Hexton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hexton |
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 St Faith's Church, Hexton |
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 Hexton
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| Population | 123 (2001) |
| OS grid reference | TL105303 |
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| District |
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| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | HITCHIN |
| Postcode district | SG5 |
| Dialling code | 01582 |
| Police | Hertfordshire |
| Fire | Hertfordshire |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
| UK Parliament |
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Hexton is a small village and civil parish in Hertfordshire, England. It is about 6 kilometres (4 miles) west of Hitchin.
This area of Hertfordshire sticks out northwards into Bedfordshire. The southern part of the parish is on the chalky Chiltern Hills. These hills are covered with short grass and groups of fir trees. The hills end suddenly near the village of Hexton. The village sits among grassy fields and fruit orchards. It is at the start of a flat area that gently slopes north. This area then joins the larger flat lands of southern Bedfordshire. An old grassy path called the Icknield Way forms the southern edge of the parish.
Hexton used to be part of a larger area called the "half-hundred of Hitchin." Later, when the abbots of St Albans Abbey owned it, they likely added it to their own area, the hundred of Cashio. The name Hexton comes from an old Anglo-Saxon name, Heahstānes tūn. This means "Heahstān's farm" or "village."
A lot of the land in Hexton was owned by George Hodgson. He owned Hexton Manor, a large house in a big park. Hexton doesn't have one main street. Instead, most houses are near crossroads. These roads connect Hexton with other small villages nearby.
Hexton is in a hilly area with many trees, close to the border with Bedfordshire. The village church is called St Faith's Church. It is very old, from the Middle Ages. However, it was greatly repaired and changed in the 1800s. The Manor House in its large park is also very old, dating back to at least the 1400s. It was also changed a lot in 1901.
The de Lautour family once owned the village. They lived at the Manor and were related to French dukes. Later, the Manor and its land passed to Major Sir Patrick Ashley Cooper. His family still owns the estate today.
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Discover Ravensburgh Castle
Even older than Hexton village is Ravensburgh Castle. This is an Iron Age hill fort, which is a type of ancient fort built on a hilltop. It is a scheduled ancient monument, meaning it's a very important historical site. Ravensburgh Castle is about 1.6 kilometres (1 mile) south-west of Hexton.
When Was Ravensburgh Castle Built?
Archaeologists did some digging at the site in the 1960s. They found that the fort was first built around 400 BC. It was made stronger again around 50 BC.
What Does Ravensburgh Castle Look Like?
The fort is shaped like a rectangle and covers about nine hectares (22 acres). It was strongly protected by two ramparts (large earth walls) and ditches on its north, west, and south sides. On the eastern side, which was more open to attack, there was an even bigger rampart.
Entrances to the Castle
Ravensburgh Castle had two main entrances. The one at the north-west corner was part of the original fort. The entrance on the south-east side was added later, around 50 BC. A gap on the eastern side of the fort is new and was not part of the original design.
Who Lived at Ravensburgh Castle?
Some people think that Ravensburgh might have been the main base for Cassivelaunus. He was a Celtic leader who fought against the Roman general Julius Caesar in 54 BC. The excavations at the site showed signs of burning on the eastern rampart. This might suggest a battle took place there.
Visiting Ravensburgh Castle
Access to the site is very limited to protect its history. If you want to see some of the things found at Ravensburgh Castle, you can visit the Stockwood Discovery Centre in Luton. They have pottery and a special bird-headed weaving comb that were found there.
Hexton Chalk Pit Nature Reserve
Hexton Chalk Pit is a special place for nature. It is a nature reserve that is looked after by the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust.
Images for kids
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St Faith's Church in Hexton.
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Hexton Manor in 2022.
