Barton-le-Clay

Barton-le-Clay

The village sign
Barton-le-Clay, Bedfordshire
Barton-le-Clay
Barton-le-Clay shown within Bedfordshire
Population 5,000 (2002 est.)
4,992 (2011 Census)[1]
OS grid reference TL082310
Civil parish
  • Barton-le-Clay
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town Bedford
Postcode district MK45
Dialling code 01582
Police Bedfordshire
Fire Bedfordshire and Luton
Ambulance East of England
EU Parliament East of England
UK Parliament

Barton-le-Clay is a small town and a civil parish located in Bedfordshire, England. The town has existed since at least 1066 and is mentioned in the Domesday Book.

History

Ancient history

To the southwest of the town, across the A6 is Sharpenhoe Clappers, an Iron Age hill fort.

The Barton Domesday Book entry in Latin and English

The Domesday Book

Barton-Le-Clay Domesday Book entry, taken from 210d 2.

In FLITT Hundred M. The Abbot also holds Barton (in-the-clay). It answers for 11 hides. Land for 12 ploughs. In lordship 3 hides; 2 ploughs there; a third possible. 20 villagers have 9 ploughs. 7 smallholders and 6 slaves. 1 mill, 2s, meadow for 6 ploughs; woodland, 200 pigs. In total, value £10; the same when acquired; before 1066 £12. This manor always lay in (the lands of) St Benedict's Church. With this manor the Abbot claims against Nigel of Aubigny and Walter the Fleming 12 acres (4.9 ha) of meadow which lay there before 1066, but John of Les Roches dispossessed him wrongfully, and this the Hundred testifies.

Location

Barton-le-Clay is in Central Bedfordshire between Bedford and Luton, 34 miles (55 km) north of London. Nearby villages include Sharpenhoe, Silsoe, Westoning and Pulloxhill. The A6 which runs from Luton (6 miles south of the village) bypasses Barton and continues through Bedford (north of the village) to Carlisle. The bypass was constructed in January 1990.

In the southeast of the parish are the Barton Hills, which form the northeast extremity of the Chiltern Hills. Much of this area of chalk downland is now a nature reserve.

Places of worship

Schools

There are two major schools in Barton, Ramsey Manor Lower School[3] and Arnold Middle School,[4] together serving pupils aged from 5 to 13. The lower school only takes pupils from within the village while the middle school has a much wider catchment area including Westoning, Silsoe and Greenfield. Upper school children have the choice to go to Harlington Upper School.[5]

A small private nursery and prep school for children aged 0 to 9, Orchard School & Nursery, is based on the outskirts of Barton.[6] The village also has a pre-school.[7]

Transportation

The closest railway station to Barton is in Harlington. Regular buses run through Barton and stop at the eight bus stops.

Clubs and Groups

Barton-le-Clay has a football club (Barton Rovers), who play their home matches at Sharpenhoe Road. The club currently competes in the Southern League Division One Central.

Organisations offer karate and football. A Rotary Club meets at The Bull Hotel.[8] Barton Players, the main local amateur dramatics group, hold plays and summer workshops[9] for children in the village hall. However, it is open to new members who wish to join. There is a youth drama group in the village called Up-Stage,[10] including two branches for young people aged 13 and over, called CentreStage and Stage Right. Barton also host Scouting and Guide organisations for all ages. A local history group meets in the library on the last Saturday of each month at 10:30 am.

Barton is also home to a many groups as so called "roadmen" who speak road language and ride around the village on their bikes wearing tracksuits, sports caps and man-bags.

Public services

War memorials

The high street war memorial.

There are two World War memorials, one near the main road (on the junction between Luton Road and Hexton Road) and the other in the Parish Church – both have identical names. A list of all the people on the memorials has been compiled on the Roll of Honour website.[13]

St Nicholas Church – Restoration of 1879

Published by the NOF Digitise Architecture England Consortium.

Local newspapers

Two weekly newspapers are delivered free to many houses in Barton, with news about Barton and the surrounding area.

See also

Pictures

References

  1. ↑ "Civil parish population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
  2. ↑ "St. Nicholas Church Barton-le-Clay Bedfordshire". St Nicholas Church, Barton. Retrieved 12 November 2006.
  3. ↑ "Ramsey Manor Lower School Web Site | about us". Ramseymanor.ik.org. 15 July 2010. Archived from the original on 23 March 2012. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  4. ↑ "Welcome to the Frontpage". Arnold.beds.sch.uk. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  5. ↑ "Harlington Upper School". www.harlington.org. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  6. ↑ "Private School and Nursery: Orchard Independent School & Nursery, Barton Le Clay, Bedfordshire,Beds". Orchardschool.org.uk. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  7. ↑ "About Us". bartonleclaypreschool. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  8. ↑ "Barton le Clay Rotary Club". Barton-le-Clay Rotary Club. Retrieved 11 November 2006.
  9. ↑ "Barton Players – Future Productions". Barton Players. Archived from the original on 14 April 2005. Retrieved 11 November 2006.
  10. ↑ "Upstage official website". Upstage. Retrieved 11 November 2009.
  11. ↑ "Bedfordshire and Luton Libraries' Catalogue – Barton Library: Information". Galaxy.bedfordshire.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 4 February 2012. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  12. ↑ "Barton-le-Clay: GP Surgery". www.bartongroupsurgeries.co.uk. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  13. ↑ "Roll of Honour – Bedfordshire – Barton". Lynda Smith. Archived from the original on 17 October 2006. Retrieved 12 November 2006.
  14. ↑ Barton-le-Clay Church: Restoration Plan Archived 29 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine.
  15. ↑ "lutontoday.co.uk". lutontoday.co.uk. 25 January 2012. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  16. ↑ "Luton and Dunstable Express". www.luton-dunstable.co.uk. Luton and Dunstable Express. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
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