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HATFIELD

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Originally appearing in Volume V13, Page 62 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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HATFIELD , a See also:

town in the See also:Mid or St Albans See also:parliamentary See also:division of See also:Hertfordshire, See also:England, 171 M. N. of See also:London by the See also:Great See also:Northern railway. Pop. (1901), 4754. It lies picturesquely on the flank of a wooded See also:bill, and about its See also:foot, past which runs the Great See also:North Road. The See also:church of St Etheldreda, well situated towards the See also:top of the See also:hill, contains an See also:Early See also:English See also:round See also:arch with the See also:dog-tooth moulding, but for the See also:rest is Decorated and Perpendicular, and largely restored. The See also:chapel north of the See also:chancel is known as the See also:Salisbury chapel, and was erected by See also:Robert See also:Cecil, first See also:earl of Salisbury (d. 1612), who was buried here. It is in a mixture of classic and See also:Gothic styles. In a private portion of the See also:churchyard is buried, among others of the See also:family, the third See also:marquess of Salisbury (d. 1903). In the vicinity is Hatfield See also:House, See also:close to the site of a See also:palace of the bishops of See also:Ely, which was erected about the beginning of the 12th See also:century.

From this palace comes the proper See also:

form of the name of the town, See also:Bishop's Hatfield. In 1538 the See also:manor was resigned to See also:Henry VIII. by Bishop See also:Thomas See also:Goodrich of Ely, in See also:exchange for certain lands in See also:Cambridge, See also:Essex and See also:Norfolk; and after that monarch the palace was successively the See also:residence of See also:Edward VI. immediately before his See also:accession, of See also:Queen See also:Elizabeth during the reign of her See also:sister See also:Mary, and of See also:James I. The last-named exchanged it in 1607 for Theobalds, near See also:Cheshunt, in the same See also:county, an See also:estate of Robert Cecil, earl of Salisbury, in whose family Hatfield House has since remained. The See also:west wing of the See also:present See also:mansion, built for Cecil in 16o8-1611, was destroyed by See also:fire in See also:November 1835, the See also:dowager marchioness of Salisbury, widow of the 1st marquess, perishing in the flames. Hatfield House was built, and has been restored and maintained, in the richest See also:style of its See also:period, both without and within. The buildings of mellowed red See also:brick now used as stables and offices are, however, of a period far anterior to Cecil's See also:time, and are probably See also:part of the erection of See also:John See also:Morton, bishop of Ely in 1478-1486. The See also:park See also:measures some Io m. in circumference. From the See also:eminence on which the mansion stands the ground falls towards the See also:river See also:Lea, which here expands into a small See also:lake. Beyond this is a rare example of a monks' walled vineyard. In the park is also an See also:ancient See also:oak under which Elizabeth is said to have been seated when the See also:news of her sister's See also:death was brought to her. Brocket Park is another See also:fine See also:demesne, at the neighbouring See also:village of Lemsford, and the Brocket chapel in Hatfield church contains memorials of the families who have held this seat.

End of Article: HATFIELD

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