Preston, Hertfordshire
Preston is a
village about 3 miles (5 km) south of
Hitchin in
Hertfordshire,
England.
The village grew up around the
Templar holdings at
Temple Dinsley, and
Princess Helena College is now on the site. The first church was mentioned in
1252, when six acres (24,000 m²) of land was given to nuns from
Elstow,
Bedfordshire.
Temple Dinsley passed on to the
Knights Hospitaller after the dissolution of the Templars. When the Hospitallers were in turn dissolved in
1542, the manor went to Sir
Ralph Sadlier.
In the
17th century the village became linked with
John Bunyan, who used to hold services in a natural
amphitheatre now called Bunyan's Dell.
St Martin's, the local
Anglican church, opened in
1900.
The ruined
Minsden Chapel, reputed to be haunted, is located near the village.
*
Preston Village website
