Abbots Langley, Hertfordshire Family History Guide
Abbots Langley is an Ancient Parish in the county of Hertfordshire.
Other places in the parish include: Bedmond, Nash Mill.
Parish church:
Parish registers begin:
- Parish registers: 1538
- Bishop’s Transcripts: 1570
Nonconformists include: Baptist, Independent/Congregational, and Wesleyan Methodist.
Table of Contents
Adjacent Parishes
Parish History
Abbots Langley
Beeton’s British Gazetteer 1870
ABBOTS-LANGLEY, a village of England, 5 miles S.W. from St. Albans, in Hertfordshire, distinguished as the birthplace of Nicholas Breakspeare, or Adrian IV. ; the only Englishman who ever rose to the pontificate of Rome. It has extensive paper-mills, and some cottages belonging to the “Booksellers’ Provident Society,” called the “Booksellers’ Retreat,” for the reception of aged and decayed booksellers. Post town, Watford. Nearest money ord. off: Kings-Langley. Pop. 2400.
Source: Beeton’s British Gazetteer 1870. Ward, Lock & Tyler, Paternoster Row, London.
The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales 1870
ABBOTS-LANGLEY, a parish and a subdistrict in Watford district, Herts. The parish lies on the Grand junction canal and the Northwestern railway, 1 mile SE of King’s Langley station; and has a post office under Watford. Acres, 5,213. Real property, £13,033. Pop., 2,400. Houses, 520. The property is subdivided. A coin of Clandins was found at Langley-House. The parish gave birth to Nicholas de Breakspear, Pope Adrian IV.; and was given to the abbots of St. Albans ” to find them in clothes.” Here is the Booksellers’ Provident Retreat. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Rochester. Value, £315. Patron, W. Jones Lloyd, Esq. The church is Partly Norman, partly of later date; and contains an ancient font and some handsome monuments. There are Independent and Wesleyan chapels, national schools, and extensive paper-mills. The subdistrict is co-extensive with the parish.
Source: The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales [Wilson, John M]. A. Fullarton & Co. N. d. c. [1870-72].
Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales 1850
Abbots-Langley, 4 miles S.W. St. Albans. P. 2115
Source: Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales; Second Edition; C. W. Leonard, London; 1850.
The Parliamentary Gazetteer of England and Wales 1840
ABBOTS-LANGLEY, a parish within the liberty of St Albans, hund. of Cashio, Watford union, Hertfordshire; 2 miles south-east from King’s Langley, and 3¼ from Watford station, on the London and Birmingham railway. Living, a discharged vicarage in the archd. of St Albans and dio. of London; rated at £15; gross income £315. Patron, in 1835, Sir J. Filmer. The church, which has been recently enlarged, contains some handsome monuments. There is a National daily and Sunday school here. Pop., in 1801, 1,205; in 1831, 1,980. The increase of population in this parish is ascribed to the establishment of paper-mills. Houses 371. Acres 5,100. A. P. £8,290. Poor rates, in 1837, £631.— This parish is crossed by the Grand Junction canal, and the London and Birmingham railway. It was the birth place of Nicholas de Breakspear, who was raised to the papal throne, under the title of Adrian IV.
Source: The Parliamentary Gazetteer of England and Wales; A Fullarton & Co. Glasgow; 1840.
A Topographical Dictionary of the United Kingdom 1808
Abbottslangley, a parish in the hundred of Cashio, Herts, 5 miles from St. Alban’s, 5 from Watford, and 20 from London; containing 222 houses and 1205 inhabitants. It stands near the track of the Grand Junction canal. The church, in the middle of the village, is handsome, and has a neat tower. It is a vicarage, value 15l. formerly belonging to the abbots of St. Alban’s, by a grant from king John, to find them in clothes. This place gave birth to Nicholas Brakespeare, afterwards Pope Adrian IV. the only Englishman who ever attained that dignity.
Source: A Topographical Dictionary of the United Kingdom. Benjamin Pitts Capper. 1808.
Complete Pocket Gazetteer of England and Wales 1807
Abbots Langley, (Herts) a village, distant from St. Albans 4 miles, and from London 22 miles. It formerly belonged to the abbey of St. Albans, whence it derived its name. The church is a handsome edifice, and the village is remarkable for having been the birth-place of Nicholas Breakspear, who assumed the popedom at Rome under the name of Adrian IV. while his mother was supported by the charity of the monks of Canterbury.
Gentlemen’s Seats. In the vicinity are Langley Bury, the residence of Mr. Baron Hotham; and Cecil Lodge, one of the seats of the Marquis of Salisbury, now in the occupation of Lady Talbot.
Source: Complete Pocket Gazetteer of England and Wales; Crosby Rev. J. Malham; 1807
Nash Mill
Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales Circa 1870
NASH-MILL, a hamlet in Abbots-Langley parish, Herts; on the Grand Junction canal and the Northwestern railway, 2 miles S of Hemel-Hempstead. Here are extensive paper manufactories, and a large school.
Source: The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales [Wilson, John M]. A. Fullarton & Co. N. d. c. [1870-72].
Parish Records
FamilySearch
Administration
- County: Hertfordshire
- Civil Registration District: Watford
- Probate Court: Court of the Archdeaconry of St Albans
- Diocese: Post-1844 – Rochester, Pre-1845 – London
- Rural Deanery: Pre-1845 – St Albans, Post-1844 – Watford
- Poor Law Union: Watford
- Hundred: Cashio
- Province: Canterbury