n, and 9 miles S.E.
from St. Albans. As stated above, the manor belonged to the Abbots of
St. Albans, and Chauncy tells a story in this connection which is worth
repeating: "Anno 18, Edw. I., the Abbot of St. Albans (Roger de Norton,
24th Abbot) impleaded several Persons for prostrating his Ditch and
burning his Hedges and Fences in the Night at _Bernet_; Richard
Tykering, one of the Defendants, said, that because the Abbot enclosed
his Pasture with Hedge and Ditch, so that he and the Tenants there,
could not have their common, as their Ancestors were wont to have, they
did lay open the same. The Abbot answered that they ought not to have
Common there; but 'twas found by the Jury that the Tenants ought to have
Common; and Judgment was given against the said Richard Tickering only
for that he burnt the Hedge." Other squabbles between abbot and peasant
are referred to in this book, in the section on St. Albans. The Parish
Church of St. John the Baptist stands at the junction of the roads from
London, Enfield and St. Albans. It has known many changes. A church
stood upon the spot so long ago as _circa_ 1250, to which a detached
tower was added about a century later. The body of this structure was
almost wholly replaced by a new building, reaching to and including the
tower, near the end of the abbacy of John de la Moote (1396-1401). The
present church is the result of the restoration and enlargement under
the direction of Mr. W. Butterfield, in 1875; it is of flint and worked
stone, partly Dec. and partly Perp. The old tower was lowered
sufficiently to form a portion of the nave and a new embattled tower
was built, now a conspicuous landmark for many miles round. The present
N. aisle is entirely new. The nave is clerestoried, with eight bays;
most of the windows are of stained glass. The Ravenscroft mortuary
chapel, adjoining the S. transept, contains many monuments, the most
conspicuous being the altar-tomb and recumbent effigy in marble to
Thomas Ravenscroft (d. 1630), which was formerly in the chancel. Other
memorials are to James Ravenscroft (d. 1680) who founded and endowed the
almshouses in Wood Street near by, called _Jesus' Hospital_, and to John
Ravenscroft (d. 1681). Note (1) the beautifully carved font screen,
pinnacled and crocketted; (2) the pulpit, adorned with carved figures of
men famous in English Church history; (3) the four ancient ledgers of
stone, two in the chapel and two in the tower-basement, all insc