Offley
Encyclopedia
Offley is a civil parish
in the English
county of Hertfordshire
, between Hitchin
and Luton
. The main village
is Great Offley, and the parish also contains the nearby hamlets
of Little Offley and The Flints. In the south-west of the parish, near Luton, there are the hamlets of Cockernhoe, Mangrove Green and Tea Green, and also the Putteridge Bury
estate; these have LU2 postcodes and 01582 telephone numbers.
), and its population is 673. Offa
, King of Mercia
in the 8th century, is said to have built a palace here and thus gave his name to the village. There is a most interesting group of buildings, including Offley Place, which was rebuilt in 1810 but which retains a Tudor porch and a 17th century wing.
The church named after St. Mary Magdalene contains some attractive monuments. Its nave
is Early English, and the chancel
was recased and its interior built by Sir Thomas Salusbury in the 18th century. The tower dates from about 1800.
chain that includes Zouches Farm
on Blows Down near Luton, but it is in fact owned by Arqiva
and used by utility companies, the next one west being located in Isle of Wight Lane, on Dunstable Downs
. Its use seems to have decreased in recent years with the number of microwave radio drums (dishes) declining.
The village has its own Telephone Exchange which is located on Offley Hill.
Bloor Homes who have been building on regeneration sites in Luton have submitted proposals for a large scale development on the Putteridgebury Estate. This is likely to be opposed by local residents and groups such as the Keep East of Luton Green and Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE).
The Village Petrol station closed in the late 1980s although a garage operated on the site until 2001 when the land was sold for development.
Offley Endowed JMI School is situated close to the village centre.
There is also a Fishing club which uses the Long Pond and the Pump Pond which are located along Salusbury Lane.
. It contains a late Tudor
brick-built manor house
.
The Hitchin Yeshiva
is based in Wellbury House which is a mile north east of Little Offley.
Cockernhoe has a village school and a small church (St Hugh's).
Tea Green sits on top of a chalk ridge on the opposite side of Lilley
Bottom/Mimram Valley. A major landmark is the tall water tower which is next to the White Horse Pub.
Two of the oldest barns in the area (dating from the 16th Century) are located at Tankards and Crutchmore Farms
, previously being used as the Management
Campus of the University of Luton , it was originally acquired in 1965 as a Teacher Training College. The mansion was built in the style of Chequers
by architects Sir Ernest George
and Alfred Yeats and completed in 1911. The grounds were redesigned by Edwin L Lutyens
, soon to be recognised as the foremost architect of the era, and planted by Gertrude Jekyll
, one of the first lady Victorian gardeners. Particular features are the reflective pool and massive yew
hedges. As well as the mansion house the estate has a farm and a collection of spread out houses.
The Putteridge estate is a mixture of arable farmland and woodland; as well as the occasional visiting muntjac
and fallow deer
, the estate is home to Lady Amherst's Pheasant
(Chrysolophus amherstiae) as well as the more common pheasant.
, and woodland
with some minor seasonal grazing for Beef Cattle
and Sheep. To the east of the village all the round to the south east forms part of the King's Walden
estate. During the winter months Pheasant
and Partridge
shooting takes with several shooting syndicates operating to the north of the village as well as a big shoot organised by King's Walden Estate.
Red Kites along with Common Buzzard
and Sparrowhawks can be seen in the area.
, Beech
, Horse Chestnut
trees with smaller plantations of pine
and spruce
. During the spring
many of the woods are carpeted with Bluebells
.
The area is home to a sizeable herd of Fallow Deer
and muntjac
can also be seen.
long distance footpath passes through the parish, as does the 170 mile Chiltern Cycleway
.
Searchlight unit based in Hoo Lane, that had detachments in Hitchin along Bedford Road, Chapel Foot along London Road, as well as at Whitwell
and Diamond End
.
bomber belonging to 115 Squadron RAF
crashed into the farm house at West End Farm (51.934070°N 0.343035 °W) killing the crew as well as the farmers wife and two daughters (one of whom was home on leave from the Auxiliary Territorial Service
).
The aircraft LM616 (KO J) had left its base at RAF Witchford
near Ely
several hours earlier to support Allied
ground forces taking part in Operation Goodwood
during the Normandy campaign
. The Royal Air Force
and United States Army Air Forces
objective was to bomb units of the 16th Luftwaffe Field Division
and the 21st Panzer Division which were located around the Manneville area in France
.
LM616 received severe damage during the raid, in which its controls and navigation aids were shot up. The aircraft had descended through low cloud only to see the high escarpment of the Chiltern Hills
at Offley loom into view too late for the crew to take immediate action. The aircraft hit trees in a wood on top of Birkitt Hill before the colliding with the farm house at West End Farm.
The drivers managed to evacuate nearby residents however a bus from Luton came round the corner just as an explosion occurred, killing three US Servicemen on the bus and injuring 21 others. The explosion was so severe that it made a crater on the road 50 feet wide and 14 feet deep.
The Windmill and Farm were completely destroyed and Flint cottages were severely damaged, other houses in Offley suffered extensive blast damage.
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...
in the English
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...
county of Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, between Hitchin
Hitchin
Hitchin is a town in Hertfordshire, England, with an estimated population of 30,360.-History:Hitchin is first noted as the central place of the Hicce people mentioned in a 7th century document, the Tribal Hidage. The tribal name is Brittonic rather than Old English and derives from *siccā, meaning...
and 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....
. The main village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
is Great Offley, and the parish also contains the nearby hamlets
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...
of Little Offley and The Flints. In the south-west of the parish, near Luton, there are the hamlets of Cockernhoe, Mangrove Green and Tea Green, and also the Putteridge Bury
Putteridge Bury
Putteridge Bury is a country house on the edge of the built-up area of Luton, Bedfordshire, England but actually over the county boundary in the parish of Offley in Hertfordshire.-Mansion:...
estate; these have LU2 postcodes and 01582 telephone numbers.
Great Offley
Great Offley lies on the top of a chalk escarpment ridge (521 ft/159 metres above sea level) in the centre of the parish (the most north eastern ridge of the Chiltern HillsChiltern Hills
The Chiltern Hills form a chalk escarpment in South East England. They are known locally as "the Chilterns". A large portion of the hills was designated officially as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1965.-Location:...
), and its population is 673. Offa
Offa
Offa may refer to:Two kings of the Angles, who are often confused:*Offa of Angel , on the continent*Offa of Mercia , in Great BritainA king of Essex:*Offa of Essex A town in Nigeria:* Offa, Nigeria...
, King of Mercia
Mercia
Mercia was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. It was centred on the valley of the River Trent and its tributaries in the region now known as the English Midlands...
in the 8th century, is said to have built a palace here and thus gave his name to the village. There is a most interesting group of buildings, including Offley Place, which was rebuilt in 1810 but which retains a Tudor porch and a 17th century wing.
The church named after St. Mary Magdalene contains some attractive monuments. Its nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
is Early English, and the chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
was recased and its interior built by Sir Thomas Salusbury in the 18th century. The tower dates from about 1800.
Modern Offley
The village was by-passed by the A505 dual carriageway in the 1970s. Two landmarks close to the centre of the village are the water tower which is painted white in response to a campaign started by a Liberal Democrat councilor candidate, within a several hundred feet is the radio mast, this often mistakenly identified as being part of the BTBT Group
BT Group plc is a global telecommunications services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is one of the largest telecommunications services companies in the world and has operations in more than 170 countries. Through its BT Global Services division it is a major supplier of...
chain that includes Zouches Farm
Zouches Farm
Zouches Farm is a microwave radio link site located near the top of Blows Downs at Zouches Farm, Caddington, Bedfordshire, England . It was part of the London to Birmingham chain designed in the 1940s, and is now owned and maintained by BT Group....
on Blows Down near Luton, but it is in fact owned by Arqiva
Arqiva
Arqiva is a telecommunications company which provides infrastructure and broadcast transmission facilities in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. The present company, with headquarters located at Crawley Court in the village of Crawley, Hampshire, was formed by National Grid Wireless...
and used by utility companies, the next one west being located in Isle of Wight Lane, on Dunstable Downs
Dunstable Downs
Dunstable Downs are part of the Chiltern Hills, in southern Bedfordshire in England. They are a chalk escarpment forming the north-eastern reaches of the Chilterns...
. Its use seems to have decreased in recent years with the number of microwave radio drums (dishes) declining.
The village has its own Telephone Exchange which is located on Offley Hill.
Development
Housing development in recent years has been restricted to the following areas:- Kings Walden Road (1980's)
- Meadow Way, terrace of two bedroom houses
- Oflley Chapel, Luton Road, converted into housing units (1990's)
- Westbury Farm, refurbishment of existing flats in Farm House, conversion of barns and sheds into housing, new houses also built.
- John Hall Court
Bloor Homes who have been building on regeneration sites in Luton have submitted proposals for a large scale development on the Putteridgebury Estate. This is likely to be opposed by local residents and groups such as the Keep East of Luton Green and Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE).
Local services
The village still has a Post Office/General stores, the butchers shop was closed in recent times to be replaced by an Ladies hairdressers, there had been one previously in the late 1970s located in a property adjoining the butchers shop.The Village Petrol station closed in the late 1980s although a garage operated on the site until 2001 when the land was sold for development.
Offley Endowed JMI School is situated close to the village centre.
Public houses
At one time Great Offley had six pubs in the village, these have now decreased to two with a third being converted into a Chinese Restaurant.- Green Man (Chef and Brewer)
- Red Lion
- The Bull (now closed and converted into a private dwelling)
- The Cock (now demolished)
- The Gloucester Arms
- refurbished and name changed to Prince Henry
- further refurbishment and name changed to Shaker Browns
- renamed as Astons (Restaurant and Bar)
- Reverted back to Gloucester Arms
- Converted into Chinese Restaurant The Offley Oriental
- The Crusty Loaf (converted into the Lobster Tail restaurant which subsequently closed and has been turned into a private dwelling).
Recreation
- Offley and Stopsley Cricket Club, play at the Recreation Ground.
- Offley and District Riding Club have at least four shows at the Old Football Field, Luton White Hill.
- Luton and District Aeronautical Society fly remote control model aircraft at a field at the top of Chalk Hill to the south east of the village.
There is also a Fishing club which uses the Long Pond and the Pump Pond which are located along Salusbury Lane.
Little Offley
Little Offley is a small hamlet lying 1½ miles north-west of Great Offley, and it is reached via a bridge over the A505A505 road
The A505 is an A-class road in the United Kingdom. It follows part of the route of the Icknield Way and the corresponding Icknield Way Path.-Bedfordshire:...
. It contains a late Tudor
Tudor period
The Tudor period usually refers to the period between 1485 and 1603, specifically in relation to the history of England. This coincides with the rule of the Tudor dynasty in England whose first monarch was Henry VII...
brick-built manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
.
The Hitchin Yeshiva
Hitchin Yeshiva
Yeshivas Toras Chessed is a Jewish yeshiva or rabbinical school for Torah study, the study of Talmud, Rabbinic literature and Responsa. It is based in Wellbury House, Great Offley, near Hitchin in Hertfordshire...
is based in Wellbury House which is a mile north east of Little Offley.
Cockernhoe
Cockernhoe lies 2½ miles south-west of Great Offley, and its population is 191.Cockernhoe has a village school and a small church (St Hugh's).
Mangrove Green
Mangrove Green lies just north of Cockernhoe and south of Putteridgebury, and its population is 108. The village has one pub, the King William IV.Tea Green
Tea Green lies 2½ miles south of Great Offley, and its population is 44.Tea Green sits on top of a chalk ridge on the opposite side of Lilley
Lilley, Hertfordshire
Lilley is a small village and civil parish in Hertfordshire which stands between Hitchin and Luton in England, on the highest ground and within some of the most striking scenery in the area. Telegraph Hill is just over 600 feet above sea level....
Bottom/Mimram Valley. A major landmark is the tall water tower which is next to the White Horse Pub.
Two of the oldest barns in the area (dating from the 16th Century) are located at Tankards and Crutchmore Farms
Putteridge Bury
Putteridge Bury belongs to the University of BedfordshireUniversity 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...
, previously being used as the Management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
Campus of the University of Luton , it was originally acquired in 1965 as a Teacher Training College. The mansion was built in the style of Chequers
Chequers
Chequers, or Chequers Court, is a country house near Ellesborough, to the south of Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, England, at the foot of the Chiltern Hills...
by architects Sir Ernest George
Ernest George
Sir Ernest George RA was an English architect, landscape and architectural watercolour painter, and etcher.-Life and work:...
and Alfred Yeats and completed in 1911. The grounds were redesigned by Edwin L Lutyens
Edwin Lutyens
Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens, OM, KCIE, PRA, FRIBA was a British architect who is known for imaginatively adapting traditional architectural styles to the requirements of his era...
, soon to be recognised as the foremost architect of the era, and planted by Gertrude Jekyll
Gertrude Jekyll
Gertrude Jekyll was an influential British garden designer, writer, and artist. She created over 400 gardens in the UK, Europe and the USA and contributed over 1,000 articles to Country Life, The Garden and other magazines.-Early life:...
, one of the first lady Victorian gardeners. Particular features are the reflective pool and massive yew
Taxus baccata
Taxus baccata is a conifer native to western, central and southern Europe, northwest Africa, northern Iran and southwest Asia. It is the tree originally known as yew, though with other related trees becoming known, it may be now known as the English yew, or European yew.-Description:It is a small-...
hedges. As well as the mansion house the estate has a farm and a collection of spread out houses.
The Putteridge estate is a mixture of arable farmland and woodland; as well as the occasional visiting muntjac
Muntjac
Muntjac, also known as Barking Deer and Mastreani Deer, are small deer of the genus Muntiacus. Muntjac are the oldest known deer, appearing 15–35 million years ago, with remains found in Miocene deposits in France, Germany and Poland....
and fallow deer
Fallow Deer
The Fallow Deer is a ruminant mammal belonging to the family Cervidae. This common species is native to western Eurasia, but has been introduced widely elsewhere. It often includes the rarer Persian Fallow Deer as a subspecies , while others treat it as an entirely different species The Fallow...
, the estate is home to Lady Amherst's Pheasant
Lady Amherst's Pheasant
The Lady Amherst's Pheasant, Chrysolophus amherstiae, is a bird of the order Galliformes and the family Phasianidae.These are native to south western China and Myanmar, but have been introduced elsewhere, and have established a self-supporting, but now declining, feral population in England, the...
(Chrysolophus amherstiae) as well as the more common pheasant.
Agriculture and Wildlife
The land use in the parish is a mixture of arableArable land
In geography and agriculture, arable land is land that can be used for growing crops. It includes all land under temporary crops , temporary meadows for mowing or pasture, land under market and kitchen gardens and land temporarily fallow...
, and woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
with some minor seasonal grazing for Beef Cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
and Sheep. To the east of the village all the round to the south east forms part of the King's Walden
King's Walden
King's Walden is a civil parish in the English county of Hertfordshire. The name includes an apostrophe, but this is often omitted.The main settlement is now Breachwood Green, and there are also the hamlets of King's Walden, Ley Green, Darleyhall, Lye Hill, Wandon End, Wandon Green and Winch Hill...
estate. During the winter months Pheasant
Common Pheasant
The Common Pheasant , is a bird in the pheasant family . It is native to Georgia and has been widely introduced elsewhere as a game bird. In parts of its range, namely in places where none of its relatives occur such as in Europe , it is simply known as the "pheasant"...
and Partridge
Partridge
Partridges are birds in the pheasant family, Phasianidae. They are a non-migratory Old World group.These are medium-sized birds, intermediate between the larger pheasants and the smaller quails. Partridges are native to Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East...
shooting takes with several shooting syndicates operating to the north of the village as well as a big shoot organised by King's Walden Estate.
Red Kites along with Common Buzzard
Common Buzzard
The Common Buzzard is a medium to large bird of prey, whose range covers most of Europe and extends into Asia. It is usually resident all year, except in the coldest parts of its range, and in the case of one subspecies.-Description:...
and Sparrowhawks can be seen in the area.
Decline in farming
Many of the farms in the area are no longer used for agriculture and some have been sold off for housing development. The fields being taken over by farms at a greater distance, this has happened due to technological advances which make small farms un-economical to run. Several farms up until the 1970s had herds of dairy cattle but low milk prices forced many farms to turn to arable farming.Woodland
Much of the woodland is not used for timber and is made up of OakOak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
, Beech
Beech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
, Horse Chestnut
Aesculus
The genus Aesculus comprises 13-19 species of woody trees and shrubs native to the temperate northern hemisphere, with 6 species native to North America and 7-13 species native to Eurasia; there are also several hybrids. Species are deciduous or evergreen...
trees with smaller plantations of pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
and spruce
Spruce
A spruce is a tree of the genus Picea , a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the Family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal regions of the earth. Spruces are large trees, from tall when mature, and can be distinguished by their whorled branches and conical...
. During the spring
Spring (season)
Spring is one of the four temperate seasons, the transition period between winter and summer. Spring and "springtime" refer to the season, and broadly to ideas of rebirth, renewal and regrowth. The specific definition of the exact timing of "spring" varies according to local climate, cultures and...
many of the woods are carpeted with Bluebells
Common Bluebell
Hyacinthoides non-scripta, commonly known as the common bluebell, is a spring-flowering bulbous perennial plant. -Taxonomy:...
.
The area is home to a sizeable herd of Fallow Deer
Fallow Deer
The Fallow Deer is a ruminant mammal belonging to the family Cervidae. This common species is native to western Eurasia, but has been introduced widely elsewhere. It often includes the rarer Persian Fallow Deer as a subspecies , while others treat it as an entirely different species The Fallow...
and muntjac
Muntjac
Muntjac, also known as Barking Deer and Mastreani Deer, are small deer of the genus Muntiacus. Muntjac are the oldest known deer, appearing 15–35 million years ago, with remains found in Miocene deposits in France, Germany and Poland....
can also be seen.
Chiltern Way
The 152 mile Chiltern WayChiltern Way
The Chiltern Way is a waymarked long-distance footpath in southern England in the United Kingdom.-The route:The route is circular and runs through the Chiltern Hills region passing through parts of the counties of Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Oxfordshire.The meandering route...
long distance footpath passes through the parish, as does the 170 mile Chiltern Cycleway
Chiltern Cycleway
The Chilterns Cycleway consists of a circular 170 Mile on-road route in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Chilterns AONB.The route runs through the counties of Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Oxfordshire....
.
Offley at War 1939 - 1945
Offley was Headquarters for an Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS)Auxiliary Territorial Service
The Auxiliary Territorial Service was the women's branch of the British Army during the Second World War...
Searchlight unit based in Hoo Lane, that had detachments in Hitchin along Bedford Road, Chapel Foot along London Road, as well as at Whitwell
Whitwell, Hertfordshire
Whitwell is a village in the parish of St Paul's Walden about six miles south of Hitchin in Hertfordshire, England. Situated on a tableland, a spur of the Chilterns, Whitwell is about 400 feet above sea level. The soil is mostly clay with flints....
and Diamond End
King's Walden
King's Walden is a civil parish in the English county of Hertfordshire. The name includes an apostrophe, but this is often omitted.The main settlement is now Breachwood Green, and there are also the hamlets of King's Walden, Ley Green, Darleyhall, Lye Hill, Wandon End, Wandon Green and Winch Hill...
.
Lancaster bomber crash
At 7.15am on 18 July 1944 an Lancaster Mk.111Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
bomber belonging to 115 Squadron RAF
No. 115 Squadron RAF
No. 115 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force squadron during World War I. It was then equipped with Handley Page O/400 heavy bombers. During World War II the squadron served as a bomber squadron and after the war it flew in a similar role till 1958, when it was engaged as a radio calibration unit...
crashed into the farm house at West End Farm (51.934070°N 0.343035 °W) killing the crew as well as the farmers wife and two daughters (one of whom was home on leave from the Auxiliary Territorial Service
Auxiliary Territorial Service
The Auxiliary Territorial Service was the women's branch of the British Army during the Second World War...
).
The aircraft LM616 (KO J) had left its base at RAF Witchford
Witchford
Witchford is a small village near Ely in Cambridgeshire, England.Witchford houses the secondary school Witchford Village College that serves all of the surrounding villages, including Haddenham, Little Thetford, Mepal, Stretham, Sutton, Wilburton and Witcham.The village hosts the Grunty Fen Half...
near Ely
Ely, Cambridgeshire
Ely is a cathedral city in Cambridgeshire, England, 14 miles north-northeast of Cambridge and about by road from London. It is built on a Lower Greensand island, which at a maximum elevation of is the highest land in the Fens...
several hours earlier to support Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
ground forces taking part in Operation Goodwood
Operation Goodwood
Operation Goodwood was an attack launched on 18 July 1944, during the Second World War, by the British army to the east of the city of Caen...
during the Normandy campaign
Operation Cobra
Operation Cobra was the codename for an offensive launched by the First United States Army seven weeks after the D-Day landings, during the Normandy Campaign of World War II...
. The Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
and United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
objective was to bomb units of the 16th Luftwaffe Field Division
Luftwaffe Field Division
The Luftwaffe Field Divisions were German military formations which fought during World War II.-History:...
and the 21st Panzer Division which were located around the Manneville area in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
LM616 received severe damage during the raid, in which its controls and navigation aids were shot up. The aircraft had descended through low cloud only to see the high escarpment of the Chiltern Hills
Chiltern Hills
The Chiltern Hills form a chalk escarpment in South East England. They are known locally as "the Chilterns". A large portion of the hills was designated officially as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1965.-Location:...
at Offley loom into view too late for the crew to take immediate action. The aircraft hit trees in a wood on top of Birkitt Hill before the colliding with the farm house at West End Farm.
Glebe Farm Explosion
At 3pm on the 8 January 1945 a US Army lorry carrying munitions was involved in a road accident with a petrol tanker as it was passing Glebe Farm at the Flints.The drivers managed to evacuate nearby residents however a bus from Luton came round the corner just as an explosion occurred, killing three US Servicemen on the bus and injuring 21 others. The explosion was so severe that it made a crater on the road 50 feet wide and 14 feet deep.
The Windmill and Farm were completely destroyed and Flint cottages were severely damaged, other houses in Offley suffered extensive blast damage.
External links
- Great Offley - a resident's page about local history with many images.
- Offley & Stopsley Cricket Club - Contains pictures, match reports, results, statistics and features from the Cricket Club
- Offley Endowed Primary School
- Cockernhoe Endowed C of E Primary School
- Offley Parish Council