Billington, Bedfordshire
Encyclopedia
Billington is a civil parish in Bedfordshire
about three miles south of Leighton Buzzard
. There are two settlements: Little Billington (a hamlet
in the west of the parish) and one that is now called Great Billington (straddling the busy A4146
). Its name is recorded in 1196 as Billendon and may come from Anglo-Saxon language Billan dūn = "hill of a man named Billa". Another theorized original meaning is "hill with a sharp ridge".
The centre of Great Billington is Billington Hill, on top of which is the small parish church. An Iron Age
fort and settlement once occupied this site . The church was originally a small mediaeval chapel
, however in the late 1860s it was enlarged to a church, and a rectory built next to it to house the first incumbent. This was when Billington was first recorded as a parish
in its own right. The bell turret
of the church (it has no tower) came to the church second hand, from the church at nearby Linslade
, which too was being enlarged at the time. The interior of the church is very simple, a small stained glass
window, in the west wall commemorates Edward Bradshaw the first rector.
The village once had a common, where the peasants cultivated their own strips of land, the name 'common' still survives as a field name. It was enclosed at the time of the enclosures, and is today part of a local farm
The village contains some half timbered thatched cottages, in the area around the summit of the hill, and also some old farmhouses and cottages. One of the thatched cottages on top of the hill, has the dubious honour of having featured on countless chocolate boxes and biscuit tins. One of the most attractive houses in the village is 'Walkers Farm', a brick and timber house dating from the 16th century. Its once thatched roof is now tiled.
During the late 1870s and early 1880 large areas of the village were bought by Arthur Macnamara
who built at this time the manor house, and transformed the village into a typical Victorian
estate village. The village school, halfway up the hill was built at this time also. It closed as a school in the 1950s.
In the early 20th century a point-to-point course was built on the estate, people came from all over England
to attend the race meeting held there. Edward VIII
when Prince of Wales
was a frequent competitor at the races, on one occasion breaking his collar bone in a fall from a horse The races discontinued after World War II
.
At one time Great Billington had two public houses and a post office
, however, today all are closed and converted to houses. In spite of this lack of amenities the village has a thriving community based on the church, and the village hall with its adjacent green and tennis court
s.
in 1765 to the Ordnance Survey
in 2006, have consistently written the word "Billington" next to the settlement by the church and the words "Little Billington" next to the hamlet of that name.
In the 1990s, there was a campaign by villagers to use the name "Great Billington", with a claim that it was always used historically. This is not the case in most books on local history
and place-names, but there are examples of earlier use in a will dated 1543, Kelly's Directory
("comprising Great and Little Billington"), the Victoria County History
("hamlets of Great and Little Billington"), and the Royal Mail
Postcode Directory (either "Great" or "Little" in the official postal addresses). As a result of the campaign, the county council
unveiled a new "Great Billington" village sign
on 20 June 1997, and some of the road signs at entrances to the settlement now use the name.
"Great Billington" has been used as the name of the whole civil parish, but the parish council now uses the name "Billington" again. The ecclesiastical parish is called "Billington".
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....
about three miles south of 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...
. There are two settlements: Little Billington (a hamlet
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
in the west of the parish) and one that is now called Great Billington (straddling the busy A4146
A4146 road
The A4146 is an A-class road running through south-central England from M1 Junction 14 at Milton Keynes, around Linslade and Leighton Buzzard , and via Dagnall to Hemel Hempstead, where it terminates at a roundabout with the A4251.In Milton Keynes, the road briefly follows the H6 Childs Way from...
). Its name is recorded in 1196 as Billendon and may come from Anglo-Saxon language Billan dūn = "hill of a man named Billa". Another theorized original meaning is "hill with a sharp ridge".
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
fort and settlement once occupied this site . The church was originally a small mediaeval chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
, however in the late 1860s it was enlarged to a church, and a rectory built next to it to house the first incumbent. This was when Billington was first recorded as a parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
in its own right. The bell turret
Turret
In architecture, a turret is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle. Turrets were used to provide a projecting defensive position allowing covering fire to the adjacent wall in the days of military fortification...
of the church (it has no tower) came to the church second hand, from the church at nearby Linslade
Linslade
Linslade is an English town, located on the Bedfordshire side of the Bedfordshire-Buckinghamshire border . It abuts onto the town of Leighton Buzzard with which it forms the civil parish of Leighton-Linslade. Linslade was transferred from Buckinghamshire in 1965, and was previously a separate...
, which too was being enlarged at the time. The interior of the church is very simple, a small stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
window, in the west wall commemorates Edward Bradshaw the first rector.
The village once had a common, where the peasants cultivated their own strips of land, the name 'common' still survives as a field name. It was enclosed at the time of the enclosures, and is today part of a local farm
The village contains some half timbered thatched cottages, in the area around the summit of the hill, and also some old farmhouses and cottages. One of the thatched cottages on top of the hill, has the dubious honour of having featured on countless chocolate boxes and biscuit tins. One of the most attractive houses in the village is 'Walkers Farm', a brick and timber house dating from the 16th century. Its once thatched roof is now tiled.
During the late 1870s and early 1880 large areas of the village were bought by Arthur Macnamara
Arthur Macnamara
Arthur Macnamara was squire of Billington near Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire, where he turned a ruinous village into a model Victorian Estate. Today Billington is a small village with no facilities straddling a busy main road...
who built at this time the manor house, and transformed the village into a typical Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
estate village. The village school, halfway up the hill was built at this time also. It closed as a school in the 1950s.
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...
to attend the race meeting held there. Edward VIII
Edward VIII of the United Kingdom
Edward VIII was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth, and Emperor of India, from 20 January to 11 December 1936.Before his accession to the throne, Edward was Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay...
when Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
was a frequent competitor at the races, on one occasion breaking his collar bone in a fall from a horse The races discontinued after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
At one time Great Billington had two public houses and a post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
, however, today all are closed and converted to houses. In spite of this lack of amenities the village has a thriving community based on the church, and the village hall with its adjacent green and tennis court
Tennis court
A tennis court is where the game of tennis is played. It is a firm rectangular surface with a low net stretched across the center. The same surface can be used to play both doubles and singles.-Dimensions:...
s.
Use of the name Great Billington
Mapmakers, from Thomas JefferysThomas Jefferys
Thomas Jefferys , "Geographer to King George III", was an English cartographer who was the leading map supplier of his day. He engraved and printed maps for government and other official bodies and produced a wide range of commercial maps and atlases, especially of North America.-Early work:As...
in 1765 to the Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
in 2006, have consistently written the word "Billington" next to the settlement by the church and the words "Little Billington" next to the hamlet of that name.
In the 1990s, there was a campaign by villagers to use the name "Great Billington", with a claim that it was always used historically. This is not the case in most books on local history
Local history
Local history is the study of history in a geographically local context and it often concentrates on the local community. It incorporates cultural and social aspects of history...
and place-names, but there are examples of earlier use in a will dated 1543, Kelly's Directory
Kelly's Directory
Kelly's Directory was a trade directory in the United Kingdom that listed all businesses and tradespeople in a particular city or town, as well as a general directory of postal addresses of local gentry, landowners, charities, and other facilities. In effect, it was a Victorian version of today's...
("comprising Great and Little Billington"), the Victoria County History
Victoria County History
The Victoria History of the Counties of England, commonly known as the Victoria County History or the VCH, is an English history project which began in 1899 and was dedicated to Queen Victoria with the aim of creating an encyclopaedic history of each of the historic counties of...
("hamlets of Great and Little Billington"), and the Royal Mail
Royal Mail
Royal Mail is the government-owned postal service in the United Kingdom. Royal Mail Holdings plc owns Royal Mail Group Limited, which in turn operates the brands Royal Mail and Parcelforce Worldwide...
Postcode Directory (either "Great" or "Little" in the official postal addresses). As a result of the campaign, the county council
County council
A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.-United Kingdom:...
unveiled a new "Great Billington" village sign
Village sign
A village sign in some areas of England is a symbol of a village's history, heritage, or culture. They differ from regular road signs in that they are decorative, with the designs usually depicting some aspect of the history of the village...
on 20 June 1997, and some of the road signs at entrances to the settlement now use the name.
"Great Billington" has been used as the name of the whole civil parish, but the parish council now uses the name "Billington" again. The ecclesiastical parish is called "Billington".
External links
- Billington pages at the Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records ServiceBedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records ServiceThe Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service is a county record office, holding archival material associated with Bedfordshire and Luton. Established in 1913 by George Herbert Fowler as the Bedfordshire Record Office, it was the first county record office in England. It is located in...
- History of Billington