Waterend Mansion & Waterend barn

  • Posted on: 16 September 2009
  • By: David Thrale

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As a Thebridge, researching the family name, I was interested in the reference to Thebridge or Waterend as it known now and the tenant Viel de Thebridge as referred to on thrale.com . Our earliest surname recordings come from christenings in Ayot St Lawrence, Kimpton and Kings Walden, in the early 1500's. This would strongly suggest a link to the above tenant. I would be most interested in any information you may have or in any pointers as to where else I could investigate this link.

I have found a reference marked Waterend on the map on the River Lea east of Wheathampstead, Is this the spot referred to or not?

With grateful thanks for any assistance you can give.
Dr Peter Thebridge

David Thrale's picture

Hello Peter

Thanks for the enquiry. Firstly let me say that I am not a local (I live about 30 miles away in London) nor am I a local historian. However, I do have a little information that may help you and can point you in the direction of people who are likely to know more.

The main source I have is the book Historic Sandridge Revisited, edited by Janet R Rose.

Janet has contacted me (to see what she said, search here on her name. She is very helpful and certainly knows a lot more about this and has good contacts with other local historians.

Anyway, on with what I can find. I believe that Waterend is (or was) a farm in (or next to) Sandridge, Hertfordshire. In addition to the stuff on thrale.com that you have already seen, Janet's book says...

In the County Record Office at Hertford the Manor Court records from 1238-1326 are lodged in wonderful condition, showing in Latin, some of the transactions of this area of Sandridge ... Most of these record copyholder transfers during the reigns of King John and Henry II. One of the copyholders was recorded as Thebride.

The book also has an image of Waterend from 1895, and talks about how Sarah Jennings, later the Duchess of Marlborough may have been born at Waterend before the family moved to Holywell House in St Albans. Also on page 25 of her book is a map of Sandridge from 1725 that includes Waterend.

The book (despite not having Waterend in the index) has a few other mentions of it, and at only £7.50 is worth getting. Other leads worth trying are Chris Reynolds' excellent Hertfordshire history and genealogy web site.

Good luck I hope that this helps. Do let me know how you get on.

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