Ware History

Ware is one of the oldest occupied places in Europe according to archaeologist Robert Kiln. Excavations close to Ware Lock have revealed settlements dating back to the Middle Stone Age of 5,000 to 10,000 years ago. The main attraction was because Ware was positioned at the point where one of the country's oldest roadways crossed the River Lea. The road known first as Ermine Street and later as the Old North Road was the main road of Medieval England.

When the Romans conquered England they widened the road for military purposes, it is thought that a town grew up alongside the road and judging by the large amount of building remains and artefacts which have been discovered the town must have been very substantial in size. It is also believed that the site was used as a kind of "slave export centre" because a Roman slave shackle has been found along with evidence of buildings which could have housed slave factory workers. After the Romans came the Anglo-Saxons and it is towards the end of the Anglo-Saxon period that Ware first became a strategic place in history. A large Danish invasion force over ran the Saxon Kingdoms until only Wessex remained. The "Peace of Wedmore" established a frontier between Wessex and Danelaw in the year 886. The River Lea formed part of this frontier and Ware therefore became a frontier town. King Alfred later diverted the course of the river to prevent the Danes rowing their boats up river and it is believed the town's Saxon name "Waras" comes from the weirs built by Alfred to divert the river. After the Norman Conquest Ware began to grow and at the end of the 12th century the town centre as we still know it today was laid out and a new bridge was built across the Lea. The town was given official recognition during a visit by Henry III. Royal Charters for a market and a fair were granted soon after as well as a charter for collecting tolls from all ships sailing to London and from all vehicles crossing the new bridge.

As time progressed and roads were built people began to travel about much more, consequently many travellers passed through Ware and to satisfy their needs a number of Inns were opened these included the Saracen's Head, the Bull, the White Hart and the Crown. This period in the town's history lasted from 1400 to 1700 Tudor poet William Vallens described his hometown as the "guested town of Ware."

The Inns were finally ruined by a turnpike which was built in Wadesmill in an attempt to control the heavy traffic which was due to the towns thriving new industry, "Malting." The large numbers of wagons bringing barley to the town for malting made the roads impassable during winter time. Unfortunately after the erection of the turnpike most of the traffic diverted via Bishops Stortford or Hatfield and consequently the Inns lost much of their business.

From the 17th century until 1994 Ware became the premier malting town in England. Ware's great advantage over the competition was it's ideal geographical location of being situated between London and the barley growing counties of Suffolk and Cambridgeshire as well as it's other main advantage of being alongside the River Lea with easy barge transport to London. In January 1994 the last working malt house, St Paul's closed bringing to an end an industry that made Ware famous for more than 500 years.