Thrales of Sandridge

  • Posted on: 24 September 2009
  • By: David Thrale

Sandridge village badge
Robert Thrale held Tuffnalls at Thrale's End in 1493. From Robert the elder descended the Thrale family that became the most prominent family in Sandridge over the next 300 years. John Cussans' History of Hertfordshire (1870-1881) says…

Few yeoman families could boast a more respectable ancestry.

Queen Elizabeth I

Sometime between 1556 and 1558 the Thrale family helped Princess Elizabeth to escape by concealing her for several days. As a reward Queen Elizabeth I rewarded the Thrale family on her succession to the Throne with arms and a broad arrow.

Nomansland

The Thrale family have a long held connection with Nomansland in Sandridge. Over the centuries the Thrale family farmed virtually every part of the old Sandridge parish, as well as Cell Barnes, Napsbury and Mackerye End. Norman Thrale had a Bakers Shop in Sandridge between 1965 and 1985.

Other well established Sandridge farming families associated with the Thrales were the Cox (Hill End), Burchmore, Smith (Waterend, Harefield, Evans Farm) and Reynolds (Heath Farm, Cheapside, Hammonds) families who intermarried over the years so that there were many relations in common. In some instances the surnames have been combined.

A detailed account of Thrale family history in Sandridge is taken from the 1952 publication Historic Sandridge and the 1948 publication Hertfordshire Notes and Queries.

St Leonard's Church, Sandridge

Many Thrale's are buried at St Leonards, and Thrale.com has details of the Church and its old and new graveyard.

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