Cold Christmas
| Cold Christmas | |
|---|---|
 Cold Christmas Lane | |
  Cold Christmas Location within Hertfordshire | |
| Civil parish | |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | WARE |
| Postcode district | SG12 |
| Police | Hertfordshire |
| Fire | Hertfordshire |
| Ambulance | East of England |
Cold Christmas is a small hamlet in the civil parish of Thundridge, in the East Hertfordshire district, in the county of Hertfordshire, England. Situated near the south bank of the River Rib, it lies in the valley below Wadesmill. The hamlet's name likely derives from high child mortality during harsh winters, evidenced by burials at its medieval church, notably in 1802.[1] Cold Christmas is noted for its unusual place name, tied to the historic church and local folklore.[2]
History
[edit]Cold Christmas emerged as a settlement within Thundridge parish, recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as a manor held by Hugh de Grentmesnil, valued at 40 shillings.[3][4] Centred around Thundridgebury manor, a moated estate demolished in 1811, the hamlet supported an agricultural economy with watermills along the River Rib.[5][6] By the 14th century, the manor passed to the Saye family, later to Robert Hanbury, who funded a new parish church in 1853, shifting Thundridge’s population centre and diminishing Cold Christmas’s prominence.[3] The hamlet’s economy historically relied on farming, with surviving field patterns visible today.[5]
Geography
[edit]Cold Christmas lies in the Rib Valley, approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) northeast of Ware and 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Hertford, Hertfordshire’s county town. It is near the villages of Wareside, Thundridge, and Barwick. The hamlet’s setting includes Bronze Age archaeological remains and a medieval moated enclosure.[7][8] The River Rib, flowing south towards Wadesmill, shapes the hamlet’s picturesque landscape, attracting walkers.[9]
Infrastructure
[edit]Cold Christmas is accessible via the A10, a historic Roman road connecting London to Cambridge.[5] Ware railway station, 3 miles (4.8 km) away, offers rail services to London Liverpool Street and Cambridge.[2] Cold Christmas Lane, a narrow road, links the village to nearby towns and serves as a popular route for walkers exploring the Rib Valley.
Notable People
[edit]Actor Nigel Hawthorne, known for his role in The Madness of King George, lived in Cold Christmas with his partner, Trevor Bentham, until his death at home on 26 December 2001.[10] Musician Chris Lowe of the pop duo Pet Shop Boys resided at Fabdens, a historic residence in the hamlet, during the 1980s, influencing the band’s early work.[11]
Haunted Church and Folklore
[edit]
History
[edit]Little St Mary's Church, also known as Cold Christmas Church and St Mary and All Saints, is a ruined medieval church near the hamlet of Cold Christmas in Thundridge parish, Hertfordshire. Constructed around 1086 as a private chapel for the estate of Hugh de Grandmesnil, as recorded in the Domesday Book, it served as a dependency of Ware Priory until the Dissolution of the Monasteries.[3][12] The church, measuring approximately 25 by 12 metres, featured a Saxon chancel arch and a 15th-century tower with a 12th-century doorway and 14th-century window, topped by a “Hertfordshire spike” spire.[13][14][7] In 1552, a “Saunce Bell” was recorded in the church’s inventory, and in 1853, a toll bell was installed for continued funerals.[12]
By the 19th century, the village’s population shifted towards modern Thundridge, prompting the construction of a new St Mary’s Church in 1853, funded by Robert Hanbury.[3] The old church was partially demolished, with materials reused for Sacombe Church, leaving the Grade II*-listed tower and graveyard.[6] The site, adjacent to the moated Thundridgebury manor (demolished 1811), is the burial place of the Gardiner family and Reverend William Hughes, a Trinity College Fellow involved in the abolition of the slave trade.[7][1] Restoration attempts in the 1970s were halted by vandalism, but in April 2025, Historic England awarded £72,533, matched by Thundridge Old Church Action Group and the Diocese of St Albans, for repairs to preserve the tower.[7] Local tradition suggests a north–south alignment, unusual for Christian churches which typically face east, though no archaeological evidence supports claims of malevolent intent.[14]
Folklore
[edit]
The nickname Cold Christmas derives from a local legend claiming a severe 18th-century winter caused numerous child deaths, with their mass burial in the churchyard fuelling tales of hauntings.[15] Historical records confirm high child mortality, with three girls buried between November and December 1802, lending credence to the legend’s origins.[1] Visitors have reported eerie sounds, such as growling or whispers, and sightings of a dark-robed figure in the surrounding woods, though these accounts remain unverified and are disputed by local historians.[16][17][18]
Cultural Significance
[edit]Cold Christmas Church attracts ghost hunters and urban explorers, particularly around Halloween, due to its eerie reputation.[16] The site has garnered significant media attention, including a 2024 visit by Hertfordshire Paranormal featured on BBC Three Counties Radio, which highlighted its status as one of Hertfordshire’s most haunted locations.[18][7] It features in local walking guides and has inspired fictional works, such as Alastair Gunn’s novel Cold Christmas, cementing its place in Hertfordshire’s cultural landscape.[19][9] The Thundridge Old Church Action Group continues efforts to preserve the site as a community asset.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Hertfordshire Family History Society (2010). Hertfordshire Monumental Inscriptions No. 95: The Parish Churches of St Mary, Thundridge. Herts FHS. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
- ^ a b "Thundridge". The Hundred Parishes. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
- ^ a b c d Page, William, ed. (1912). A History of the County of Hertford: Volume 3. Victoria County History. pp. 377–380. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
- ^ Williams, Ann (1979). The Domesday Book: Hertfordshire. Phillimore. pp. 12–13. ISBN 0-85033-485-3.
- ^ a b c Rowe, Anne; Williamson, Tom (2013). Hertfordshire: A Landscape History. University of Hertfordshire Press. pp. 145–147. ISBN 978-1-909291-00-3.
- ^ a b c "Thundridge Old Church". Hertfordshire Memories. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
- ^ a b c d e Mulroy, Helen (3 April 2025). "'Haunted' Hertfordshire church tower gets grant for repairs". BBC News. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
- ^ "List Entry: Cold Christmas". Historic England. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
- ^ a b "Ten Hertfordshire Walks with Pubs, Churches and Spooky Sights". Hertfordshire Mercury. 10 June 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
- ^ Ezard, John (26 December 2001). "Sir Nigel Hawthorne dies of heart attack aged 72". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
- ^ Heath, Chris (19 October 2014). "Pet Shop Boys: The secret history". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
- ^ a b "Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies". Hertfordshire County Council. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
- ^ Cussans, John Edwin (1870–1881). History of Hertfordshire. Vol. 3. Chatto and Windus. pp. 123–125.
- ^ a b "History of Thundridge Old Church". Friends of Thundridge Old Church. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
- ^ "There's A Cold Christmas In England That's Said To Be Haunted By Ghostly Children". Secret London. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
- ^ a b Ralph, Hayley (27 November 2020). "Cold Christmas Church: The eerie tale behind one of Hertfordshire's most haunted ruins". Hertfordshire Mercury. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
- ^ Jankowicz, Mia (4 December 2018). "Cold Christmas and other Hertfordshire church legends". Hertfordshire Life. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
- ^ a b "Hertfordshire Paranormal visit a haunted church". BBC Three Counties Radio. 28 August 2024. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
- ^ "Cold Christmas: Alastair Gunn Talks to Crime Time". Crime Time. Retrieved 27 May 2025.