Biddenham
Encyclopedia
Biddenham is a large village
and a civil parish in Bedfordshire
, England
, located to the west of Bedford
near the A428 road
.
The village largely serves as a dormitory settlement for Bedford, and also for commuters to London
, being on the same side of the town centre as Bedford railway station. Biddenham is seen as a desirable location, with quaint thatched cottages in the older, southern end of the village, and a high proportion of large detached houses in the modern, northern end.
Biddenham is the location of the Manor Hospital, a BMI Healthcare
private hospital
. The village also contains a community centre
, The Three Tuns pub, and a sports pavilion with a cricket pitch and a rugby field (interchangeable depending on the season). Biddenham holds an annual 10 km run starting from Biddenham Pavilion in September of each year. After going through the village, the course heads down the River Great Ouse
, crosses over to the Kempston
side heading towards Bedford then returns on the North side of the river after crossing again near the Gurdwara in Queens Park
.
Biddenham Upper School and Sports College
is located on Biddenham Turn. It is a state secondary school for Biddenham and the western part of Bedford. St Gregory's RC Middle School
is also located on Biddenham Turn. This Roman Catholic school has no catchment area, and has pupils attending from all over the Bedford borough
. St. James' Lower School, located on Main Road, is the village's lower school.
A sundial was installed in the village in 2000, inscribed with the location (Latitude North 52º 08' 40", Longitude West 000º 30' 05") and the phrase "Times Change and We With Them."
The new Biddenham Vale housing estate
is currently being constructed to the south of the Biddenham parish. Although the development shares Biddenham's name, the new estate is actually located in the neighbouring parish of Great Denham
.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
and a civil parish 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....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, located to the west of Bedford
Bedford
Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
near the A428 road
A428 road
The A428 road is a major road in central and eastern England. It connects the cities of Coventry and Cambridge by way of the county towns of Northampton and Bedford.-Coventry - Northampton:...
.
The village largely serves as a dormitory settlement for Bedford, and also for commuters 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...
, being on the same side of the town centre as Bedford railway station. Biddenham is seen as a desirable location, with quaint thatched cottages in the older, southern end of the village, and a high proportion of large detached houses in the modern, northern end.
Biddenham is the location of the Manor Hospital, a BMI Healthcare
BMI Healthcare
General Healthcare Group PLC is a British healthcare company. It owns BMI Healthcare, the UKs largest private hospital group, and is the major shareholder of CARE Fertility...
private hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
. The village also contains a community centre
Community centre
Community centres or community centers or jumping recreation centers are public locations where members of a community tend to gather for group activities, social support, public information, and other purposes. They may sometimes be open for the whole community or for a specialised group within...
, The Three Tuns pub, and a sports pavilion with a cricket pitch and a rugby field (interchangeable depending on the season). Biddenham holds an annual 10 km run starting from Biddenham Pavilion in September of each year. After going through the village, the course heads down the River Great Ouse
River Great Ouse
The Great Ouse is a river in the east of England. At long, it is the fourth-longest river in the United Kingdom. The river has been important for navigation, and for draining the low-lying region through which it flows. Its course has been modified several times, with the first recorded being in...
, crosses over to the Kempston
Kempston
Kempston is a town and civil parish located in Bedfordshire, England. Once known as the largest village in England, Kempston is now a town with its own town council. It has a population of about 20,000, and together with Bedford, it forms an urban area with around 100,000 inhabitants, which is the...
side heading towards Bedford then returns on the North side of the river after crossing again near the Gurdwara in Queens Park
Queens Park, Bedford
Queens Park is an electoral ward and area in Bedford, England. The areas borders are approximately Bromham Road and Beverley Crescent to the north, the Midland Main Line railway line to the east, and the River Great Ouse to the south....
.
Biddenham Upper School and Sports College
Biddenham Upper School
Biddenham Upper School is a 13-19 coeducational state comprehensive school serving the Brickhill, Harpur and Queens Park areas of Bedford plus the village of Biddenham, England. The school holds Specialist Sports College status...
is located on Biddenham Turn. It is a state secondary school for Biddenham and the western part of Bedford. St Gregory's RC Middle School
St Gregory's RC Middle School
St Gregory's RC Middle School is a Middle school in Biddenham, Bedfordshire, England.-History:The school was originally opened in 1952 as a catholic Secondary Modern School. However following the 1967 Plowden Report, Bedfordshire LEA decided to implement the three-tier education system of lower,...
is also located on Biddenham Turn. This Roman Catholic school has no catchment area, and has pupils attending from all over the Bedford borough
Bedford (borough)
Bedford is a unitary authority with the status of a borough in the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire, England. Its council is based at Bedford, which is also the county town of Bedfordshire. The borough contains a single urban area, the 69th largest in the United Kingdom that comprises Bedford and...
. St. James' Lower School, located on Main Road, is the village's lower school.
A sundial was installed in the village in 2000, inscribed with the location (Latitude North 52º 08' 40", Longitude West 000º 30' 05") and the phrase "Times Change and We With Them."
The new Biddenham Vale housing estate
Housing estate
A housing estate is a group of buildings built together as a single development. The exact form may vary from country to country. Accordingly, a housing estate is usually built by a single contractor, with only a few styles of house or building design, so they tend to be uniform in appearance...
is currently being constructed to the south of the Biddenham parish. Although the development shares Biddenham's name, the new estate is actually located in the neighbouring parish of Great Denham
Great Denham
Great Denham is a village and civil parish located in Bedfordshire, England, on the western outskirts of Bedford. The village is the location of Bedford Golf Course, as well as the new Biddenham Vale housing estate.-History:...
.