Biggleswade (hundred)
Encyclopedia
Biggleswade was a historic 'hundred
' of English county of Bedfordshire
. The hundred consisted of the town of Biggleswade
and its surrounding area. The name Biggleswade comes from a concatenation of the Anglo Saxon words 'Biceil' (being a personal name) and 'Waed' (meaning a ford).
, Hertfordshire
. During the 5th century AD Saxons
named the river Ivel and built settlements which evolved into the present day villages of Northill
and Southill
, to the west of Biggleswade.
The Domesday Survey records the manor of Biggleswade as being governed by Ralph de Insula (Ralph de Lisle), on behalf of the monarch. Later, in the 12th century, Henry I
transferred custody of Biggleswade to the Bishop of Lincoln
. Successive bishops maintained significant influence until the mid 16th century, when Edward IV
obtained direct control over the town and its surrounding area.
In 1785 'the great fire' swept through the town of Biggleswade and destroyed many of its buildings. The subsequent rebuilding effort, along with other factors, encouraged more people to settle in the town, triggering a significant (80%) population growth during the first half of the 19th century. This culminated in 1850, when Biggleswade became the first town in Bedfordshire to gain a mainline train station.
runs along the northern and western boundaries of the town of Biggleswade.
The surrounding area is generally flat and open, with the occasional small wooded area. There is some modestly higher ground to the west of the town. The hundred of Biggleswade is located to the south east of Bedford, and to the north of Letchworth
.
The town is the district of Central Bedfordshire
and is the fifth largest town in Bedfordshire after Bedford
, Dunstable
, Luton
and Leighton Buzzard
and Luton
), but retains a valuable place in the county's history, and a quiet charm that makes it attractive to visitors. Recent statistics record Biggleswade and the surrounding area as having a population of about 16,100 people (as of 2005). Biggleswade is twinned with the German town of Erlensee
.
It is also accessible via rail lines that connect it to London Kings Cross, Stevenage
and Hitchin
to the south and St. Neots, Huntingdon
and Peterborough
to the north.
Regular local bus services connect Biggleswade with Hitchin, Sandy and Bedford along with less frequent services which connect with smaller towns and villages locally including Letchworth, Shefford
, Wrestlingworth
, Potton
and Gamlingay
. Service cutbacks by Stagecoach and funding problems by Bedfordshire County Council have seen the loss of many services to other local towns including Stevenage and Cambridge
over the years. Stagecoach who acquired the United Counties Bus Company in November 1987 were the dominant bus operator although other operators have run services including Charles Cook, Go Whippet
, JBS, Buffalo Travel. Following major cutbacks by Stagecoach in 2003, 2005 and 2007, increasing numbers of independent bus operators now run into Biggleswade. These operators include:
Astwick
, Little Barford
, Biggleswade
, Cockayne Hatley
, Dunton
, Edworth
, Everton
, Eyeworth
, Langford
, Potton
, Sandy
, Sutton
, Tempsford
, Wrestlingworth
Hundred (division)
A hundred is a geographic division formerly used in England, Wales, Denmark, South Australia, some parts of the United States, Germany , Sweden, Finland and Norway, which historically was used to divide a larger region into smaller administrative divisions...
' of English county of 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....
. The hundred consisted of the town 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...
and its surrounding area. The name Biggleswade comes from a concatenation of the Anglo Saxon words 'Biceil' (being a personal name) and 'Waed' (meaning a ford).
History
Evidence suggests that the area which Biggleswade now occupies was inhabited as early as 10,000 BC. Coins dated to the 1st century BC have also been found, and traced back to the celtic chief Taseiovanus, who resided in what is now St AlbansSt Albans
St Albans is a city in southern Hertfordshire, England, around north of central London, which forms the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans. It is a historic market town, and is now a sought-after dormitory town within the London commuter belt...
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
. During the 5th century AD Saxons
Saxons
The Saxons were a confederation of Germanic tribes originating on the North German plain. The Saxons earliest known area of settlement is Northern Albingia, an area approximately that of modern Holstein...
named the river Ivel and built settlements which evolved into the present day villages of Northill
Northill
Northill is a village and civil parish in the county of Bedfordshire, England. It falls under the Northill and Blunham ward in the Central Bedfordshire local authority. As of 2001 Northill had a population of about 900 people. The village is also the administrative centre of the civil parish of...
and Southill
Southill, Bedfordshire
Southill is a village and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England, about from Biggleswade.The principal residence, Southill Park, was formerly the home of the Viscounts Torrington, but was bought at the end of the 18th century by Samuel Whitbread....
, to the west of Biggleswade.
The Domesday Survey records the manor of Biggleswade as being governed by Ralph de Insula (Ralph de Lisle), on behalf of the monarch. Later, in the 12th century, Henry I
Henry I of England
Henry I was the fourth son of William I of England. He succeeded his elder brother William II as King of England in 1100 and defeated his eldest brother, Robert Curthose, to become Duke of Normandy in 1106...
transferred custody of Biggleswade to the Bishop of Lincoln
Bishop of Lincoln
The Bishop of Lincoln is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lincoln in the Province of Canterbury.The present diocese covers the county of Lincolnshire and the unitary authority areas of North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire. The Bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral...
. Successive bishops maintained significant influence until the mid 16th century, when Edward IV
Edward IV of England
Edward IV was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 3 October 1470, and again from 11 April 1471 until his death. He was the first Yorkist King of England...
obtained direct control over the town and its surrounding area.
In 1785 'the great fire' swept through the town of Biggleswade and destroyed many of its buildings. The subsequent rebuilding effort, along with other factors, encouraged more people to settle in the town, triggering a significant (80%) population growth during the first half of the 19th century. This culminated in 1850, when Biggleswade became the first town in Bedfordshire to gain a mainline train station.
Physical geography
The River IvelRiver Ivel
The River Ivel is a river in the east of England. It is a tributary of the River Great Ouse.-Course of the Ivel:The river Ivel rises just north of Baldock in Hertfordshire, but most of its course lies within Bedfordshire. It flows through Stotfold, Arlesey, Henlow, Langford, Biggleswade, Sandy and...
runs along the northern and western boundaries of the town of Biggleswade.
The surrounding area is generally flat and open, with the occasional small wooded area. There is some modestly higher ground to the west of the town. The hundred of Biggleswade is located to the south east of Bedford, and to the north of Letchworth
Letchworth
Letchworth Garden City, commonly known as Letchworth, is a town and civil parish in Hertfordshire, England. The town's name is taken from one of the three villages it surrounded - all of which featured in the Domesday Book. The land used was first purchased by Quakers who had intended to farm the...
.
The town is the district of Central Bedfordshire
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...
and is the fifth largest town in Bedfordshire after 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...
, Dunstable
Dunstable
Dunstable is a market town and civil parish located in Bedfordshire, England. It lies on the eastward tail spurs of the Chiltern Hills, 30 miles north of London. These geographical features form several steep chalk escarpments most noticeable when approaching Dunstable from the north.-Etymology:In...
, Luton
Luton
Luton is a large town and unitary authority of Bedfordshire, England, 30 miles north of London. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 250,000....
and Leighton Buzzard
Leighton Buzzard
-Lower schools:*Beaudesert Lower School - Apennine Way*Clipstone Brook Lower School - Brooklands Drive*Greenleas Lower School - Derwent Road*Dovery Down Lower School - Heath Road*Heathwood Lower School - Heath Road*Leedon Lower School - Highfield Road...
Social geography
Today, Biggleswade is a largely open area containing both undeveloped and farming land. The town of Biggleswade is steadily growing market town with a strong market gardening presence and a growing light industrial sector. The town is smaller than some other towns and cities in the county (particularly BedfordBedford
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...
and Luton
Luton
Luton is a large town and unitary authority of Bedfordshire, England, 30 miles north of London. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 250,000....
), but retains a valuable place in the county's history, and a quiet charm that makes it attractive to visitors. Recent statistics record Biggleswade and the surrounding area as having a population of about 16,100 people (as of 2005). Biggleswade is twinned with the German town of Erlensee
Erlensee
Erlensee is a municipality in the Main-Kinzig district, in Hesse, Germany. It is situated on the river Kinzig, 5 km northeast of Hanau. It was formed in 1970 by the merger, in 1970, of the towns of Langendiebach and Rückingen...
.
Transport links
Biggleswade is served by the A1 road, which went right through the heart of the town until a bypass was built in the 1960s.It is also accessible via rail lines that connect it to London Kings Cross, 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....
and 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...
to the south and St. Neots, Huntingdon
Huntingdon
Huntingdon is a market town in Cambridgeshire, England. The town was chartered by King John in 1205. It is the traditional county town of Huntingdonshire, and is currently the seat of the Huntingdonshire district council. It is known as the birthplace in 1599 of Oliver Cromwell.-History:Huntingdon...
and 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...
to the north.
Regular local bus services connect Biggleswade with Hitchin, Sandy and Bedford along with less frequent services which connect with smaller towns and villages locally including Letchworth, Shefford
Shefford, Bedfordshire
Shefford is a small town and civil parish located in the Central Bedfordshire district of Bedfordshire, England. At the 2001 census it had a population of 4,928, although this was estimated to have grown to 5,770 by 2007.-History:...
, Wrestlingworth
Wrestlingworth
Wrestlingworth is a village in the English county of Bedfordshire, six miles east-north-east of Biggleswade.-Notable people:*Sydney Beaumont, a former professional football player and manager-External links:*...
, Potton
Potton
Potton is a town and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England. It is 10 miles from Bedford and the population in 2001 was 4,473 people. In 1783 the 'Great Fire of Potton' destroyed a large part of the town. The parish church dates from the 13th Century and is dedicated to St Mary...
and Gamlingay
Gamlingay
Gamlingay is a village and civil parish in South Cambridgeshire, England, near the border with Bedfordshire, and the traditional county of Huntingdonshire...
. Service cutbacks by Stagecoach and funding problems by Bedfordshire County Council have seen the loss of many services to other local towns including Stevenage and Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
over the years. Stagecoach who acquired the United Counties Bus Company in November 1987 were the dominant bus operator although other operators have run services including Charles Cook, Go Whippet
Go Whippet
Go Whippet, also known as Whippet Coaches, is a bus operator based in Swavesey, Cambridgeshire. The company started as a family firm and steadily grew, today rising to 'fame' on the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway.-History:...
, JBS, Buffalo Travel. Following major cutbacks by Stagecoach in 2003, 2005 and 2007, increasing numbers of independent bus operators now run into Biggleswade. These operators include:
- Centrebus who run the 82 to Hitchin
- Herberts Travel operate the local town service and school routes
- J&D Travel operate service E7 to Arlesey and Letchworth
- Grant Palmer operate service 197 to Milton Keynes and 200 to Flitwick
- Meridian Line of Bassingbourn operate E1-E5 which run various routes between Biggleswade, Sandy, Wrestlingworth and Potton amongst other places.
Local amenities
- Biggleswade Congregation, Shortmead Street, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire (Jehovah's Witnesses)
- Biggleswade Hospital, Elmside Potton Road, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire
- Biggleswade Recreation Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire
- Biggleswade Station, Station Road, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire
Parishes
The hundred contained the following parishes:Astwick
Astwick
Astwick is a village and civil parish in Bedfordshire. It is just to the north of Stotfold.The village is the site of Astwick Hall. It is on the River Ivel, and is just west of the A1. Apart from Stotfold, nearby places include Biggleswade and Hinxworth....
, Little Barford
Little Barford
Little Barford is a village and civil parish located in Bedfordshire, England. It lies on the county boundary with Cambridgeshire, adjacent to the town of St Neots...
, 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...
, Cockayne Hatley
Cockayne Hatley
Cockayne Hatley is a small village in Bedfordshire dating back to Saxon times , bordering on Cambridgeshire, 3 miles east of Potton, 6 miles north-east from Biggleswade and 9 miles south-east from St. Neots. The village's population in 1891 was 104.The soil is strong clay with clay subsoil...
, Dunton
Dunton, Bedfordshire
Dunton is a small village and civil parish located in the English county of Bedfordshire near Biggleswade.Dunton has a small lower school and a pre-school that meets in The Memorial Hall, which is also used by other village organizations and is available for hire...
, Edworth
Edworth
Edworth is a village and civil parish located in the English county of Bedfordshire. It sits just off the Great North Road between Baldock and Biggleswade. Edworth lies close to the county border and to the village of Hinxworth. There are less than a hundred inhabitants in the village. The village...
, Everton
Everton, Bedfordshire
Everton is a small village and civil parish located in north Bedfordshire, England. Everton has no shop but is home to a pub, local church, and a lower school...
, Eyeworth
Eyeworth
Eyeworth is a village and civil parish located in east Bedfordshire, England, around 5 miles north east of Biggleswade.It is now part of the parish of Sutton and Eyeworth which had a combined population of 385 in 2001, of which 86 were estimated to be part of Eyeworth itself.Despite its small size...
, Langford
Langford, Bedfordshire
Langford is a village and civil parish situated alongside the River Ivel in the county of Bedfordshire.-Origins:The village is of Saxon origin, first mentioned in 944AD. and at one time it had one or more fording points across the river. The name is based on the words long ford from the length of...
, Potton
Potton
Potton is a town and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England. It is 10 miles from Bedford and the population in 2001 was 4,473 people. In 1783 the 'Great Fire of Potton' destroyed a large part of the town. The parish church dates from the 13th Century and is dedicated to St Mary...
, Sandy
Sandy, Bedfordshire
Sandy is a small market town and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England. It is between Cambridge and Bedford, and on the A1 road from London to Edinburgh. The area is dominated by a range of hills known as the Sand Hills. The River Ivel runs through Sandy. The dedication of the Anglican church is to...
, Sutton
Sutton, Bedfordshire
Sutton, Bedfordshire, is a small village and civil parish located to the south of Potton, England. Sutton falls under the postal town of Sandy and is also near the market town of Biggleswade.- History :...
, Tempsford
Tempsford
Tempsford is a village and civil parish in the English county of Bedfordshire.The village is split by the A1 Great North Road and is located just before the junction with the A428 at the Black Cat Roundabout...
, Wrestlingworth
Wrestlingworth
Wrestlingworth is a village in the English county of Bedfordshire, six miles east-north-east of Biggleswade.-Notable people:*Sydney Beaumont, a former professional football player and manager-External links:*...
External links and sources
- http://www.BiggleswadeHistory.org.uk
- http://www.BiggleswadeTownPlan.org.uk
- http://www.biggleswade.org/
- http://www.biggleswademasterplan.info/
- http://www.yourtotalevent.com/places/Bedfordshire/biggleswade%20history.htm
- http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/BDF/Biggleswade/