes Farmers' Market, one of
8532-482: The smaller industrial units. The town is a net daytime exporter of employees with a significant community working in London and Brighton whilst it draws in employees of the numerous local government and public service functions on which its local economy is strongly dependent. An important part of the town's economy is based on tourism, because of the town's many historic attractions and its location. As referenced in
8640-469: The southern end of the town centre is Hitchin Priory , a former monastery dating back to 1317, which was partially rebuilt into a large country house with extensive parkland following the dissolution of the monasteries . The ancient parish of Hitchin covered a large rural area as well as the town itself, including several hamlets which subsequently became separate parishes, including Langley , Preston , St Ippolyts and Walsworth . The town's economy
8748-569: The stake in front of the Star Inn (now the site of Lewes Town Hall ). Commemoration of the martyrs is one of the main purposes of Lewes Bonfire , and a stone memorial to the martyrs was unveiled on Cliffe Hill in 1901. Lewesian politics was dominated by a strongly Puritan faction in the reign of Charles I , and during the English Civil War it was one of the most important Parliamentarian strongholds in Sussex. As such it became
8856-457: The target of a royalist attack in December 1642, but the royalist army was intercepted and defeated at the Battle of Muster Green by Parliamentarian forces commanded by Herbert Morley , one of the two Members of Parliament (MPs) for Lewes. Lewes recovered relatively quickly after the Civil War, and prospered during the late seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. It had always been one of
8964-517: The town also is associated with the small river that runs through it, most picturesquely in front of the east end of St. Mary's Church , the town's parish church. The river is noted on maps as the River Hiz . Contrary to how most people now pronounce the name, that is to say as spelt, the 'z' is an abbreviated character for a 'tch' sound in the Domesday Book (as in the name of the town). It would have been pronounced 'River Hitch'. The Hicca Way
9072-414: The town hall, including a new frontage to High Street, which was completed in 1893. The municipal borough of Lewes was abolished in 1974 when the larger Lewes District was established. A successor parish was created covering the area of the former borough, with the parish council taking the name Lewes Town Council. Following the 2023 election the composition of the town council was: The next election
9180-502: The town itself, including Langley , Preston and St Ippolyts ; the latter became a separate parish in the middle ages. The parish of Hitchin was administered by its vestry , in the same way as most rural areas; no borough corporation was established for the town, despite some limited moves in that direction in the thirteenth century. Hitchin also gave its name to one of the hundreds of Hertfordshire. The Hitchin Poor Law Union
9288-471: The town was made a municipal borough . The town was then run by a corporate body formally called the "mayor, aldermen and burgesses of the borough of Lewes", informally known as the corporation or town council. The last constable became the first mayor. In 1890, the town council acquired the former Star Inn at 189 High Street, parts of which date back to the fourteenth century, and the adjoining corn exchange. The buildings were converted and extended to become
9396-419: The town's administration were recognised in 1806 when separate improvement commissioners were established to pave, light and repair the streets and provide a watch . When local government in towns was reformed across the country in the 1830s, Lewes was one of the boroughs left unreformed , and so it continued to be run by its jury and improvement commissioners. The situation was finally regularised in 1881 when
9504-541: The town, which is also used by Lewes District Council as its meeting place. Lewes was an ancient borough , although the structure of its early government is obscure. For much of the Middle Ages the town was run by a closed aristocratic organisation known as the "Fellowship of the Twelve", which was gradually eclipsed by a body known as the jury in the seventeenth century, presided over by a constable. The limitations of
9612-598: The town. A new route reaching the town at the Railway Land – the Egrets Way – initially conceived in 2011 by the Ouse Valley Cycle Network, has been designed as a network of walking and cycling paths linking Lewes and Newhaven with the villages in between. Three Sites of Special Scientific Interest lie within the parish: Lewes Downs , Lewes Brooks and Southerham Works Pit . Lewes Downs
9720-526: The town. The southern part of the town, Southover, came into being as a village adjacent to the Priory, south of the Winterbourne Stream. At the north of the town's original wall boundary is the St John's or Pells area, home to several 19th-century streets and the Pells Pond. The Pells Pool , built in 1860, is the oldest freshwater lido in England. The Phoenix Industrial Estate lies along the west bank of
9828-492: The train station and running a cake stall at weekends outside Lewes Castle . In 2020, the group claims to have infiltrated the council and Harvey's brewery, although they have never contested a local or parliamentary election. Lewes gives its name to the Lewes parliamentary constituency . The constituency was held by the Conservatives from the 1870s until 1997, when it was won by Liberal Democrat Norman Baker . He held
9936-443: The use of internal combustion engine powered locomotives to many new and existing applications, where steam engines were either too heavy or too expensive thus allowing cheaper operations. The company had found its niche, and continued to build petrol and diesel -engined locomotives , mainly for narrow gauge railways . In 1931, the company changed its name from Motor Rail & Tram Car Co to Motor Rail Ltd. The trade name Simplex
10044-585: The village of Glynde starting in Cliffe, traverse the Lewes Brooks (an RSPB reserve) from Southover, walk to Kingston near Lewes also from Southover, head up Landport Bottom to Mount Harry and Black Cap along the edge of the old Lewes Racecourse, or wander up along the Ouse to Hamsey Place from the Pells. The South Downs Way crosses the Ouse just south of Lewes at Southease and hikers often stop off at
10152-701: Was a finalist for England in the Visa / UK Government Great British High Street Awards. There are a number of organisations for young people, including 1066 Hitchin Squadron ATC , Hitchin Army Cadets , Sea Cadets Letchworth and Hitchin , as well as various scouting groups. The main burial ground for the town is Hitchin Cemetery on St. John's Road. Hitchin is twinned with: Hitchin Rugby Club
10260-535: Was assigned two royal moneyers , more than any other mint in Sussex, and according to Domesday Book it generated £26 of revenue for the Crown in 1065, almost twice the amount of any other town in the county. After the Norman Conquest , William the Conqueror rewarded his retainer William de Warenne by making him Earl of Surrey and granting him the Rape of Lewes , a strip of land stretching along
10368-518: Was captured, and the king himself was forced to sign the Mise of Lewes , a document which does not survive but was probably aimed at forcing Henry to uphold the Provisions of Oxford . Despite this uncertainty about its consequences, the battle is often seen as an important milestone in the development of English democracy. The de Warenne family died out with Earl John in 1347, whereupon lordship of
10476-554: Was concentrated between the Rivers Ouse and Cuckmere , and Anglo-Saxon finds begin to appear in Lewes from the sixth century. The town of Lewes was probably founded around this time, and it may have been one of the most important settlements in the Kingdom of Sussex , along with Chichester and Hastings , though the evidence for this early period is very sketchy. By the ninth century, the Kingdom of Sussex had been annexed to
10584-400: Was developed in the 1950s and 1960s and in the South Downs since it became a National Park. Malling lies to the east of the river and had 18th- and 19th-century houses and two notable breweries. Road engineering and local planning policy in the 1970s cleared many older buildings here to allow the flow of traffic; the main road route east from the town now goes along Little East Street, across
10692-559: Was established in 1835, covering the parish of Hitchin and many of the surrounding parishes in north-western Hertfordshire, plus the parish of Holwell which was in Bedfordshire. In 1891 the parish had a population of 9,510. In 1850 a local board of health was established for the town. Such boards were created under the Public Health Act 1848, and were focussed on improving public health in towns. The first election to
10800-545: Was eventually granted, with the first meeting being held on 24 December 1873 at the (old) Town Hall. Under the Local Government Act 1894 , urban sanitary districts became urban districts on 31 December 1894. Hitchin Local Board therefore became Hitchin Urban District Council. The act also stipulated that a parish could not be partly in an urban district and partly outside it. The old parish of Hitchin
10908-412: Was for a 600 mm ( 1 ft 11 + 5 ⁄ 8 in ) gauge locomotive, with no more than 1 ton of axle load per axle, capable of hauling up to 15 tons at 5 miles per hour (8.0 km/h). The company designed a new locomotive, with outer longitudinal "bent-rail" frame, mounted on two driven axles. The 2JO petrol engine manufactured by W.H. Dorman & Co of Stafford was centre-set in
11016-563: Was formerly located on Wilbury Way in Hitchin before moving to Letchworth . EDA is a drama school where students train and study for a BA (hons) degree in Musical Theatre in partnership with the University of Bedfordshire. The school also has a sixth form and a weekend school. North Hertfordshire Museum has an extensive collection that tells the story of the town and wider area from prehistoric times. The British Schools Museum
11124-432: Was founded in 1954 and competes in rugby union at all age levels within the Hitchin area. This includes teams at ages 7 to 12, 13 to 17, under 19s, seniors, over 35s, and a Ladies side. The club's highlights have included playing at Twickenham in the final of the national Junior RFU Cup in 1993 and the establishment of the country's first Academy. Currently membership stands at over 500 people. The club are also active as
11232-410: Was historically based on serving as the market town for the surrounding agricultural area, which was primarily arable with some sheep farming. Lavender has long been grown in the fields around the town, and an early industry in the town was lavender distilleries. The Great Northern Railway built its main line from London King's Cross to York through the town; Hitchin railway station opened with
11340-470: Was once a minster . The size of the church is evidence of how Hitchin prospered from the wool trade. It is the largest parish church in Hertfordshire . Most of the church dates from the 15th century, with its tower dating from around 1190. During the laying of a new floor in the church in 1911, foundations of a more ancient church building were found. In form, they appear to be a basilican church of
11448-487: Was registered in 1953, though the name Simplex was in use by the company as early as 1915. In 1972 the company was renamed Simplex Mechanical Handling Ltd. In the early stage of its development, the Motor Rail & Tram Car Company was involved in developing self-propelled tramcars, though the extent of production is not clear. In 1915, The Engineer magazine reported on the Simplex Rail Coach made in Lewes with
11556-533: Was the deadliest ever recorded in Britain. The avalanche struck the cottages on Boulters Row (now part of South Street), burying fifteen people, of whom eight died. A pub in South Street is named The Snowdrop in memory of the event. In 1846, the town became a railway junction, with lines constructed from the north, south and east to two railway stations. The development of Newhaven ended Lewes's period as
11664-477: Was therefore split, with the parts outside the urban district becoming the three separate civil parishes of Langley, Preston, and Walsworth with effect from their first parish meetings on 4 December 1894. The three new rural parishes were all included in the Hitchin Rural District . The Urban District Council took over the existing Town Hall on Brand Street, which had been built in 1840. In 1900
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