Barkway and Barley, Herts

Universal British Directory 1791

The next hundred towards the east was anciently called Erminestree, but now corruptly Edwinstree, taking its name from The proconsular way, or great north road, raised in this part of Britain by the Roman soldiers, and running through this division; in which is the village of Barkway, which in old saxon, signifies the way over the hill. It is a great throroughfare to london from the northern counties; well inhabited, and was anciently a market town, privileged by King Edward 1, to keep the market on Tuesdays, and a fair on the morrow of St. Mary Magdalen and five following days; but in the thirty-ninth of Queen Elizabeth, the market day was altered to Friday, and at last discontinued on account of its near neighbourhood to Royston, though it is still in a flourishing condition; and its church, a vicarage in the gift of _______ Chester, Esq. is a handsome large building, in the middle of the town.

On the farther corner of this county north lies the ancient Saxon town Barley, or Bergley, i.e. a town among the hills in the champion. The church is a rectory, in the patronage of the Bishop of Ely, for the time being, and has been possessed by several eminent divines,