Arlesey
Encyclopedia
Arlesey is a small industrial town and civil parish in the district of Central Bedfordshire
in Bedfordshire
. It is located on the border with Hertfordshire, about three miles north-west of Letchworth Garden City, four miles north of Hitchin
and six miles south of Biggleswade
. Arlesey railway station
provides train services to London
, Peterborough
and Stevenage
. The station opened in 1988 under Network South East. The old station was called Three Counties and was shut to passengers in the 1960's. Arlesey Town Football Club
and Arlesey Athletic Football Club
have their grounds to the south of the town.
The Domesday book
mentions Arlesey as a market town
. Residents have claimed it to be the longest town in Britain.
St Peters Church, situated in the Church End
part of the town, was built in the 12th century by the monks of Waltham Abbey
. Arlesey was the site of Etonbury Castle
, of which little trace remains.
Arlesey Old Moat and Glebe Meadows
nature reserves are just north of the town.
Major employers in Arlesey used to be the Fairfield Hospital
(now re-developed as housing) and the former brickworks (producers of the Arlesey Whites bricks seen in many local buildings). Some of the clay pits used by the brickworks are now lakes and there are also two disused Portland Cement Company chalk pits, one of which is the Blue Lagoon, which hosts fishing and sailing clubs. Although the lake is private, large numbers of people go there to swim. There have been a number of drownings that have been reported in the national news. In 2001 three children died when the car they were in was accidentally driven into the lake. Most recently a teenager drowned while swimming in April 2007.
Gothic Mede Lower School has around 200 pupils aged 5 to 9. Younger children can attend the adjoining Arlesey Nursery School
.
The Arlesey Bomb
fishing
weight was developed by angler
, Dick Walker
to catch specimen perch
from the local chalk pits.
a Handley Page Halifax
belonging to 138 Squadron
was in a collision with a chimney at Arlesey Brickwork's.
The aircraft BB364 (NF-R) had left its base at RAF Tempsford
on a training mission.
The crew of nine perished in the subsequent crash.
belonging to 161 Squadron RAF
crashed on the Arlesey to Stotfold
road killing the crew.
The aircraft FK767 had left its base at RAF Tempsford on a training flight.
Central Bedfordshire
Central Bedfordshire is a unitary authority in the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire, England. It was created from the merger of Bedfordshire County Council, Mid Bedfordshire and South Bedfordshire on 1 April 2009...
in Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
. It is located on the border with Hertfordshire, about three miles north-west of Letchworth Garden City, four miles north of Hitchin
Hitchin
Hitchin is a town in Hertfordshire, England, with an estimated population of 30,360.-History:Hitchin is first noted as the central place of the Hicce people mentioned in a 7th century document, the Tribal Hidage. The tribal name is Brittonic rather than Old English and derives from *siccā, meaning...
and six miles south of Biggleswade
Biggleswade
Biggleswade is a market town and civil parish located on the River Ivel in Bedfordshire, England. It is well served by transport routes, being close to the A1 road between London and the North, as well as having a railway station on the main rail link North from London .-Geography:Located about 40...
. Arlesey railway station
Arlesey railway station
Arlesey railway station serves the town of Arlesey in Bedfordshire, England. The station is 37 miles north of London Kings Cross on the East Coast Main Line...
provides train services to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Peterborough
Peterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
and Stevenage
Stevenage
Stevenage is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England. It is situated to the east of junctions 7 and 8 of the A1, and is between Letchworth Garden City to the north, and Welwyn Garden City to the south....
. The station opened in 1988 under Network South East. The old station was called Three Counties and was shut to passengers in the 1960's. Arlesey Town Football Club
Arlesey Town F.C.
Arlesey Town Football Club is an English association football club from Arlesey, Bedfordshire, England. They currently play in the Southern Football League Premier Division.The club is affiliated to the Bedfordshire County Football Association.-History:...
and Arlesey Athletic Football Club
Arlesey Athletic F.C.
Arlesey Athletic F.C. was a football club based in Arlesey, Bedfordshire, England. In their last season they played in the Spartan South Midlands Football League Division One.-History:...
have their grounds to the south of the town.
The Domesday book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
mentions Arlesey as a market town
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
. Residents have claimed it to be the longest town in Britain.
St Peters Church, situated in the Church End
Church End, Arlesey
Church End is a former hamlet in Bedfordshire, England, which is now part of Arlesey town.Originally, Church End was a small rural settlement, named after St Peters Church which was built in the 12th century in the area by the monks of Waltham Abbey. However, the expansion of Arlesey northwards led...
part of the town, was built in the 12th century by the monks of Waltham Abbey
Waltham Abbey (abbey)
The Abbey Church of Waltham Abbey has been a place of worship since at least 1030, and is in the town of Waltham Abbey, Essex, England. The Prime Meridian passes through its grounds. Harold Godwinson is said to be buried just outside the present abbey...
. Arlesey was the site of Etonbury Castle
Etonbury Castle
Etonbury Castle was a castle in the town of Arlesey, located near the road to Baldock, in the county of Bedfordshire, England .An ancient timber castle, attributed to the Danes, Etonbury Castle had a ringwork, or motte, and one or two baileys....
, of which little trace remains.
Arlesey Old Moat and Glebe Meadows
Arlesey Old Moat and Glebe Meadows
Arlesey Old Moat and Glebe Meadows are two nature reserves managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Peterborough. They lie adjacent to the River Hiz and the East Coast Main Line, west of Arlesey itself...
nature reserves are just north of the town.
Major employers in Arlesey used to be the Fairfield Hospital
Fairfield Hospital (Arlesey)
Fairfield Hospital in Stotfold in Bedfordshire in the UK was a psychiatric hospital from 1860 to 1999.-History:Originally known as The Stotfold Three Counties Asylum, building of the hospital commenced in 1856 on a site between Letchworth, Arlesey and Stotfold. The official address is Kingsley...
(now re-developed as housing) and the former brickworks (producers of the Arlesey Whites bricks seen in many local buildings). Some of the clay pits used by the brickworks are now lakes and there are also two disused Portland Cement Company chalk pits, one of which is the Blue Lagoon, which hosts fishing and sailing clubs. Although the lake is private, large numbers of people go there to swim. There have been a number of drownings that have been reported in the national news. In 2001 three children died when the car they were in was accidentally driven into the lake. Most recently a teenager drowned while swimming in April 2007.
Gothic Mede Lower School has around 200 pupils aged 5 to 9. Younger children can attend the adjoining Arlesey Nursery School
Nursery school
A nursery school is a school for children between the ages of one and five years, staffed by suitably qualified and other professionals who encourage and supervise educational play rather than simply providing childcare...
.
The Arlesey Bomb
Arlesey Bomb
The Arlesey Bomb is an angling weight developed by Richard Walker at the lake in Arlesey. It is tear-shaped, with a loop at the top to attach the line. Its shape makes it aerodynamic to cast, but unlikely to snag on the river or lake bottom. The incorporation of a swivel also prevented the line...
fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
weight was developed by angler
Angling
Angling is a method of fishing by means of an "angle" . The hook is usually attached to a fishing line and the line is often attached to a fishing rod. Fishing rods are usually fitted with a fishing reel that functions as a mechanism for storing, retrieving and paying out the line. The hook itself...
, Dick Walker
Richard Walker (angler)
Richard Stuart Walker was an English angler.One of the first to apply scientific thought to angling, 'Dick' Walker wrote many books on the sport. He also wrote for the angling press, most notably for the Angling Times...
to catch specimen perch
European perch
The European perch, Perca fluviatilis, is a predatory species of perch found in Europe and Asia. In some areas it is known as the redfin perch or English perch, and it is often known simply as perch. The species is a popular quarry for anglers and has been widely introduced beyond its native area,...
from the local chalk pits.
Famous people from Arlesey
- Roland Legate - former professional footballer - Luton Town F.C. - 1950s/60's
- Bill KitchenerBill KitchenerWilliam Harry Kitchener is an English former professional footballer who played in the Football League for West Ham United, Torquay United and A.F.C. Bournemouth....
- former professional footballer - West Ham United F.C., Torquay United F.C. - 1960s/70's - Pat KrusePat KrusePat Kruse is an English former professional footballer who played as a central defender.-Career:Kruse played in the Football League for Leicester City, Mansfield Town, Torquay United, Brentford and Northampton Town....
- former professional footballer - Leicester City F.C., Torquay United F.C., Brentford F.C. - 1960s/70's
Halifax Bomber crash
On the 19 December 1943a Handley Page Halifax
Handley Page Halifax
The Handley Page Halifax was one of the British front-line, four-engined heavy bombers of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. A contemporary of the famous Avro Lancaster, the Halifax remained in service until the end of the war, performing a variety of duties in addition to bombing...
belonging to 138 Squadron
No. 138 Squadron RAF
No. 138 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the Royal Air Force that served in a variety of roles during its career, last disbanded in 1962. It was the first 'V-bomber' squadron of the RAF, flying the Vickers Valiant between 1955 and 1962....
was in a collision with a chimney at Arlesey Brickwork's.
The aircraft BB364 (NF-R) had left its base at RAF Tempsford
RAF Tempsford
RAF Tempsford in Bedfordshire, England was perhaps the most secret Royal Air Force airfield in World War II. It was home to the Special Duties Squadrons, No. 138, which dropped Special Operations Executive agents and their supplies into occupied Europe, and No...
on a training mission.
The crew of nine perished in the subsequent crash.
Hudson crash
On the 28 March 1944 a Lockheed HudsonLockheed Hudson
The Lockheed Hudson was an American-built light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built initially for the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and primarily operated by the RAF thereafter...
belonging to 161 Squadron RAF
No. 161 Squadron RAF
No. 161 Squadron was a highly secretive unit of the Royal Air Force tasked with missions of the Special Operations Executive during the Second World War. Their primary role was to drop and collect secret agents and equipment into and from Nazi-occupied Europe...
crashed on the Arlesey to Stotfold
Stotfold
Stotfold is a small town and civil parish in the county of Bedfordshire.In the 19th century, Stotfold was regarded as a wealthy place. The saying was that to live in Stotfold, one has to have £100 and a pig. The town is divided by a long road, High Street, which separates the north side from the...
road killing the crew.
The aircraft FK767 had left its base at RAF Tempsford on a training flight.
Local links
- Arlesey Town Council Local resources
- War Memorial Details of those soldiers listed
- Arlesey on Placeopedia See nearby places with Wikipedia articles
- Arlesey on OpenStreetMapOpenStreetMapOpenStreetMap is a collaborative project to create a free editable map of the world. Two major driving forces behind the establishment and growth of OSM have been restrictions on use or availability of map information across much of the world and the advent of inexpensive portable GPS devices.The...