Clifton, Bedfordshire

Clifton

All Saints Church
Clifton
 Clifton shown within Bedfordshire
Population 2,878 (2011 Census)[1]
Unitary authorityCentral Bedfordshire
Ceremonial countyBedfordshire
RegionEast
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post town Shefford
Postcode district SG17
Dialling code 01462
Police Bedfordshire
Fire Bedfordshire and Luton
Ambulance East of England
EU Parliament East of England
List of places
UK
England
Bedfordshire

Coordinates: 52°02′23″N 0°18′06″W / 52.0398°N 0.3017°W / 52.0398; -0.3017

Clifton is a village and civil parish in the English county of Bedfordshire. The original hundred of Clifton is named after it.

The original "hundred" comprised: The Parishes of Arlesey; Campton-Cum-Shefford; Chicksands; Clifton; Henlow; Holwell; Meppershall; part of Shillington; Lower Stondon; Little Holwell; Stotfold; Upper Stondon.[2]

The first recorded reference to Clifton is in 944 when it is referred to as Cliftune. Clifton is also mentioned in the Domesday Book. The entry reads:

Cliftone: William de Cairon from Bishop of Lincoln, Eudo FitzHubert and Nigel d'Aubigny; Leofwin from St. Benedict's of Ramsey; Alwin from Countess Judith. 2 mills.

All Saints Church, built in the 14th and 15th centuries was heavily restored in the nineteenth.

Clifton village is now a popular place to live as a consequence of its good transport links and proximity to the railway station at Arlesey.

Clifton was voted Bedfordshire Village of the Year in 2003, 2005 and 2009. It is today largely residential, but in the past it was a centre for straw plaiting. The original All Saints school was a "Straw Plait School" where children were expected to learn to plait straw from as young as four years of age. They would also be taught to read.

There was also once a small factory producing bottled drinks. Harwoods Mineral Water Factory [3] operated from 1880 until 1947. Harwoods produced Hops Bitters, Cherry Cider, Stone Ginger Beer, Lime Juice and Soda, and Ginger Ale and sold them to the pubs and shops of all the surrounding villages.

Samuel Whitbread Academy is also located in the village of Clifton. Clifton was visited by the Queen and Prince Philip on 17 November 2006 as part of a visit to reopen the school.

Amongst the facilities in Clifton there are a lower school, a butcher, a post office/village store and two public houses, The Golden Lion and The Admiral. There is also an Indian restaurant, garage and petrol station, a hairdresser and a bicycle shop. At the northern edge of the village is Clifton Cricket Club.

There is a duck pond in the middle of the village and a large playing field. A community centre has been built at the northern corner of the playing field.

English actor Ben Whishaw was born and grew up in Clifton.

References

  1. ↑ "Civil Parish population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  2. ↑ "British History Online". London: British History Online. Retrieved 2013-02-07.
  3. ↑ "Harwoods".
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