Chicksands
Coordinates: 52°02′13″N 0°21′36″W / 52.037°N 0.360°W
| Chicksands | |
 Chicksands
Chicksands shown within Bedfordshire |
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| OS grid reference | TL124389 |
|---|---|
| Civil parish | Campton and Chicksands |
| Unitary authority | Central Bedfordshire |
| Ceremonial county | Bedfordshire |
| Region | East |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United 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 |
| UK Parliament | Mid Bedfordshire |
| List of places: UK • England • Bedfordshire | |
Chicksands is a village in the Central Bedfordshire district of Bedfordshire, England and part of the civil parish of Campton and Chicksands (population 2,510[1]). It is on the River Flit. Nearby places are Shefford and Campton.
Chicksands was the site of RAF Chicksands, an RAF station during World War II. The station was used by the United States Air Force from 1950 to 1995. It was the location for its first huge FLR-9 direction finding antenna from 1963 to 1995. It is now home to the Defence Intelligence and Security Centre and the Headquarters of the British Army's Intelligence Corps.
Mid Bedfordshire District Council moved to a new office building on a part of the former RAF Chicksands sportsfield, adjacent to the A507, having previously been based in offices at Ampthill and Biggleswade. The new office, named Priory House, was officially opened by the Queen on 22 November 2006 accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh. The offices are now home to Central Bedfordshire Council.
Chicksands is also home to a managed Mountain Biking area.[2] This includes a variety of riding, from cross country to dirt jumping.
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[edit] Chicksands Priory
The Gilbertine priory of Chicksands was founded about the year 1150 by Rohese, Countess of Essex, and her second husband Payn de Beauchamp, Baron of Bedford. Payn and Rohese de Beauchamp endowed the priory at its foundation with the church of Chicksands and lands attached.[3] The priory was of the Gilbertine Order, a religious order formed by Gilbert of Sempringham (c. 1083-1189). It was only one of nine religious houses in England that housed both nuns and canons.[4] The men and women lived in different buildings and were separated in church by a screen. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 16th century, the priory passed to the Snowe family and then in 1576 to the Osborn family, who owned it for almost 400 years. Elements of the original building remain, but it has been altered over the years, not least in 1740 by the architect Isaac Ware and in 1813 by the architect James Wyatt, who designed the entrance hall, staircase and porch in the Gothic style.[5]
In 1936 Chicksands Priory estate was sold to the Crown Commissioners. In 1940, after a few months of naval occupation, the RAF followed and it became known, firstly, as RAF Chicksands Priory. In 1950 the USAF took over and continued on the site until September 1995. Chicksands Priory is a Grade II listed building. The group "Friends of Chicksands Priory" was established in 1975 and tours of the building were offered to the general public until the summer of 1996. They returned to reopen the priory, following intense restoration, 1997–98, in the spring, 1999.
[edit] Ghosts
The "fallen nun" Rosata, is said to have been walled up in the east wall of the cloisters and to search for her lover, one of the canons, on the 17th day of the month. This is the legend in its basic and original form (written shortly after the 2nd World War began) by one of the tenants of the Chicksands Priory Estate. Any subsequent addition is pure fantasy which has been embroidered over time. The Friends of Chicksands Priory only have "ghostly" records dating back to the beginning of the last century when the first recorded sighting of a ghost was mentioned by one of the residents. Subsequent writers have continued to add other details and with one or two exceptions these should be read with extreme caution. Anyone with a genuine interest on this subject should contact the Friends of Chicksands Priory who continue to give tours of the building and gardens.The details given below are prime examples of reputed "hauntings" which continue to appear in print without foundation:- [Rohese de Vere, Countess of Essex[Rohese, Countess of Essex]] is said to haunt the chapel, looking for her husband, Payn de Beauchamp. As well as this, the ghost of James Wyatt is said to haunt the whole of the east side of the priory because he loved the place so much. Thirdly, a ghost of an RAF airman is said to haunt one of the bedrooms in the west area, and in the same room, two little children, both boys, haunt the room, leaving people in absolute terror. The ghosts of three nuns are said to haunt the nunnery area of the priory, they have been seen walking together, and discussing Jesus.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Bedfordshire County Council, Population Estimates and Forecasts, estimate for 2007.
- ^ http://www.bedsfattrax.org Club website
- ^ http://www.chicksandspriory.co.uk/page3/page3.html
- ^ http://www.galaxy.bedfordshire.gov.uk/webingres/bedfordshire/vlib/0.digitised_resources/chicksands_az_topics_chicksands_priory.htm
- ^ http://www.parishmouse.com/bedfordshire/chicksands-priory-bedfordshire.html
[edit] External links
Media related to Chicksands at Wikimedia Commons
- Images
- Other
- Campton & Chicksands
- Chicksands Offices - Mid Beds District Council
- The Ghost at Chicksands Priory - Investigation report
