Stevington
Encyclopedia
Stevington is a village in the Borough of Bedford in the northern part of Bedfordshire
, England, and forms the civil parish of Stevington. It is on the River Ouse four to five miles north west of Bedford
. Nearby villages include Bromham
, Oakley
, Pavenham
and Turvey. West End
lies directly west of the village, and forms part of the same civil parish.
The village has a fine Mediaeval Church
as well as a number of listed buildings spanning the centuries.The first church on this site was probably a wooden building constructed during the Anglo Saxon period between 886 and 1016; this was later replaced by a stone building.
The earliest surviving part of the present day church of the lowest third of the tower which probably dates from the early 10th century. As the population and wealth of the village grew so too did the church buildings. This culminated in the fifteenth century with the raising of the church roof and the raising of a second stage to the tower. In 1872 the church was re-opened after restoration amounting to £1927.The church has an associated holy well. The Holy Well is to the north of the Church and has never been known to freeze or to fail in times of drought. In the Middle Ages various miraculous powers were ascribed to the waters, particularly in respect to curing ailments of the eyes. It has been suggested by some researchers that the waters may have been the site of earlier veneration, possibly dating back to the Iron Age. The area around the well is protected as there is a proliferation of Petasites Hybridus, a plant commonly known as Butterbur, so named because its leaves were commonly used to wrap butter in times past.[1]
The Village appears in the Domesday Book
and has been chronicled in a series of publications by the Stevington Historical Trust including Stevington, The Village History, Stevington, A village in Pictures, Historic Walks in Stevington and a forthcoming study and book about the natural history
of Stevington.
The village is also known for being the home of Kathy Brown's garden, a fine landscaped garden open to the public on a number of occasions throughout the year and designed and owned by the landscape gardener Kathy Brown. The gardens are in the grounds of the Old Manor House in Stevington.
One of England's finest examples of a 'post mill' windmill is another prominent feature of the village that can be seen
clearly on entering the village from the east. The windmill is open to the public and may be accessed via a public
footpath leading from Mill Farm. Keys to the windmill can be obtained from either public house The Royal George (freehouse), or The Red Lion (Greene King tied).
Stevington won the accolade of "Best Kept Village" in 1965,1969,1979 and most recently in 1985.
Stevington was a location for much non-conformist activity, prominent because it is exactly 5 miles (8 km) from Bedford, allowing Baptist activities to occur under the laws of the 17th and 18th centuries. A fine Baptist Chapel is found at the West End of the Village and it is reputed that John Bunyan
preached in the field at Meeting Farm
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, and forms the civil parish of Stevington. It is on the River Ouse four to five miles north west 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...
. Nearby villages include Bromham
Bromham, Bedfordshire
Bromham is a village and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England, west of the town of Bedford. It is within commuting distance to London via Bedford railway station.-Notable features:...
, Oakley
Oakley, Bedfordshire
Oakley is a village and civil parish located in northern Bedfordshire, England, about four miles north west of the county town of Bedford and lies by the River Great Ouse...
, Pavenham
Pavenham
Pavenham is a small village and civil parish on the River Great Ouse in the Bedford district of Bedfordshire, England, about north-west of Bedford. Village amenities consist of a pub, Village hall, tennis Club, and golf club...
and Turvey. West End
West End, Bedfordshire
West End is a hamlet located in the Bedford Borough of Bedfordshire, England.The settlement is close to Carlton, Pavenham and Stevington. West End also forms part of the wider Stevington civil parish....
lies directly west of the village, and forms part of the same civil parish.
The village has a fine Mediaeval Church
St Mary the Virgin, Stevington
St Mary the Virgin in Stevington near Bedford, Bedfordshire is the parish church of Stevington. The church is part of the Diocese of St Albans...
as well as a number of listed buildings spanning the centuries.The first church on this site was probably a wooden building constructed during the Anglo Saxon period between 886 and 1016; this was later replaced by a stone building.
The earliest surviving part of the present day church of the lowest third of the tower which probably dates from the early 10th century. As the population and wealth of the village grew so too did the church buildings. This culminated in the fifteenth century with the raising of the church roof and the raising of a second stage to the tower. In 1872 the church was re-opened after restoration amounting to £1927.The church has an associated holy well. The Holy Well is to the north of the Church and has never been known to freeze or to fail in times of drought. In the Middle Ages various miraculous powers were ascribed to the waters, particularly in respect to curing ailments of the eyes. It has been suggested by some researchers that the waters may have been the site of earlier veneration, possibly dating back to the Iron Age. The area around the well is protected as there is a proliferation of Petasites Hybridus, a plant commonly known as Butterbur, so named because its leaves were commonly used to wrap butter in times past.[1]
The Village appears in the Domesday Book
Domesday 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...
and has been chronicled in a series of publications by the Stevington Historical Trust including Stevington, The Village History, Stevington, A village in Pictures, Historic Walks in Stevington and a forthcoming study and book about the natural history
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
of Stevington.
The village is also known for being the home of Kathy Brown's garden, a fine landscaped garden open to the public on a number of occasions throughout the year and designed and owned by the landscape gardener Kathy Brown. The gardens are in the grounds of the Old Manor House in Stevington.
One of England's finest examples of a 'post mill' windmill is another prominent feature of the village that can be seen
clearly on entering the village from the east. The windmill is open to the public and may be accessed via a public
footpath leading from Mill Farm. Keys to the windmill can be obtained from either public house The Royal George (freehouse), or The Red Lion (Greene King tied).
Stevington won the accolade of "Best Kept Village" in 1965,1969,1979 and most recently in 1985.
Stevington was a location for much non-conformist activity, prominent because it is exactly 5 miles (8 km) from Bedford, allowing Baptist activities to occur under the laws of the 17th and 18th centuries. A fine Baptist Chapel is found at the West End of the Village and it is reputed that John Bunyan
John Bunyan
John Bunyan was an English Christian writer and preacher, famous for writing The Pilgrim's Progress. Though he was a Reformed Baptist, in the Church of England he is remembered with a Lesser Festival on 30 August, and on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church on 29 August.-Life:In 1628,...
preached in the field at Meeting Farm