TOUR OF HARROLD
HISTORY
COUNTRY PARK
VILLAGE AMENITIES
FOOTPATHS
 

 
NEOLITHIC & BRONZE AGE
IRON AGE, ROMAN & SAXON FARMSTEADS
THE DOMESDAY SURVEY
THE PRIORY
FAIRS & MARKETS
HARROLD BRIDGE
ST PETER'S CHURCH
NONCONFORMISM
MAJOR LANDOWNERS
HARROLD OLD MANOR
DR RICHARD MEAD
ANNE MEAD, THE ALSTONS AND HARROLD HALL  
ANNE JOLIFFE & THE JOLIFFE MEAD TRUST  
SUMMERLAND BROTHERS & TRAFALGAR
CLOCKMAKING
FREDDIE CROUCH: BLACKSMITH
CALEB LEFEVRE
TRAVEL, TRANSPORT AND MAIL
LEATHERMAKING
BRIDGMAN DOORS
PUBS AND INNS OF HARROLD
HARROLD AT WAR: THE GREAT WAR  
HARROLD AT WAR: WORLD WAR II  
HARROLD AND THE BEATLES 1968  
HARROLD AT THE MILLENNIUM  

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HISTORY
 

A Brief History of Harrold
by John R Crookall

Harrold is an ancient market town which has remained a village, having grown from a settlement dating back before Saxon Times. It was called Harewelle in the 11th century, Harewode in the 13th century, and Harewold in the 13th - 16th centuries, before settling for its present name.

Throughout the ages it has been the River Great Ouse that drew the first settlers, and after them the Romans and the Saxons. In fact the river, together with its frequent floods, has been a feature of Harrold village life since time immemorial.

At the time of the Domesday Book the population was probably around fifty inhabitants (it recorded ten villagers - the heads of housholds). The population has risen steadily over the last 1,000 years with only a few fluctuations in the late 19th Century and mid - 20th Century. With recent building it is now larger than at any time in its history. For full population records click here.

 

This section is currently being expanded by the webmasters and recent additions include a detailed account of Harrold's most famous person, Dr Richard Mead and his wife Anne (nee Alston) who inherited Harrold Hall in 1732 from her aunt, Anne Joliffe (nee Crewe).

Two Harrold brothers, Richard and Samuel Summerland were marines on board HMS Polyphemus and fought at the Battle of Trafalgar and saw action throughout much of the Napoleonic War. Their story is a fascinating one.

In the Great War, Harrold, like so many towns and villages lost a significant number of young men. There are 23 names on the War Memorial. Work is underway to give more detail of these sad losses, and to link local information to military action and war graves or memorials.

At the same time, this web-site will recognise the contribution of all Harrold's serving men and women. This task will take a little time to complete.

Thank you to all who have supplied historical information or photographs.

Throughout this history section there are frequent links to the recent and splendid Community Archive web pages devoted to Harrold and published by Bedfordshire and Luton Archive and Record Service.