Garston is 1¼ mile S.W. from Bricket Wood Station, L.&N.W.R.
Gibraltar, on the road from Harpenden to Luton, is on the Bedfordshire border, close to Luton Hoo Park and Station, G.N.R.
Gilston (2 miles N. from Burnt Hill Station (Essex) and about 2 miles S.E. from Widford village) is a scattered parish. Chauncy says it was probably waste ground at the time of the Conquest, as there is no mention of it in Domesday Book. The church was very probably erected by Geoffrey de Magnaville, who was Earl of Essex and Lord of the Manor of Sabriesword (Sawbridgeworth) during the reign of Stephen. It is E.E. and stands on the hill about ¼ mile N. from the Park. There is a fine double piscina in the chancel, and some heraldic glass in the windows, showing the coats of Astley, Bassett, Eastfield and Engayne. The monuments to the Gore family are numerous; amongst those buried in the church are (1) Sir John Gore, Kt. (d. 1659); he was twice sheriff of the county, and a member of Cromwell’s second Protectorate Parliament; (2) Dame Dorothy Gore (Kempe), second wife to the foregoing (d. 1645); (3) Dame Persis, wife to Sir Humphrey Gore, Kt. (d. 1665); (4) in churchyard, John, eldest son of the said Sir Humphrey (d. 1691). The Feathers, a fine old inn (circa 1680), still stands in this village; an excellent photograph of it was reproduced in the Home Counties Magazine (Oct. 1901). Gilston Park, beautiful but not very extensive, should be visited; for the mansion (A. S. Bowlby, Esq., M.A., J.P., etc.) stands near the site of New Place, successively the home of the Chauncys, Gores and Plumers. The house was enlarged and beautified by Sir Humphrey Gore, who was knighted at Whitehall in 1660. In 1701 it passed into the hands of Col. John Plumer, whose family is so well known to readers of the Essays of Elia. It was his grandson William (d. 1822) whom Lamb calls “a fine old Whig”. This William left no family, so the house at Gilston Park and his other house, the famous “Blakesmoor in H——shire” of Lamb’s essay, passed to his widow (and cousin) Jane Hamilton, a daughter of Hon. George Hamilton, Canon of Windsor.
Goff’s Oak (2½ miles W. from Cheshunt Station, G.E.R.) is a hamlet which owes its name to the fine oak, a part of which still stands near the Goff’s Oak Inn at the S. extremity of Cheshunt Common.
Gorhambury. (See [St. Albans].)
Gosmore (2 miles S.W. from Hitchin Station, G.N.R.) is a small village. The nearest church is at Ippollitts ([q.v.]).
Gossoms End is on the road from Berkhampstead to Tring, ¼ mile S.E. from Northchurch.
Graveley (1½ mile N.E. from Stevenage Station, G.N.R.) is a village off the Great North Road. By walking from Stevenage towards Little [Wymondley] a pretty view over Graveley may be obtained from a gateway near some cottages on the right. The ancient church of brick and flint is late Norman with embattled tower; it was restored in 1886-7. The carved oak chancel-screen is ancient; there are windows of stained glass to the memory of local rectors. The present N. aisle was added during restoration. The manor of Graveley is of great antiquity; it was given by William I. to William, Earl of Ewe. Graveley is perhaps Saxon for “the Reeve’s land,” and Norden thinks the place took its name from a Reeve of the county in pre-Norman times. Near the village a beacon was employed “once upon a time” to give warning of the approach of enemies. One mile N. from the church is Jack’s Hill, once the haunt of a robber, “Jack o’ legs,” the hero of many a legend known in the district. His grave is shown in Weston churchyard, 2 miles E. from Jack’s Hill.
Gravesend (3½ miles N.E. from Braughing Station, G.E.R.) is a hamlet on the road from Little Hadham to Furneaux Pelham. Albury church is 1 mile S.
Green End is the name of three hamlets, (1) in the parish of Little Munden, about 4 miles W. from Standon Station; (2) in the parish of Sandon, about 4 miles N.W. from Buntingford Station (both stations G.E.R.); (3) ½ mile N. from Boxmoor Station, L.&N.W.R.