Lidlington

Lidlington
Lidlington  Lidlington shown within Bedfordshire
Population	1,145 (2001)
OS grid reference	SP989390
Civil parish	Lidlington
Unitary authority	Central Bedfordshire
Ceremonial county	Bedfordshire
Region	East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	bedford
Postcode district	MK43
Dialling code	01525
Police	Bedfordshire
Fire	Bedfordshire and Luton
Ambulance	East of England
EU Parliament	East of England
List of places: UK • England • Bedfordshire

Lidlington is a small Central Bedfordshire village and civil parish surrounded by farmland, in the Marston Vale. The hamlets of Boughton End and Thrupp End are also part of the parish.

The village has an unusual Gothic style church built by the Duke of Bedford in 1845 and a thatched pub on its High Street. Lidlington is set on the southern part of the vale's 'basin'. The village has a lower school for 5–9 year olds named after Thomas Johnson, a Dick Whittington type character who was Lord Mayor of London in 1840-41.

Brogborough Lake (also known as Lidlington Lake) at the edge of the village is popular for birdwatching and windsurfing. The village has a village hall, two pubs, a hairdresser and a general store, plus a "farm store" on the A421. Lidlington has retained a daily doorstop milk and newspaper delivery service, but has lost its village post office. The village also has a single congegation Anglican/Baptist/Methodist church, who worship regularly in the chapel.

The village lies between the main A421 Bedford to Milton Keynes road and the A507 Ampthill to Woburn road. Lidlington railway station is on the Marston Vale Line which gives good access for walkers along the Greensand Ridge long distance footpath which passes nearby the village. Local speculation is that the ridge was the model for the "Delectable Mountains" in John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. Lidlington Hill may also be Bunyan's "Hill of Difficulty".

Lidlington is adjacent to the site of the Millbrook Proving Ground formerly Vauxhall test track, distinguishable from the air by its large circular track. To the north of Lidlington is Cranfield Airport used for small aircraft and training flights.

To the west of the village at the former brick works is a business park and the home to Amazon.com UK. The former brickworks to the east of the village are known as Lidlington Pit and forms part of the regeneration of the Forest of Marston Vale area.

Like many other villages in the area it was formerly part of the Duke of Bedford estate. Hence some London place names e.g. Bedford Square, Russell Square, Eversholt Street, Woburn Place and in Camden, NW1, Lidlington Place can be found near Mornington Crescent underground station.

Lidlington United play in the Bedfordshire Football League; the village also has a cricket team, and all-weather tennis courts at the recreation ground.

The February 2008 Lincolnshire earthquake shook homes in the village.

In April 2008 the area was listed as a site for the Government's 'ECO-town' competition.

In July 2008 the brownfield locations for the 'ECO-town' were dropped in favour of using the prime farmland surrounding Lidlington.

Early in 2009 the developers plans for an 'ECO-town' were dropped.

See also

• The London Brick Company

External links

• Lidlington No 'ECO?' town website
• Lidlington website
• Lidlington Church
• Thomas Johnson Lower School
• Greensand Ridge Walk
• Timberland Trail
• Greensand Ridge Relay
• Brogborough Lake
• Historic Time Line
• Lidlington during WW2
• Triangulation Pillar (trig point)
• British History On-line
• Green Sand and Oxford Clay — British Geological Survey