De Parys
Encyclopedia
De Parys is an electoral ward and area within the town
of Bedford
, Bedfordshire
, England
.
The boundaries of De Parys are approximately Bedford Park
and Stancliffe Road to the north, the Bedford campus of the University of Bedfordshire
to the east, Goldington Road to the south, with De Parys Avenue to the west.
The Devon Park and Saints neighbourhoods are within De Parys ward, as is the Bedford campus of the University of Bedfordshire. De Parys is the smallest ward (in terms of population) in Bedford.
was established in the area in the 18th Century. The west and central parts of De Parys were urbanised by the end of the 19th Century. It was during this time that Bedford School
located to the area, and Bedford Park
was established.
The Bedford Training College for Teachers (later, Bedford College of Education) was established on Polhill Avenue in 1882. The eastern part of De Parys was developed later, in the 1960s. It was at this time that the old workhouse building became part of Bedford Hospital
. In 1976 Bedford College of Education merged with other colleges to form Bedford College of Higher Education
. This in turn became De Montfort University
in 1994.
In 2006 the Bedford arm of De Montfort University and the University of Luton formed the University of Bedfordshire
. The Bedford Campus has seen significant investment since then, including new student accommodation, a new library
and new theatre
. There has now been a college of Higher Education
on Polhill Avenue in the De Parys area for over 125 years.
, with all community services under the direct control of Bedford Borough Council
. De Parys elects two councillors to Bedford Borough Council, both of which are currently from the Liberal Democrat Party
.
supermarket
and post office
located on Kimbolton Road. This is also where the old workhouse building is located. Bedford Hospital
is currently re-developing the site to become the Bedford Health Village.
There is a shopping parade on Chiltern Avenue which includes a small supermarket
, an off-license, a florists, a hairdresser and a laundrette.
The Bedford Blues Rugby Club
is situated on Goldington Road in the area. There are also offices, pubs, and convenience stores along Goldington Road.
or Harpur
areas. Newnham Middle School
, also on Polhill Avenue is a middle school
, as is Goldington Academy sited on Haylands Way. There is no upper school
in the area, and the majority of older children in De Parys usually go on to attend either Biddenham Upper School
or Mark Rutherford Upper School
.
There are two independent schools in the area - Bedford School
located on De Parys Avenue, and St Andrew's School
situated on Kimbolton Road.
The University of Bedfordshire (Bedford Campus) is siutated on Polhill Avenue on the edge of the neighbourhood. The university
attracts students from all over the United Kingdom
as well as local and international students, with many choosing to live in De Parys as well as study there.
The university campus has been selected as an official training site for the London
2012 Olympics. The campus is hoping to attract a major national team to train there for the event, and will act as a main hub for other training sites in the Bedford area. In June 2009 it was reported that over 13 national teams have expressed an interest in using the Bedford campus for their olympic preparations.
is located in the north-west of De Parys. It is the main open space for the area. There is also the old Bedford cemetery
located next to the park. Robinson Pool, a municipal swimming pool
is situated on Park Avenue. There is a bowling green
situated on Goldington Road.
The University of Bedfordshire Theatre
is a located in the area. The venue hosts a variety of plays and productions, and is one of the largest theatres in Bedfordshire.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
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...
, 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...
.
The boundaries of De Parys are approximately Bedford Park
Bedford Park
Bedford Park is the name of several places around the world:*In Australia:** Bedford Park, South Australia, a suburb of Adelaide*In Canada:** Bedford Park, Toronto, Ontario, a neighborhood of Toronto*In the United Kingdom...
and Stancliffe Road to the north, the Bedford campus of the University of Bedfordshire
University of Bedfordshire
The University of Bedfordshire is based in Luton and Bedford, the two largest towns in the English county of Bedfordshire. The university was created by the merger of the University of Luton and the Bedford campus of De Montfort University on 1 August 2006 following approval by the Privy Council...
to the east, Goldington Road to the south, with De Parys Avenue to the west.
The Devon Park and Saints neighbourhoods are within De Parys ward, as is the Bedford campus of the University of Bedfordshire. De Parys is the smallest ward (in terms of population) in Bedford.
History
Bedford's workhouseWorkhouse
In England and Wales a workhouse, colloquially known as a spike, was a place where those unable to support themselves were offered accommodation and employment...
was established in the area in the 18th Century. The west and central parts of De Parys were urbanised by the end of the 19th Century. It was during this time that Bedford School
Bedford School
Bedford School is not to be confused with Bedford Modern School or Bedford High School or Old Bedford School in Bedford, TexasBedford School is an HMC independent school for boys located in the town of Bedford, England, United Kingdom...
located to the area, and Bedford Park
Bedford Park, Bedford
Bedford Park is a large urban park, located in the town of Bedford, Bedfordshire, England. The park is the largest urban park within the town of Bedford, and is owned and maintained by Bedford Borough Council....
was established.
The Bedford Training College for Teachers (later, Bedford College of Education) was established on Polhill Avenue in 1882. The eastern part of De Parys was developed later, in the 1960s. It was at this time that the old workhouse building became part of Bedford Hospital
Bedford Hospital
Bedford Hospital is a District General Hospital located in the English town of Bedford, serving north and mid Bedfordshire. It is run by Bedford Hospital NHS Trust.-Main site :...
. In 1976 Bedford College of Education merged with other colleges to form Bedford College of Higher Education
Bedford College of Higher Education
Bedford College of Higher Education was a higher education institution in Bedford, England, specializing in teacher training.-History:Until 1976, three separate institutions offered tertiary education in Bedford: Bedford College of Physical Education in Landsdowne Road , Bedford College of...
. This in turn became De Montfort University
De Montfort University
De Montfort University is a public research and teaching university situated in the medieval Old Town of Leicester, England, adjacent to the River Soar and the Leicester Castle Gardens...
in 1994.
In 2006 the Bedford arm of De Montfort University and the University of Luton formed the University of Bedfordshire
University of Bedfordshire
The University of Bedfordshire is based in Luton and Bedford, the two largest towns in the English county of Bedfordshire. The university was created by the merger of the University of Luton and the Bedford campus of De Montfort University on 1 August 2006 following approval by the Privy Council...
. The Bedford Campus has seen significant investment since then, including new student accommodation, a new library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
and new theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
. There has now been a college of Higher Education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
on Polhill Avenue in the De Parys area for over 125 years.
Governance
De Parys is an unparished areaUnparished area
In England, an unparished area is an area that is not covered by a civil parish. Most urbanised districts of England are either entirely or partly unparished. Many towns and some cities in otherwise rural districts are also unparished areas and therefore no longer have a town council or city...
, with all community services under the direct control of Bedford Borough Council
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...
. De Parys elects two councillors to Bedford Borough Council, both of which are currently from the Liberal Democrat Party
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
.
Economy
There is a small BudgensBudgens
Budgens Stores Ltd is a chain of foodstores in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1872 by John Budgen, who opened the first store at Maidenhead, Berkshire. Budgens supermarket chain operates over 227 stores and employs over 6,000 staff...
supermarket
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
and 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...
located on Kimbolton Road. This is also where the old workhouse building is located. Bedford Hospital
Bedford Hospital
Bedford Hospital is a District General Hospital located in the English town of Bedford, serving north and mid Bedfordshire. It is run by Bedford Hospital NHS Trust.-Main site :...
is currently re-developing the site to become the Bedford Health Village.
There is a shopping parade on Chiltern Avenue which includes a small supermarket
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
, an off-license, a florists, a hairdresser and a laundrette.
The Bedford Blues Rugby Club
Bedford Blues
Bedford Blues is a rugby union club in the town of Bedford, England, currently playing in The RFU Championship. Bedford is one of the largest towns in England without a league football club, and one of the few towns in England where the rugby club is better supported than the football team. The...
is situated on Goldington Road in the area. There are also offices, pubs, and convenience stores along Goldington Road.
Education
St John Rigby Lower School is located on Polhill Avenue. The school is Roman Catholic, and does not have a catchment area. lower school age children in De Parys usually attend schools in the nearby BrickhillBrickhill
Brickhill is a civil parish and electoral ward within northern Bedford in Bedfordshire, England.The boundaries of Brickhill are approximately Kimbolton Road to the east, Bedford Park and the old Bedford cemetery to the south, with Cemetery Hill and the Manton Heights Industrial Estate to the...
or Harpur
Harpur
Harpur is an electoral ward and area within the town of Bedford, England.The boundaries of Harpur are approximately Manton Lane to the north, De Parys Avenue to the east, Bromham Road to the south, with the Midland Main Line railway line to the west....
areas. Newnham Middle School
Newnham Middle School
Newnham Middle School is a school in the De Parys area of Bedford, England.The middle school is situated on Polhill Avenue, and usually takes pupils aged 9-13 from the De Parys and Newnham areas of Bedford. Most of the schools graduating students go on to attend either Mark Rutherford Upper School...
, also on Polhill Avenue is a middle school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
, as is Goldington Academy sited on Haylands Way. There is no upper school
Upper school
Upper Schools tend to be schools within secondary education. Outside England, the term normally refers to a section of a larger school. There is some variation in the use of the term in England.-State Maintained Schools:...
in the area, and the majority of older children in De Parys usually go on to attend either Biddenham Upper School
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...
or Mark Rutherford Upper School
Mark Rutherford Upper School
Mark Rutherford Upper School is a coeducational upper school located in the Putnoe area of Bedford, Bedfordshire, England. The school is named in honour of the writer William Hale White who used 'Mark Rutherford' as a pseudonym....
.
There are two independent schools in the area - Bedford School
Bedford School
Bedford School is not to be confused with Bedford Modern School or Bedford High School or Old Bedford School in Bedford, TexasBedford School is an HMC independent school for boys located in the town of Bedford, England, United Kingdom...
located on De Parys Avenue, and St Andrew's School
St Andrew's School (Bedford)
St Andrews School, is a coeducational independent day school in the town of Bedford, Bedfordshire, England. St Andrews educates girls aged 3-16 and boys aged 3-9. It was founded in 1896 as a school for the daughters of gentlemen...
situated on Kimbolton Road.
The University of Bedfordshire (Bedford Campus) is siutated on Polhill Avenue on the edge of the neighbourhood. The university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
attracts students from all over the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
as well as local and international students, with many choosing to live in De Parys as well as study there.
The university campus has been selected as an official training site for the 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...
2012 Olympics. The campus is hoping to attract a major national team to train there for the event, and will act as a main hub for other training sites in the Bedford area. In June 2009 it was reported that over 13 national teams have expressed an interest in using the Bedford campus for their olympic preparations.
Religious sites
- St Andrew's Church (Church of EnglandChurch of EnglandThe Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
), located on Kimbolton Road - First Church of Christ, ScientistChurch of Christ, ScientistThe Church of Christ, Scientist was founded in 1879 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, by Mary Baker Eddy. She was the author of the book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. Christian Science teaches that the "allness" of God denies the reality of sin, sickness, death, and the material world...
, also on Kimbolton Road - St Peter's Church, Bedford (Church of England), located on St Peters Street
Community facilities
Bedford ParkBedford Park, Bedford
Bedford Park is a large urban park, located in the town of Bedford, Bedfordshire, England. The park is the largest urban park within the town of Bedford, and is owned and maintained by Bedford Borough Council....
is located in the north-west of De Parys. It is the main open space for the area. There is also the old Bedford cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
located next to the park. Robinson Pool, a municipal swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
is situated on Park Avenue. There is a bowling green
Bowling green
A bowling green is a finely-laid, close-mown and rolled stretch of lawn for playing the game of lawn bowls.Before 1830, when Edwin Beard Budding invented the lawnmower, lawns were often kept cropped by grazing sheep on them...
situated on Goldington Road.
The University of Bedfordshire Theatre
University of Bedfordshire Theatre
The University of Bedfordshire Theatre is a theatre situated in the De Parys area of Bedford, Bedfordshire, England.-The venue:Formerly known as the Bowen West Theatre, the venue is not only for use by the university, but serves the entire population of Bedford...
is a located in the area. The venue hosts a variety of plays and productions, and is one of the largest theatres in Bedfordshire.