A Route via Berden?
(This entry is entirely Noel Starr's. He contacted me via the website and I was so impressed by his knowledge and enthusiasm that I offered him a space on the site.
Thank you, Noel, and may others follow your lead!)
There is little documentary evidence to indicate the droving route from the fairs at St Ives to those at Cambridge (Sheep’s Green) and Sawston and on to South Essex. There is, however, documentary evidence from financial accounts submitted by drovers, that shows they travelled from Sawston via Langley to Bishops ‘Starford’ and Harlow. However, I can find no hard information about the routes they took.
To try and work out the route or routes is like doing a jigsaw. I look for indicators between the known reference points, such as farm names, field names, pubs – name and location – and traditional names, such as Little London.
A small hamlet, Little London, on the edge of Berden, North-west Essex, alerted me to the possibility that the Sawston – Bishops Stortford route came through Berden. There are over 200 locations called Little London across England and Wales. Those nearest to Berden are Dry Drayton, between St Ives and Cambridge, and another at Finchingfield. A ‘Little London’ was an area, usually at the edge of a village or small town, where travellers, such as Drovers, Gypsies and travelling tinkers were encouraged to stay (rather than in the centre!) Where the name comes from is less certain. Was it so called because the drover’s destination was London, or because the big city was full of evil and undesirable people? (Fear of the unknown...)
When I visited Little London at Berden some time ago I spoke with a local lady who did not know why it was called Little London, but she pointed out the ‘Gypsy Patch’ (#3), at Coles Green (North side) where gypsies always pitched when they came for the pea picking.
Since then I have traced network of possible routes. From Sawston, I think the drovers would have crossed the Cam at either Whittlesford or Duxford, then to Ickleton. From there along lanes with wide verges either to Elmdon and Duddenhoe End to Langley, or via Chrishall (The Gate and The Red Cow, the Hollow Road) to Chrishall Common and to Langley Lower Green, a major centre. It is mentioned in drover’s accounts dating both from 1701 and 1830.
Another route would have come into Langley from the west along the Chiltern Downs and via Royston. From Royston there is a road going south towards a village called Barkway. A mile or so along this road is a bridle path called Stock Bank striking east past ‘Horseshoe Farm’ towards Barley. From there, via Smith End, it goes south-east, joins the possible route from Chrishall Common at Killem Green (which has very a wide green as verges), and on, for less than half a mile, to Langley Lower Green.
At Langley Lower Green, The pub is The Bull (#1, previously ‘The Black Bull’). Alongside is a paddock. Opposite are a small cottage (Smithy?) and a big cottage which has a very old 'No begging, by order’ notice. There is a ford - water – and the road divides: to Stocking Pelham, Little Hadham and Much Hadham, where there is a pub (again ‘The Bull’ AND there was a ‘Drovers Arms’). After which, Stansted Abbots, Enfield and London...
... and the other to Clavering, Berden, Bishops Stortford and South Essex.
From Langley, the Stortford route goes through Sheepcote Green, and somehow to Berden.
Thereafter, via ‘the Crump’ originally called ‘Stock’s Farm’, through Little London and onto Manuden, via Sheepcote Lane (#2), to bypass the village and Hazel End (Three Horseshoes Inn, #4) to Bishops Stortford. From there to Harlow Fair, Cold Hill or Coulhill (which I cannot locate) and then to Ongar.
One curiosity is a farm, in a small valley and adjacent to the lane at Manuden. It is called ‘Pinch Pools’ but no one can tell me the origin of the name. I wonder if it could be a corruption of ‘Pump Pwll’?
John Jones, Drover at Epping Upland
Just off the Essex droving route from Harlow through Epping Forest to East London lies Epping Upland Church. In the churchyard is a gravestone of Welsh Slate. Underneath was interred the body of a North Wales drover, John Jones, of Madryn Isaf, near Pwllheli. The cause of his death, far from home, is not known.
He lies in peace in a quiet churchyard, well worth a diversion to view if one is in the area. (#5)
