Kempston Rural
Encyclopedia
Kempston Rural is a civil parish in the Bedford
district of Bedfordshire
, England
.
Kempston Rural was formed in 1896 when the old parish of Kempston
was split into two parts - Kempston urban district
(now the town of Kempston), and Kempston Rural parish.
Historically Kempston was a large but lightly populated parish, with a decentralised population pattern. The typical parish in pre-Industrial England had one main village, perhaps complemented by a few hamlets, but in Kempston the settlement around the church - Church End - has never has more than a dozen or so houses, so it has never dominated the parish. When urban growth arrived in Kempston in the 19th century it was concentrated in the eastern parts of the parish, around the neighbouring ends of East End
and Up End
(i.e. the area around the High Street and St John Street) and in Kempston New Town
, close to the boundary of Bedford.
Kempston Rural is to the west of the town of Kempston, and comprises approximately the western half of the historical ecclesiastical parish of Kempston. The parish includes the small hamlets ("ends" in local parlance) of Box End
, Church End, Gibraltar, Green End, West End, and Wood End
. These five ends each have a dozen or more houses, up to a hundred or so, with Box End and Wood End being the largest and most identifiable of the settlements.
The narrow south western extension of the parish was once known as Bourne End or Kempston Bourne, but the hamlet is now represented only by Meadow Farm. Other semi-forgotten "ends" in Kempston Rural - now represented by just a house or two - include Crow End and Littleworth End, in the Western part of the parish, and Moor End and Mill End, both of which lie to the north of Box End, towards Bromham
.
Not all of "rural" Kempston is in Kempston Rural: there is one "end" of the old parish - Kempston Hardwick
- which is now within the boundaries of the Stewartby
civil parish, and the rural land either side of Ridge Road at the Bury and Bell End Farm, is in Kempston Urban
.
For local election purposes Kempston Rural is in Turvey Ward, which also includes the civil parishes of Stagsden
and Turvey. The area is represented on Bedford Borough Council by Mark Smith, elected in May 2007.
All Saint's Church at Church End, was originally the parish church for the whole of Kempston, and is the most notable historical building in either part of Kempston.
Bedford (borough)
Bedford is a unitary authority with the status of a borough in the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire, England. Its council is based at Bedford, which is also the county town of Bedfordshire. The borough contains a single urban area, the 69th largest in the United Kingdom that comprises Bedford and...
district of Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Kempston Rural was formed in 1896 when the old parish of Kempston
Kempston
Kempston is a town and civil parish located in Bedfordshire, England. Once known as the largest village in England, Kempston is now a town with its own town council. It has a population of about 20,000, and together with Bedford, it forms an urban area with around 100,000 inhabitants, which is the...
was split into two parts - Kempston urban district
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
(now the town of Kempston), and Kempston Rural parish.
Historically Kempston was a large but lightly populated parish, with a decentralised population pattern. The typical parish in pre-Industrial England had one main village, perhaps complemented by a few hamlets, but in Kempston the settlement around the church - Church End - has never has more than a dozen or so houses, so it has never dominated the parish. When urban growth arrived in Kempston in the 19th century it was concentrated in the eastern parts of the parish, around the neighbouring ends of East End
Kempston East
Kempston East is an electoral ward and area within Kempston, Bedfordshire, England.The boundaries of Kempston East are approximately Bedford Road to the north, the Midland Main Line railway line to the east, with Elstow Road to south....
and Up End
Kempston North
Kempston North is an electoral ward and area within the town of Kempston, Bedfordshire, England.The boundaries of Kempston North are approximately the River Great Ouse to the north west, with Kempston High Steet and Bedford Road to the south east....
(i.e. the area around the High Street and St John Street) and in Kempston New Town
Kempston South
Kempston South is an electoral ward and area within the town of Kempston, Bedfordshire, England.The boundaries of Kempston South are approximately Kempston High Street and Elstow Road to the north, Ampthill Road to the east, with the A421 road to the south....
, close to the boundary of Bedford.
Kempston Rural is to the west of the town of Kempston, and comprises approximately the western half of the historical ecclesiastical parish of Kempston. The parish includes the small hamlets ("ends" in local parlance) of Box End
Box End
Box End is a small village located in the Bedford Borough of Bedfordshire, England.The settlement was historically one of the hamlets of Kempston...
, Church End, Gibraltar, Green End, West End, and Wood End
Wood End, Bedfordshire
Wood End is a small village located in the Bedford Borough of Bedfordshire, England.The settlement was historically one of the hamlets of Kempston. Today, Wood End forms part of Kempston Rural, and is the southern most settlement within the parish. Wood End is also close to Keeley Green, and...
. These five ends each have a dozen or more houses, up to a hundred or so, with Box End and Wood End being the largest and most identifiable of the settlements.
The narrow south western extension of the parish was once known as Bourne End or Kempston Bourne, but the hamlet is now represented only by Meadow Farm. Other semi-forgotten "ends" in Kempston Rural - now represented by just a house or two - include Crow End and Littleworth End, in the Western part of the parish, and Moor End and Mill End, both of which lie to the north of Box End, towards Bromham
Bromham
Bromham may refer to:* Bromham, Bedfordshire, a village in the county of Bedfordshire, England* Bromham, Wiltshire, a village in the county of Wiltshire, England...
.
Not all of "rural" Kempston is in Kempston Rural: there is one "end" of the old parish - Kempston Hardwick
Kempston Hardwick
Kempston Hardwick is a small village on the edge of the town of Kempston in Bedfordshire, England. Historically it was one of the hamlets or "ends" scattered across the parish of Kempston. It has a station on the Marston Vale Line which hit the headlines when it was revealed it only has one...
- which is now within the boundaries of the Stewartby
Stewartby
Stewartby is a model village and civil parish in Bedfordshire, originally built for the workers of The London Brick Company. The village housing and town community centre was designed by the noted neo-Georgian architect Sir Albert Richardson a later and more modern development than such...
civil parish, and the rural land either side of Ridge Road at the Bury and Bell End Farm, is in Kempston Urban
Kempston
Kempston is a town and civil parish located in Bedfordshire, England. Once known as the largest village in England, Kempston is now a town with its own town council. It has a population of about 20,000, and together with Bedford, it forms an urban area with around 100,000 inhabitants, which is the...
.
For local election purposes Kempston Rural is in Turvey Ward, which also includes the civil parishes of Stagsden
Stagsden
Stagsden is a small but historic village and civil parish located in northwest Bedfordshire, near the Buckinghamshire border. Situated on the main route between nearby Bedford and Milton Keynes, the village was bypassed by the A422 in April 1992, to allow the increasing amount of traffic to avoid...
and Turvey. The area is represented on Bedford Borough Council by Mark Smith, elected in May 2007.
All Saint's Church at Church End, was originally the parish church for the whole of Kempston, and is the most notable historical building in either part of Kempston.