Chicksands
Encyclopedia
Chicksands is a village in the Central Bedfordshire
district of Bedfordshire
, England
and part of the civil parish
of Campton and Chicksands
(population 2,510). It is on the River Flit
. Nearby places are Shefford
and Campton
.
Chicksands was the site of RAF Chicksands
, an RAF station during World War II
. The station was used by the United States Air Force
from 1950 to 1995. It was the location for its first huge FLR-9 direction finding antenna from 1963 to 1995. It is now home to the Defence Intelligence and Security Centre
and the Headquarters of the British Army
's Intelligence Corps.
Mid Bedfordshire District Council moved to a new office building on a part of the former RAF Chicksands sportsfield, adjacent to the A507
, having previously been based in offices at Ampthill
and Biggleswade
. The new office, named Priory House, was officially opened by the Queen on 22 November 2006 accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh
. The offices are now home to Central Bedfordshire Council.
Chicksands is also home to a managed super X biking area. This includes a variety of riding, from cross country to dirt jumping.
, and her second husband Payn de Beauchamp, Baron of Bedford. Payn and Rohese de Beauchamp endowed the priory at its foundation with the church of Chicksands and lands attached. The priory was of the Gilbertine Order
, a religious order formed by Gilbert of Sempringham
(c. 1083-1189). It was only one of nine religious houses in England that housed both nuns and canons. The men and women lived in different buildings and were separated in church by a screen. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries
in the 16th century, the priory passed to the Snowe family and then in 1576 to the Osborn family, who owned it for almost 400 years. Elements of the original building remain, but it has been altered over the years, not least in 1740 by the architect Isaac Ware and in 1813 by the architect James Wyatt
, who designed the entrance hall, staircase and porch in the Gothic style.
In 1936 Chicksands Priory estate was sold to the Crown Commissioners. In 1940, after a few months of naval
occupation, the RAF followed and it became known, firstly, as RAF Chicksands Priory. In 1950 the USAF took over and continued on the site until September 1995. Chicksands Priory is a Grade II listed building. The group "Friends of Chicksands Priory" was established in 1975 and tours of the building were offered to the general public until the summer of 1996. They returned to reopen the priory, following intense restoration, 1997–98, in the spring, 1999.
Other
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...
district 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....
, 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...
and part of the civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
of Campton and Chicksands
Campton and Chicksands
Campton and Chicksands is a civil parish in the English county of Bedfordshire.Forming part of Central Bedfordshire district, its main settlements are Campton and Chicksands.-External links:...
(population 2,510). It is on the River Flit
River Flit
The River Flit is a short river in Bedfordshire, England. It flows through Flitwick, then past Greenfield and Flitton, then through Clophill, Chicksands, and Shefford, then past Stanford, before meeting the River Ivel at Langford....
. Nearby places are 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:...
and Campton
Campton, Bedfordshire
Campton is a village in the Central Bedfordshire district of Bedfordshire, England. It is part of the civil parish of Campton and Chicksands with the nearby Chicksands. It is about nine miles south of Bedford, and is about nine miles north-west from Letchworth and sits on a tributary of the...
.
Chicksands was the site of RAF Chicksands
RAF Chicksands
RAF Chicksands was a Royal Air Force station in Bedfordshire, England, which closed in 1997 when responsibility for the camp was taken over by the British Army Intelligence Corps...
, an RAF station during 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...
. The station was used by the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
from 1950 to 1995. It was the location for its first huge FLR-9 direction finding antenna from 1963 to 1995. It is now home to the Defence Intelligence and Security Centre
Defence Intelligence and Security Centre
Defence Intelligence and Security Centre is the location of the Headquarters of both the Defence College of Intelligence and the British Army Intelligence Corps...
and the Headquarters of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
's Intelligence Corps.
Mid Bedfordshire District Council moved to a new office building on a part of the former RAF Chicksands sportsfield, adjacent to the A507
A507 road
The A507 is an A-class road in England, linking the M1 motorway near Milton Keynes to the A10 at Buntingford. Beginning at junction 13 of the M1, the road heads east past Ridgmont to Ampthill. Here it passes between Ampthill and its close neighbour Flitwick, essentially separating the two. After...
, having previously been based in offices at Ampthill
Ampthill
Ampthill is a small town and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England, between Bedford and Luton, with a population of about 6,000. It is administered by Central Bedfordshire Council. A regular market has taken place on Thursdays for centuries.-History:...
and 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...
. The new office, named Priory House, was officially opened by the Queen on 22 November 2006 accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Elizabeth II. He is the United Kingdom's longest-serving consort and the oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch....
. The offices are now home to Central Bedfordshire Council.
Chicksands is also home to a managed super X biking area. This includes a variety of riding, from cross country to dirt jumping.
Chicksands Priory
The Gilbertine priory of Chicksands was founded about the year 1150 by Rohese, Countess of EssexRohese de Vere, Countess of Essex
Rohese de Vere, Countess of Essex was an Anglo-Norman noblewoman.-Life:She was daughter of Aubrey de Vere II and Adeliza/Alice of Clare. She married twice. Her first husband, Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex, became earl in 1140, and Rohese thereafter was styled countess...
, and her second husband Payn de Beauchamp, Baron of Bedford. Payn and Rohese de Beauchamp endowed the priory at its foundation with the church of Chicksands and lands attached. The priory was of the Gilbertine Order
Gilbertine Order
The Gilbertine Order of Canons Regular was founded around 1130 by Saint Gilbert in Sempringham, Lincolnshire, where Gilbert was the parish priest...
, a religious order formed by Gilbert of Sempringham
Gilbert of Sempringham
Saint Gilbert of Sempringham became the only Englishman to found a conventual order, mainly because the abbot of Cîteaux declined his request to assist him in helping a group of women living with lay brothers and sisters, in 1148...
(c. 1083-1189). It was only one of nine religious houses in England that housed both nuns and canons. The men and women lived in different buildings and were separated in church by a screen. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
in the 16th century, the priory passed to the Snowe family and then in 1576 to the Osborn family, who owned it for almost 400 years. Elements of the original building remain, but it has been altered over the years, not least in 1740 by the architect Isaac Ware and in 1813 by the architect James Wyatt
James Wyatt
James Wyatt RA , was an English architect, a rival of Robert Adam in the neoclassical style, who far outdid Adam in his work in the neo-Gothic style.-Early classical career:...
, who designed the entrance hall, staircase and porch in the Gothic style.
In 1936 Chicksands Priory estate was sold to the Crown Commissioners. In 1940, after a few months of naval
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
occupation, the RAF followed and it became known, firstly, as RAF Chicksands Priory. In 1950 the USAF took over and continued on the site until September 1995. Chicksands Priory is a Grade II listed building. The group "Friends of Chicksands Priory" was established in 1975 and tours of the building were offered to the general public until the summer of 1996. They returned to reopen the priory, following intense restoration, 1997–98, in the spring, 1999.
External links
Images- Chicksands Priory
- Priory Entrance Hallway
- http://www.chicksandspriory.co.uk
Other
- Campton & Chicksands
- Chicksands Offices - Mid Beds District Council
- The Ghost at Chicksands Priory - Investigation report