WATFORD, a parish in the hundred of CASHIO,
or liberty of ST-ALBANS, county of HERTFORD, comprising
the market-town of Watford, and the hamlets
of Cashio, Levesden, and Oxhey, and containing
4713 inhabitants, of which number, 2960 are in the
town of Watford, 20 miles (W.S.W.) from Hertford,
and 15 (N. "W.) from London. This town, situated on
the river Colne, derives its name from the Watlingstreet,
which passes in the vicinity, and from a ford
over the river, to which latter its origin also is attributed;
it consists of one principal street, about a mile
in length, is well built, paved, and supplied with water
by a forcing pump, erected by subscription. By means
of the Grand Junction canal, which passes a mile to
the westward, a communication is maintained with
the metropolis and the northern part of the kingdom.
The manufacture of straw-plat, and three silk-throwsting
mills, employ a considerable number of persons;
there are likewise eight malt-kilns, and two extensive
breweries. The market, granted by Henry I., is held
on Tuesday: the market-house is an indifferent building
supported on wooden pillars, with granaries over it,
and its situation is very confined. Fairs are on the
Tuesday after Whit-Tuesday, and on August 29th and
30th, for cattle and pedlary -, the latter, originally
granted by Edward IV., in 1469, had fallen into disuse,
but was revived in 1827; there is also a statute
fair for hiring servants in September. A meeting
of magistrates is held every Tuesday, and there is a
weekly court of requests, for the recovery of debts
under 40s., the jurisdiction of which is co-extensive
with the liberty of St. Albans; this court is constituted
of commissioners, whose qualification to act is the
possession of £800 real or personal property.
The living is a vicarage, in the archdeaconry of St.
Albans, and diocese of London, rated in the king's
books at £21. 12. 1., and in the patronage of trhe Earl
of Essex. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, and situated
in the centre of the street, on the south side of
the town, has two chapels annexed, and a tower at the
west end. There are places of worship for Baptists,
those in the Connexion of the late Countess of Huntingdon,
and Wesleyan Methodists. The free school,
founded by Elizabeth Fuller, in 1704, is a handsome
structure, at the south-west corner of the churchyard,
with a residence for the master and mistress; it was
endowed with a rent-charge of £52, imposed on lands
in the parishes of Watford and Sarratt, in this county,
and at Creek in Northamptonshire, to which an augmentation
of £1000 was made by C. Deane, Esq., other
benefactors having contributed about £2000 more:
fifty boys and thirty girls are taught gratuitously. A
parochial free school was founded and endowed by
Francis Coombes, in 1641, in which twelve boys are
instructed. There are also two small bequests for
Sunday schools. A National school is chiefly supported
by the Earl of Essex. Almshouses for four
poor widows were founded by Sir Christopher Morrison
and Sir B. Hicks; and some for eight poor widows
were founded and endowed by Francis, Earl of Bedford,
and his Countess, in 1580. Dame Morrison bequeathed
£50 per annum, and Sarah Eure gave the sum of £200,
for apprenticing poor children; and numerous other
sums have been left for charitable uses.