Watton-at-Stone

infobox UK place
static_

static_image_caption=Village cast iron water pump, dating from the early 19th century
country = England
official_name= Watton-at-Stone
population= 2,272 (2001)
shire_district= East Hertfordshire
shire_county = Hertfordshire
region= East of England

constituency_westminster= North East Hertfordshire
post_town= HERTFORD
postcode_district = SG14
postcode_area= SG
dial_code= 01920
os_grid_reference= TL299194
longitude= -0.1130

latitude= 51.8580

Watton-at-Stone is a village in the English county of Hertfordshire, situated midway between the towns of Stevenage and Hertford in the valley of the River Beane. The 2001 census showed a population of 2,272, living in 921 households. [citation
last=2001 Census
title=Key Statistics: Parish Headcounts
url=http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=795296&c=Watton-at-Stone&d=16&e=15&g=454489&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1205671918406&enc=1&dsFamilyId=779]

Village life

There is little employment directly within the village and it largely serves as a dormitory for commuters to London or to the nearby towns.

The village has a primary school and nursery school. The co-educational Heath Mount independent school is located on the outskirts in the private estate of the Grade II* listed Woodhall Park.

The A602 formerly ran through the centre of the village between Stevenage and Hertford before a bypass was built in the 1980s through farmland to the north-east. The section of the road to Hertford was renamed the A119, and the A602 then ran out of Watton-at-Stone to Ware. Watton-at-Stone is served by a railway station on the Hertford Loop Line. The station opened for passengers on 2nd June 1924, was closed on 11th September 1939 (though the line continued to run through the village), and reopened on 17th May 1982, paid for partly by public subscription.

A war memorial lies in a field adjoining the church.

History

The name Watton first appeared in writing in an 11th-century publication of 10th-century Anglo-Saxon wills as "Wattun". It was later recorded in the Domesday Book as both "Wodtune" and "Watone".citation
first=William|last=Page
title=A History of the County of Hertford: volume 3
date=1912
url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=43596
accessdate=2008-03-16] The origin of the word is uncertain, and is variously ascribed to Old English "wád", or woad, and "ton" meaning small farming settlement; or "waden" meaning ford; or from "waétan" meaning watery. The suffix -at-Stone dates from the early 13th century and is derived from the presence of two large examples of Hertfordshire puddingstone, now situated at the Waggon and Horses public house.citation
last = East Herts District Council
title = Watton-at-Stone
url = http://www.eastherts.gov.uk/index.jsp?articleid=2089&detailid=2037
accessdate = 2008-02-04]

A Roman Road ran from Verulamium (modern St Albans), fording the River Beane at Watton-at-Stone.citation
title=Hertfordshire Landscape Survey: Woodhall Park and Watton-at-Stone slopes
last=Hertfordshire County Council Environment
date=October 2001
url=http://enquire.hertscc.gov.uk/landscsh/Areas/area70.htm
accessdate=2008-03-16] A battle between the Danes and Saxons took place nearby in 1016. In later years, the natural springs in the area once made the village a popular spa town.

The village has a number of dwellings dating from early Tudor, such as "Watton House", through to late Georgian constructions. Its flintstone rubble Anglican church dedicated to Saint Mary and Saint Andrew dates from the 15th century, and is built in the Perpendicular style. [citation
first = Herbert H. | last = Tompkins
title = Hertfordshire, Second Edition
url = http://www.gutenberg.org/files/18252/18252-8.txt
year = 1922]

Archaeological finds

The Iron Age "Aston Mirror" was found nearby, closer to Watton-at-Stone than to the village of Aston, but technically in Aston parish due to the convoluted border. It is now kept at the British Museum. A collection of Belgic armour and weaponry was discovered in the mid-19th century by workers digging a drain at the north end of the village.

Famous residents

Watton-at-Stone is home to the boxing promoter Frank Warren. It was the birthplace and childhood home of the actor Rupert Grint, well-known from his role of Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter film series. [citation
last = filmreference.com
title = Rupert Grint Biography
url = http://www.filmreference.com/film/26/Rupert-Grint.html
accessdate = 2008-02-04] The famous locomotive engineer Sir Nigel Gresley lived in Watton House until his death in 1941. [citation
first = Oswald S. | last = Nock
title = The Locomotives of Sir Nigel Gresley
publisher = Longmans, Green and Co
year = 2007
page = 173]

Alternative names

The name is also spelled unhyphenated as Watton at Stone and appears in this form on Ordnance Survey maps. The County Council favours the hyphenated version. Both spellings are equally valid.

Locally, the '-at-Stone' suffix is frequently dropped.

References

External links

* [http://wattonatstone.org.uk/ Village homepage]
* [http://watton-pc.org.uk Parish council website]
* [http://www.wattonatstone.herts.sch.uk/ Village primary school website]
* [http://www.heathmount.org Heath Mount school website]
* [http://www.unc.edu/celtic/design/aston/aston.html The Aston mirror]
* [http://www.firstcapitalconnect.co.uk First Capital Connect]
* [http://www.thelocalchannel.co.uk/wattonatstone Parish Council Website]
* [http://www.wattonatstone.info/watton_web/wattonStart.html Image gallery]