Marsh farm
Encyclopedia
Marsh Farm is a large housing estate
in Luton
, Bedfordshire
near to Leagrave
and Limbury
, mainly of council and social housing.
The estate was built in the late 1960s, with a mixture of flats and houses as part of the post-war expansion of Luton. The estates at Farley Hill
, Hockwell Ring
and Stopsley
were all built at about the same time. The council owned tower blocks that dominate the estate are called Lea Bank, Penhill and Five Springs, each is of a similar design and are 15 floors each reaching a total height of 44.20m. (145.0 feet)
The estate takes its name from the farm that owned much of the land that eventually became the estate. Marsh Farm was located by Leagrave Marsh and part of the old farmland is now Leagrave Park.
There are several schools and there is a leisure centre as well as a few popular play areas.
The estate was infamous in July 1995 when the social problems on the estate boiled over into three days of rioting. Although local police received the help of the Metropolitan Police
riot squad to bring the situation under control, it was the rave organisers Exodus Collective
who brought the riots to an end by staging an impromptu party out of town which drew 1500 young people from the area and calmed them down. The 1995 riots followed similar riots in the area in 1992.
Whilst many parts of the estate still look like a typical 1960s development, the estate has £50m of European money available for re-development and plans are being drawn up by the local council and other interested parties.
In the summer of 1999 some regeneration money was used to fund murals on the underpasses around the estate. The lead artist, Viv McIntyre, visited each school on the estate and carried out workshops with the pupils where they provided the images (based on given themes) to create the mural designs. A team of artists, including Emma Rhodes and Margaret Rhodes (artist)
, then worked with the children to transfer the designs from paper to the walls.
Leagrave railway station
is a 20 minute walk from Marsh Farm and there are frequent trains to Luton, St Albans
, Bedford
, London
and Brighton
.
of The Holy Cross, Marsh Farm and is served by the Parish Church
of the Holy Cross (Church of England
) built in 1976 and located in the centre of the estate adjacent to the medical centre on Purway Close. The Parish is registered with Forward in Faith
and is Anglo-Catholic in its theology
and worship. The Roman Catholic Church
of The Holy Family is located off Northwell Drive and is one of the largest parishes in the Diocese of Northampton. During the season of Lent
both Churches join together in the Stations of the Cross
.
) and Cllr Don Worlding (Labour).
The ward forms part of the parliamentary constituency of Luton North
, and the MP is Kelvin Hopkins
(Labour). Leagrave is within the East of England (European Parliament constituency)
.
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...
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....
, 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....
near to Leagrave
Leagrave
For other uses see Leagrave Leagrave is a former village and now a suburb of Luton in Bedfordshire in the northwest of the town. Connected by train from Leagrave station into London and Bedford by First Capital Connect...
and Limbury
Limbury
Limbury, or using the full name Limbury-cum-Biscot, was a civil parish in Bedfordshire before becoming part of Luton and has a long history dating back before the Norman conquest of England....
, mainly of council and social housing.
The estate was built in the late 1960s, with a mixture of flats and houses as part of the post-war expansion of Luton. The estates at Farley Hill
Farley Hill, Bedfordshire
Farley Hill is a post-war housing estate in south Luton, Bedfordshire, England .In the late 12th century a 'hospital' was built on the Stockwood Estate in Farley Hill...
, Hockwell Ring
Hockwell Ring
Hockwell Ring is a 1950s and 1960s built council estate in the Leagrave area of Luton, Bedfordshire. The estate was built as part of the post-war expansion of Luton, at a similar time to Marsh Farm. Hockwell Ring is not a particularly large estate...
and Stopsley
Stopsley
Stopsley is a ward in the north-east of Luton. Originally a hill-top village settlement, most of the urbanised part of the civil parish of Stopsley became part of Luton when the boundaries were extended in 1933, with the rural areas going to Hyde and Streatley.After the Second World War, there was...
were all built at about the same time. The council owned tower blocks that dominate the estate are called Lea Bank, Penhill and Five Springs, each is of a similar design and are 15 floors each reaching a total height of 44.20m. (145.0 feet)
The estate takes its name from the farm that owned much of the land that eventually became the estate. Marsh Farm was located by Leagrave Marsh and part of the old farmland is now Leagrave Park.
There are several schools and there is a leisure centre as well as a few popular play areas.
The estate was infamous in July 1995 when the social problems on the estate boiled over into three days of rioting. Although local police received the help of the Metropolitan Police
Metropolitan police
Metropolitan Police is a generic title for the municipal police force for a major metropolitan area, and it may be part of the official title of the force...
riot squad to bring the situation under control, it was the rave organisers Exodus Collective
Exodus Collective
The Exodus Collective are largely recognised as one of the UK's leading examples of a `DIY' community , providing practical and challenging `downside-up' solutions to social exclusion...
who brought the riots to an end by staging an impromptu party out of town which drew 1500 young people from the area and calmed them down. The 1995 riots followed similar riots in the area in 1992.
Whilst many parts of the estate still look like a typical 1960s development, the estate has £50m of European money available for re-development and plans are being drawn up by the local council and other interested parties.
In the summer of 1999 some regeneration money was used to fund murals on the underpasses around the estate. The lead artist, Viv McIntyre, visited each school on the estate and carried out workshops with the pupils where they provided the images (based on given themes) to create the mural designs. A team of artists, including Emma Rhodes and Margaret Rhodes (artist)
Margaret Rhodes (artist)
Margaret Rhodes studied fine art at Wimbledon School of Art and technical and scientific illustration in Bedfordshire. She is currently a governor on the Board of Directors at the Federation of British Artists ,Vice President of the Hesketh Hubbard Art Society, Mall Galleries, London and an...
, then worked with the children to transfer the designs from paper to the walls.
Purley Centre
The Purley Centre is the main focal point in Marsh Farm. The centre is a council-owned shopping centre with another multi-story block of flats above. There is a newsagent, a bakery, a butcher, a library, a pharmacy, a convenience store and many other things in the shopping centre. There is a pub outside the centre, The Purley tavern, and a market is held every Thursday & Saturday.Transport
Marsh Farm is well connected by bus with regular services to Luton Town Centre. The estate benefits from the M1 as well connections to the A6. Luton Airport is within 3 miles.Leagrave railway station
Leagrave railway station
Leagrave railway station is located in Leagrave, a suburb in the north of Luton in Bedfordshire, England. Leagrave station is situated on the Midland Main Line 54 km north of London St Pancras International...
is a 20 minute walk from Marsh Farm and there are frequent trains to Luton, St Albans
St 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...
, 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...
, 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...
and Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
.
Local schools and education
- Sundon Park Junior School, Kinross Crescent
- Waulud Primary School, Wauluds Bank Drive
- Woodlands Secondary School, Northwell Drive
- Lealands High SchoolLealands High SchoolLealands High School is a Secondary School located in Sundon Park, Luton. The school attracts students from Sundon Park and Hockwell Ring, as well as various other surrounding areas....
, Sundon Park Road - Lea Manor High SchoolLea Manor High SchoolLea Manor High School Performing Arts College is a secondary school in Luton, Bedfordshire which opened in 1974. The most recent OFSTED Inspection Report graded the school as "Good" with good capacity to improve further...
and community college Northwell Drive - Leagrave Library, Marsh Road
- Marsh Farm Library, Purley Centre
- Whitefields Infant School
- Whitefield Junior School
Religion
The estate lies within the ecclesiastical beneficeBenefice
A benefice is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The term is now almost obsolete.-Church of England:...
of The Holy Cross, Marsh Farm and is served by the Parish Church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
of the Holy Cross (Church of England
Church of England
The 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...
) built in 1976 and located in the centre of the estate adjacent to the medical centre on Purway Close. The Parish is registered with Forward in Faith
Forward in Faith
Forward in Faith is a movement operating in a number of provinces of the Anglican Communion. It represents a traditionalist strand of Anglo-Catholicism and is characterised by its opposition to the ordination of women to the priesthood and episcopate and, more recently, to more liberal Anglican...
and is Anglo-Catholic in its theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
and worship. The Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
of The Holy Family is located off Northwell Drive and is one of the largest parishes in the Diocese of Northampton. During the season of Lent
Lent
In the Christian tradition, Lent is the period of the liturgical year from Ash Wednesday to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer – through prayer, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial – for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and...
both Churches join together in the Stations of the Cross
Stations of the Cross
Stations of the Cross refers to the depiction of the final hours of Jesus, and the devotion commemorating the Passion. The tradition as chapel devotion began with St...
.
Politics
Marsh Farm falls into the Northwell ward is represented by Cllr Roy Davis (LabourLabour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
) and Cllr Don Worlding (Labour).
The ward forms part of the parliamentary constituency of Luton North
Luton North (UK Parliament constituency)
Luton North is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
, and the MP is Kelvin Hopkins
Kelvin Hopkins
Kelvin Peter Hopkins is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Luton North since 1997.-Background:...
(Labour). Leagrave is within the East of England (European Parliament constituency)
East of England (European Parliament constituency)
East of England is a constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects 7 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.- Boundaries :...
.
Local attractions
|
Whipsnade Wildlife Park
Local newspapers
Two weekly newspapers are delivered free to all the houses in the area. However they are not specific to Marsh Farm. They are:- Herald and Post - Delivered every Thursday
- Luton Express- Delivered every Wednesday