Windhill

A painting of the Boar’s Head in 1890 showing the original plastered exterior.

First World War troops line up for their C.O.'s inspection in Windhill.

The north side of Windhill is lined with many elegant 18th and 19th century houses. The Bell public house that stood on this corner of King Street in 1644 was named as such because of its close proximity to the church.

In this small cemetery at the rear of the monastery are buried sixteen former Lay Brothers and priests.

In 1952 a fire in the monastery threatened both St Michael’s and St Joseph’s church. Fireman fought the blaze with water pumped from the river Stort.

A 19th century view of St Michael’s church.

The 1,000 ton, 250ft long HMS Clover, adopted by the town in 1943, was commanded by 24-year old Captain Thomas Fanshawe (19192000). In 1943 he was awarded the Distinquished Service Cross for gallantry in the face of the enemy and was mentioned twice in dispatches for his part in the Battle of the Atlantic. He was made Commander of the Britsh Empire in 1971 and visited Bishop's Stortford in 1993 to mark the 50th anniversary of the town's adoption of the ship.