Sandridge

The document "Historic Sandridge - the story of a Hertfordshire parish" which was published in 1952 is important because it is one of the best chronicles of Thrale history. It gives an insight into the bygone times in which Thrale families used to live, and includes useful information about the history of many Thrale family members. It is reproduced here with the kind consent of author, the late Richard Thrale.

The name Marshalswick comes from John and William Marschal who owned land between 1271 and 1377, and Wick which meant 'hamlet', 'town' or 'village' in Old English.

The church was the centre of early Thrale life, as the closest parish church to early Thrale farms.

Below is an interesting account of the problems of tracing Thrale family genealogy, caused by the popularity of the name Ralph Thrale. It was written by leading Hertfordshire historian Chris Reynolds.

Robert Thrale held Tuffnalls at Thrale's End in 1493. From Robert the elder descended the Thrale family that became the most prominent family in Sandridge over the next 300 years. John Cussans' History of Hertfordshire (1870-1881) says…

Few yeoman families could boast a more respectable ancestry.

Robert Thrale who died in 1538 in Sandridgebury, Hertfordshire, was according to his will, buried in the "the medle Aley" of St. Leonards Church, Sandridge. It is likely that many ancient Thrale graves were removed during the 1888 clearance of the graveyard.

A member of the Thrale family was living at "Heerfield" in Sandridge at the beginning of the eighteenth century, and on the 19th century census returns the Harefield area appears to be a market garden.

In earlier times Sandridge Parish was bigger than it is now. The extent of the parish as shown on the tithe map of 1842; the St Albans cathedral records of the fifteenth century confirm these boundaries.

Robert Thrale was victualler to the Monastery of St Albans in 1522 and died 1538. He was the first Thrale recorded in the Hertfordshire village of Sandridge. It is thought that all Thrale and derivative names like Thrall descend from this line, indeed Robert is the 13th great grandfather of this website's author.