Waterfurlong - from Bradcroft to Brassicas
Waterfurlong is a quiet lane to the west of Stamford town centre, outside the ancient St Peter's Gate. Sometimes the only sounds are bell-song, birdsong and, if the wind is in the south, the hum of distant traffic on the A1. But it hasn't always been as peaceful.
On our history pages you can discover how Waterfurlong follows the line of Roman Ermine Street, how the bread-ovens of medieval Bradcroft helped keep Stamford safe from fire, how the Sack and later the Austin friars tended souls and orchards, how Stamford's infamous Bull-run followed the Waterfurlong route, and how the gardens finally came to be created. Read about the punishments meted out for scrumping, the gardening neighbour from hell and the horticultural experiments Thomas Laxton carried out for Charles Darwin.
As well as tracing the history of this little-explored corner of Stamford, we are also researching the lives of the many gardeners who preceded us. It is all a work in progress and if you can help us fill in gaps in our knowledge we would love to hear from you.
TIMELINE
AD 45 - AD 60
894
1180
1272
1304
1323
1342
1446
1461
1538
1598
1640
1712
1831
1836
1839
1841-1850
1866
1871
1875
1876
1877
1878
1883
1884
1967
2016
2017
The Romans build Ermine Street on what is now Waterfurlong
Vikings raid ‘the western side of a place called Staneford’
The hamlet of Bradcroft first appears in written records
The Sack Friars settle outside St Peter's Gate
Bradcroft pays 100s rent to the Abbot of Peterborough for its
public ovens
The Sack Friars leave Stamford
Edward III grants a licence for the founding of an Austin friary
Last known land transaction for Bradcroft
The town is sacked in the Wars of the Roses and Stamford's economic decline accelerates
The Austin Friars leave Stamford following Henry VIII's
Dissolution of the Monasteries
Elizabeth I grants the former Austin friary to William Cecil, Ist Baron Burghley
A new Mill Stream is cut and Mill House rebuilt by the Cecils
The former friary is excavated by Alderman Richard Feast
Rutland Terrace is completed - Thomas Laxton's father rents one
of the new houses
John Stevenson Esq rents 'a large garden in Waterfurlong' from
Lord Exeter
The last Bull-run takes place through Waterfurlong - William Haycock is prosecuted
Boundary garden walls are built either side of Waterfurlong road
Thomas Laxton corresponds with Charles Darwin about his pea trials
Parliament passes the Stamford Enclosure Act
The Enclosure Act comes into force and Lord Exeter creates 40 more allotment gardens to the west of Waterfurlong
Richard Brown establishes 12 acres of nursery beds on Roman Bank
Thomas Laxton is imprisoned and subsequently moves to Bedford
St Peter's Terrace is built at the top of Waterfurlong
Thomas Laxton names a long-podded bean after fellow gardener John Harrison
Sergt John Harrison is pistol-whipped near Henry Johnson's garden
40 gardens are transferred to the newly-created Cecil Family Estate Trust
The first Waterfurlong Apple Day is held
Natural England awards the gardens Traditional Orchard Status