May - Mag 2008 - Hatfield Heath Village Magazine

VILLAGE HALL TRUST
VACANCY FOR A NEW SECRETARY
There is a vacancy for a new Secretary. It is not a
particularly onerous job and largely involves attending
no more than six meetings each year and preparing and
distributing minutes.
If anyone is interested in becoming involved with the
Village Hall and helping with the administration in this
way please call me on 730674.
Please call me on 01279 730 674
Mick Briscoe (Chairman)
Leaving
18th March 2008
Photograph by Terry Jameson
Article by Robin Gurnett
Hatfield Heath
VILLAGE HALL
Are Available for
Children’s Parties
Celebrations
including
Wedding Receptions
Classes etc., etc.,
PREFERENTIAL RATES
FOR
LOCAL ORGANISATIONS
AND
LOCAL RESIDENTS
For Details Telephone
01279 730 544
The meeting held at URC Rooms on 18th March 2008
was the last one to be addressed by our Chairman Liz.
Wright before her proposed move to Suffolk. The
Society was treated to an in-depth and well researched
lecture on some of the older houses in Friars Lane,
Hatfield Heath.
Comfortably perched on the edge of a table and
accompanied by her trusty lap-top she showed us
numerous images concerning the four major buildings
under scrutiny in this particular project, Gibsons Farm,
Hurdle End and Pooles,
John Dowsett was the first to be mentioned, when in his
will of 1566 he bequeathed the property now known as
Gibsons, to his son William. John was an upstanding and
important member of the local community, serving as a
juror on the case of the felonious killing by Thomas
Paviott from Hatfield Broad Oak of Henry Ynfgold or
Ingold of White Roding. This incident occurred during a
football match played in March 1567.
There 59 people registered as living in Hatfield Broad
Oak at that time.
On the same jury was a John Sabrisforde regarding the
transfer of a local property Henry Dawsetts (called
Dounsheved in 1378) was a one of a group that attacked
the Priory, and making off with various items of
property.
During recent refurbishment of Gibsons, a fascinating
old window frame was uncovered, and even more
exciting, several wall and ceiling painting found under
years of old plaster.
Hurdle End, a house on the corner of the junction down
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