Newport Pagnell
Encyclopedia
Newport Pagnell is a town
in the Borough of Milton Keynes
(ceremonial Buckinghamshire
), England
. It is separated by the M1 motorway
from Milton Keynes
itself, though part of the same urban area. Newport Pagnell services on the M1 are named after the town.
of 1086 as Neuport, which is Old English
meaning New Market Town, but by that time the old Anglo-Saxon town was dominated by the Norman
invaders. The suffix "Pagnell" came later when the manor
passed into the hands of the Pagnell (Paynel) family. It was the principal town of the "Three Hundreds of Newport", a district that had almost the same boundary as the modern Borough.
At one time, Newport Pagnell was one of the largest towns in the County of Buckinghamshire (the assizes of the County were occasionally held there) though today, despite its own substantial expansion, it has been completely dwarfed by the growth of Milton Keynes.
There were also at one time two hospitals in Newport Pagnell and six fairs were held for the townsfolk throughout the year.
Newport Pagnell became the headquarters of Newport Pagnell Rural District
under the Local Government Act 1894
. In 1897 Newport Pagnell became the sole civil parish comprising the newly created Newport Pagnell Urban District
.
For a hundred years (1867 to 1967) Newport Pagnell was served by Newport Pagnell railway station
the terminus on Wolverton to Newport Pagnell branch line
.
, over the River Ouzel
(or Lovat), was built in 1810 and is the only iron bridge in Britain that still carries main road traffic and is the oldest iron bridge in the world that is still in constant use. There is a plaque near the footbridge at the side that gives details of its history and construction placed there by Newport Pagnell Historical Society.
Between 1817 and 1864 the town was linked to the Grand Junction Canal
at Great Linford
via the Newport Pagnell Canal
.
From 1954, until recently, Tickford Street was the home of the Aston Martin
factory, where all Aston Martin cars were built, until the recent opening of the new Ford Motor Company
luxury division plant for Aston Martin that was built at Gaydon
, Warwickshire
. There is still a service facility in Newport Pagnell, but the factory on the north side of Tickford St has been demolished. The town is also home to the only remaining vellum
manufacturer in the United Kingdom, William Cowley, located at Parchment Works, 97 Caldecote Street.
The modern civil parish of Newport Pagnell stops at the M1, but the ecclesiastical parish extends to include Broughton
and Caldecote. The parish church is dedicated to St Peter
and St Paul
.
regards Newport Pagnell as part of the Milton Keynes Urban Area. Its population in 1971 was 6,000: by 2001 it had reached 15,020. The Borough Council projects that the population will remain broadly stable at this level. However, in its comments on the expansion plans for Milton Keynes
, Buckinghamshire County Council
challenges this assumption, calling for any further expansion to be to the east of the M1 rather than south across the border into Aylesbury Vale
.
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...
in the Borough of Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes (borough)
The Borough of Milton Keynes is a unitary authority and borough in south central England, at the northern tip of the South East England Region. For ceremonial purposes, it is in the county of Buckinghamshire...
(ceremonial Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
), 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...
. It is separated by the M1 motorway
M1 motorway
The M1 is a north–south motorway in England primarily connecting London to Leeds, where it joins the A1 near Aberford. While the M1 is considered to be the first inter-urban motorway to be completed in the United Kingdom, the first road to be built to motorway standard in the country was the...
from Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
itself, though part of the same urban area. Newport Pagnell services on the M1 are named after the town.
History
The town was first mentioned in the Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
of 1086 as Neuport, which is Old English
Old English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
meaning New Market Town, but by that time the old Anglo-Saxon town was dominated by the Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
invaders. The suffix "Pagnell" came later when the manor
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
passed into the hands of the Pagnell (Paynel) family. It was the principal town of the "Three Hundreds of Newport", a district that had almost the same boundary as the modern Borough.
At one time, Newport Pagnell was one of the largest towns in the County of Buckinghamshire (the assizes of the County were occasionally held there) though today, despite its own substantial expansion, it has been completely dwarfed by the growth of Milton Keynes.
There were also at one time two hospitals in Newport Pagnell and six fairs were held for the townsfolk throughout the year.
Newport Pagnell became the headquarters of Newport Pagnell Rural District
Newport Pagnell Rural District
Newport Pagnell was a rural district in the administrative county of Buckinghamshire, England, from 1894 to 1974. The rural district took over the responsibilities of the disbanded Newport Pagnell Rural Sanitary District...
under the Local Government Act 1894
Local Government Act 1894
The Local Government Act 1894 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales outside the County of London. The Act followed the reforms carried out at county level under the Local Government Act 1888...
. In 1897 Newport Pagnell became the sole civil parish comprising the newly created Newport Pagnell Urban District
Newport Pagnell Urban District
Newport Pagnell Urban District was a local government authority in the administrative county of Buckinghamshire, England, from 1897 to 1974....
.
For a hundred years (1867 to 1967) Newport Pagnell was served by Newport Pagnell railway station
Newport Pagnell railway station
Newport Pagnell railway station was a railway station that served the town of Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire on the Wolverton to Newport Pagnell Line. Opened in 1867 the station consisted of a brick built station building, and extensive goods facilities....
the terminus on Wolverton to Newport Pagnell branch line
Wolverton to Newport Pagnell Line
The Wolverton to Newport Pagnell Line was a railway branch line in Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom running from Wolverton on the London and North Western Railway to Newport Pagnell. The line fully opened to passengers in 1867, with an extension to Olney planned in 1865, but this scheme was...
.
Modern times
Tickford BridgeTickford Bridge
Tickford Bridge, over the River Ouzel in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, England, was built in 1810 and is the only iron bridge in Britain that still carries main road traffic and is the oldest iron bridge in the world that is still in constant use. There is a plaque near the footbridge at the...
, over the River Ouzel
River Ouzel
The River Ouzel , also known as the River Lovat, is a river in England, and a tributary of the River Great Ouse. It rises in the Chiltern Hills and flows 20 miles north to join the Ouse at Newport Pagnell....
(or Lovat), was built in 1810 and is the only iron bridge in Britain that still carries main road traffic and is the oldest iron bridge in the world that is still in constant use. There is a plaque near the footbridge at the side that gives details of its history and construction placed there by Newport Pagnell Historical Society.
Between 1817 and 1864 the town was linked to the Grand Junction Canal
Grand Junction Canal
The Grand Junction Canal is a canal in England from Braunston in Northamptonshire to the River Thames at Brentford, with a number of branches. The mainline was built between 1793 and 1805, to improve the route from the Midlands to London, by-passing the upper reaches of the River Thames near Oxford...
at Great Linford
Great Linford
Great Linford is a historic village, district and civil parish in the northern part of Milton Keynes, England, between Wolverton and Newport Pagnell.-Great Linford village:...
via the Newport Pagnell Canal
Newport Pagnell Canal
The Newport Pagnell Canal was a 1.25 mile canal that ran from the Grand Junction Canal at Great Linford to Newport Pagnell through seven locks. Construction was authorised by an Act of Parliament in June 1814 and it probably opened in 1817...
.
From 1954, until recently, Tickford Street was the home of the Aston Martin
Aston Martin
Aston Martin Lagonda Limited is a British manufacturer of luxury sports cars, based in Gaydon, Warwickshire. The company name is derived from the name of one of the company's founders, Lionel Martin, and from the Aston Hill speed hillclimb near Aston Clinton in Buckinghamshire...
factory, where all Aston Martin cars were built, until the recent opening of the new Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
luxury division plant for Aston Martin that was built at Gaydon
Gaydon
Gaydon is a parish and village in Warwickshire, England, close to Leamington Spa. In the 2001 census, the parish had a population of 376.The village is at the junction of the B4100 and B4451 roads, a mile from Junction 12 of the M40 motorway, and is two miles north-east of Kineton.-Motor...
, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
. There is still a service facility in Newport Pagnell, but the factory on the north side of Tickford St has been demolished. The town is also home to the only remaining vellum
Vellum
Vellum is mammal skin prepared for writing or printing on, to produce single pages, scrolls, codices or books. It is generally smooth and durable, although there are great variations depending on preparation, the quality of the skin and the type of animal used...
manufacturer in the United Kingdom, William Cowley, located at Parchment Works, 97 Caldecote Street.
The modern civil parish of Newport Pagnell stops at the M1, but the ecclesiastical parish extends to include Broughton
Broughton, Milton Keynes
Broughton is a historic village in North Buckinghamshire that has been a constituent element of Milton Keynes since the latter's designation in 1967; a civil parish; and modernly a suburb and new district of the 'city'.-History and Location:...
and Caldecote. The parish church is dedicated to St Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
and St Paul
Paul of Tarsus
Paul the Apostle , also known as Saul of Tarsus, is described in the Christian New Testament as one of the most influential early Christian missionaries, with the writings ascribed to him by the church forming a considerable portion of the New Testament...
.
Population and growth
Although Newport Pagnell is formally outside the designated area of Milton Keynes, its growth has been at a similar level to that of the constituent towns of the latter; the two now join at the M1 and there is little distinction between them. The Office for National StatisticsOffice for National Statistics
The Office for National Statistics is the executive office of the UK Statistics Authority, a non-ministerial department which reports directly to the Parliament of the United Kingdom.- Overview :...
regards Newport Pagnell as part of the Milton Keynes Urban Area. Its population in 1971 was 6,000: by 2001 it had reached 15,020. The Borough Council projects that the population will remain broadly stable at this level. However, in its comments on the expansion plans for Milton Keynes
Expansion plans for Milton Keynes
In January 2004, Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott announced the United Kingdom government's Expansion plans for Milton KeynesHe proposed that the population of Milton Keynes should double in the subsequent 20 years...
, Buckinghamshire County Council
Buckinghamshire County Council
Buckinghamshire County Council is the upper-tier local authority for the non-metropolitan county of Buckinghamshire, in England, the United Kingdom. Its area of control does not include Milton Keynes, which is a unitary authority...
challenges this assumption, calling for any further expansion to be to the east of the M1 rather than south across the border into Aylesbury Vale
Aylesbury Vale
The Aylesbury Vale is a large area of flat land mostly in Buckinghamshire, England. Its boundary is marked by Milton Keynes to the north, Leighton Buzzard and the Chiltern Hills to the east and south, Thame to the south and Bicester and Brackley to the west.The vale is named after Aylesbury, the...
.
Famous names
- Nigel BensonNigel BensonNigel C. Benson is a British author and illustrator.Nigel Benson was born in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, son of Ralph H. Benson, a fine artist specializing in oils and pastels, and Heather M. Benson. He grew up in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, and was educated at Dunstable Grammar School...
, the author, was born in Newport Pagnell. - Steve BrookerSteve BrookerStephen Michael "Steve" Brooker is an English football striker. In a twelve years professional career he has scored 86 goals in 294 games....
, footballer, was born in Newport Pagnell. - Kelly GeorgeKelly George (actor)Kelly George is a British actor, best known for his long association with the BBC school drama series, Grange Hill.George first became associated with Grange Hill in 1986, when he appeared on the BBC programme Drugwatch Special: It's Not Just Zammo...
, actor and star of BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
children's televisionTelevisionTelevision is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
series Grange HillGrange HillGrange Hill is a British television drama series originally made by the BBC. The show began in 1978 on BBC1 and was one of the longest running programmes on British television...
lived and was educated in Newport Pagnell. - Gordon MoakesGordon MoakesGordon Peter Moakes is an English multi-instrumentalist and backing vocalist for English indie rock band Bloc Party.-Bloc Party:...
, bassist of Indie band Bloc PartyBloc PartyBloc Party are a British Indie rock band, composed of Kele Okereke , Russell Lissack , Gordon Moakes , and Matt Tong...
was educated in Newport Pagnell. - The members of the ska punkSka punkSka punk is a fusion music genre that combines ska and punk rock. It achieved its highest level of commercial success in the United States in the late 1990s. Ska-core is a subgenre of ska punk, blending ska with hardcore punk.The characteristics of ska punk vary, due to the fusion of contrasting...
band CapdownCapdownCapdown are a band from Milton Keynes, England. Originally known as Soap, their songs have political themes as alluded to by their name, which is short for Capitalist Downfall...
were educated in Newport Pagnell. - David OldfieldDavid Oldfield (footballer)David Charles Oldfield is an ex-professional footballer, currently in charge of the reserve and U18 teams at Peterborough United...
who played for Leicester City, Stoke City & Oxford United lived in Newport Pagnell. - The town is briefly mentioned in the song "Is It Really So Strange?" by ManchesterManchesterManchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
band The SmithsThe SmithsThe Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce...
. - Oliver Cromwell (son of his more famous father) is rumoured to have died in Newport Pagnell in the spring of 1644
- George WaltersGeorge WaltersGeorge Walters VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Background:...
, born 15 September 1829 in Newport Pagnell, won the Victoria Cross at the Battle of Inkermann on 5 November 1854 by saving the life of Brigadier-General Adams. He was a Sergeant with the 49th Regiment of Foot. - Charles Sanford TerryCharles Sanford Terry (historian)Charles Sanford Terry was an English historian and musicologist who published extensively on Scottish and European history as well as the life and works of J. S. Bach.-Career:...
, the historian, musicologist and authority on J. S. Bach, was born in Newport Pagnell in 1864. - Letitia DeanLetitia DeanLetitia Dean is an English actress and singer. She is best known for her role as Sharon Watts in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders, who was one of the serial's original characters. Dean was part of the original cast in 1985 and remained in the series until 1995...
went to Cedars School in Newport Pagnell - James NashJames Nash (racing driver)James Nash is a British auto racing driver. He is currently competing in the British Touring Car Championship with Triple 8 Race Engineering...
British Touring Car Championship driver lives in Newport Pagnell
External links
- The unofficial Newport Pagnell Town website with historical pictures, pictures of the town carnival and a message board for locals and ex pats to keep in touch
- Milton Keynes website with maps and information about Newport Pagnell
- Newport Pagnell Town Council