thisishistory
This page is being constantly updated, and will serve as a relatively brief history of Dunstable.
Dunstable is a town steeped in history, situated at the crossroads of two of Britain's oldest roads - Watling Street and the Icknield Way. Throughout history, Dunstable has served as an important and influential town, due to its location and being one day's travel from London (on horseback, of course!).
Dunstable was originally known by its Roman name of Durocobrivis, but there are many theories as to how the name Dunstable was born. Perhaps the most romantic of these stories is that of Dunne. Legend has it that Dunne The Robber was a rather unsavoury character who lived in the area many years ago. Dunne and his men would lurk in the woods near Houghton Regis and rob, or even kill, passers-by. In order to catch Dunne and his men, King Henry I ordered that the woods be cleared and a trap be laid. A large stake was erected at the crossroads, to which a gold ring was stapled. Despite the large numbers of guards, the ring was successfully stolen by Dunne and his men. Dunne was later hanged for his crimes, and the King built himself a place to live in the area now called Kingsbury. Furthermore, Dunstable was named after 'Dunne's staple'.
Of course, many people now accept that this is little more than a romantic local fairytale. In reality, the answer is far less interesting - the name simply comes from the Anglo-Saxon Dunstaple, meaning 'hill market'.
Dunstable has played host to a number of important of events, not least of all the divorce of King Henry VIII from Catherine of Aragon in 1533 at the town's famous Priory Church, leading to the separation of the Church of England from the Catholic Church. The church is still standing to this day, and the vast accompanying grounds and cemetary make for a wonderful historical tour of Old Dunstable. Queen Eleanor's funeral courtege passed through the town in 1290, and King Edward I decreed that a Cross be erected in the town, along with every other town that the cortege stopped in overnight. Of the twelve Eleanor's Crosses to be built, only three remain, including the one in Dunstable.
