| Eggington | |
|
Eggington
Eggington shown within Bedfordshire |
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| OS grid reference | SP956251 |
|---|---|
| Unitary authority | Central Bedfordshire |
| Ceremonial county | Bedfordshire |
| Region | East |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LEIGHTON BUZZARD |
| Postcode district | LU7 |
| Dialling code | 01525 |
| Police | Bedfordshire |
| Fire | Bedfordshire and Luton |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
| UK Parliament | South West Bedfordshire |
| List of places: UK • England • Bedfordshire | |
Egginton – or Eggington as it is now known – is a village and civil parish in the Central Bedfordshire district of Bedfordshire, England, about three miles east of Leighton Buzzard. Apart from the village itself, the parish also includes the hamlet of Briggington on the road to Leighton Buzzard, and the hamlet of Clipstone to the north of Clipstone Brook. The hamlet of Leedon was in Eggington parish, but it is now part of Leighton Buzzard.
The village is relatively small – some 225 residents, living in approximately 120 houses; it now has an Indian restaurant, a church and a village hall, formerly the village school (which closed in 1984). The Congregational chapel was pulled down in the 1970s: the village shop also closed in that era, and the old Methodist chapel was converted to a dwelling in 1988.
Nearby places are Leighton Buzzard, to the west, Hockliffe, to the east and Stanbridge to the south. At the eastern end of the village is Eggington House built in 1696. In the 1970s this was the home of Sir Gilbert Inglefield (a former Lord Mayor of London) but is currently the home of Lord Slynn of Hadley, the first English judge to move from the Queen's Bench Division to the Court of Justice of the European Community in Luxembourg, where he was one of six Advocates General.
The White House – a former parsonage in the village – became a home for displaced children during/after the war. In the late 1970s it became a care home for the elderly.
The Horseshoes pub was replaced by Lavang – an Indian restaurant – in 2007.[1]
Contrary to the historic law, local resident and entrepreneur Anne Parkinson obtained a license to sell alcohol in the local town hall on a regular basis. Close friend who asked not to be named quoted her in saying "we were so successful on our first evening, that we sold out all 2 kegs of beer in the first two hours, and made £900. I can't wait for my pockets to be lined after the next one..."
The farming culture is something that has lived on through history in Egginton, and Egginton was made famous by the chief bull of the village, who was known only as Sam. The legend reads that Sam one day leapt over the cattle grid and ran rampant around the village. Having charged over 3 innocent bystanders walking their dogs, Sam actually destroyed a tractor when the local farmer tried to herd him back to his field. In the end, Sam was lured into the field using 100 virgin cows.
Stories were told in the 60's that likened Sam to the Minotaur, given his ability to speak to people trespassing through his field. It was later discovered that said people were in the field to pick rare opiates, and such conversations were only taking place in their minds.
In 2009, it is said that Sam the bull died age 109, the eldest member of the village.
Eggington is part of the political ward of 'Heath and Reach' which sends a Councillor to Central Bedfordshire Council. The ward includes the villages of Heath and Reach, Hockliffe, Eggington, Stanbridge, Tilsworth, Tebworth, and Wingrave. The ward was created in 2011 and has since been represented by Councillor Mark Versallion.
G. E. Calder, History of Eggington, privately published, 1985, ISBN 0-9511221-0-X.