Welwyn, Hertfordshire Genealogy

England   Hertfordshire Hertfordshire Parishes

Parish History
WELWYN (St. Mary), a parish, and the head of a union, in the hundred of Broadwater, county of Hertford, 8 miles (W. N. W.) from Hertford; containing 1395 inhabitants. The parish is situated on the great north road, and comprises 2987a. 2r. 7p., of which 1815 acres are arable, 540 pasture, and 405 woodland. The surface is hilly, and the soil chiefly loam, resting on gravel and chalk; the river Mimram runs through the grounds, and falls into the Lea at Hertford. The village consists of one street, with a smaller leading to Stevenage, and contains several genteel residences. In Mill-lane is a fine chalybeate spring, formerly in considerable repute. There is also an assembly-room in the village. The living is a rectory, valued in the king's books at £21, and in the gift of All Souls' College, Oxford: the tithes have been commuted for £620; the glebe comprises 85 acres. The church was enlarged in 1834: over the altar is a piece of embroidery, with a suitable inscription, by Lady Betty Young, wife of Dr. Edward Young, author of the Night Thoughts, who was for many years rector, and who was buried by the side of his lady, under the communion-table, in 1765. There are places of worship for Huntingtonians and Wesleyans. Dr. Young in 1760 founded a school, and endowed it with £1500 old South Sea annuities, augmented in 1810 by a bequest of £200 from Daniel Spurgeon; in 1830, the schoolroom was rebuilt upon an enlarged plan, chiefly from the funds of the charity. John Bexfield in 1570 left some land, the rent of which, £13. 10., is distributed with other benefactions among the poor. The union embraces the parishes of Welwyn, Digswell, and Ayott St. Lawrence and St. Peter, containing a population of 1955.

From: Lewis, Sauel A., A Topographical Dictionary of England (1848)

Civil Registration
Birth, marriages and deaths were kept by the government, from July 1837 to the present day. The civil registration article tells more about these records. There are several Internet sites with name lists or indexes. A popular site is FreeBMD.

Church records
Contributor: Include here information for parish registers, Bishop’s Transcripts, non conformist and other types of church records, such as parish chest records. Add the contact information for the office holding the original records. Add links to the Family History Library Catalog showing the film numbers in their collection

Census records
Contributor: Include an overview if there is any unique information, such as the census for X year was destroyed. Add a link to online sites for indexes and/or images. Also add a link to the Family History Library Catalog showing the film numbers in their collection.

Probate records
Records of wills, administrations, inventories, indexes, etc. were filed by the court with jurisdiction over this parish. Go to Hertfordshire Probate Records to find the name of the court having primary jurisdiction. Scroll down in the article to the section Court Jurisdictions by Parish.

Maps and Gazetteers
Maps are a visual look at the locations in England. Gazetteers contain brief summaries about a place.


 * England Jurisdictions 1851
 * Vision of Britain

Web sites
Contributor: Add any relevant sites that aren’t mentioned above.