Putnoe
Encyclopedia
Putnoe is an electoral ward and area on the northern side of the town of Bedford
, Bedfordshire
, England
.
The boundaries of Putnoe are approximately Mowsbury Park and golf course to the north, Church Lane and Haylands Way to the east, Polhill Avenue to the south, with Kimbolton Road to the west. Part of the area is also known as Woodside.
: Putenehou: Hugh de Beauchamp. Mill. Part of Bedford.
The name in its present form has been around since the 16th Century, but was formerly known as 'Puttenhoe' and 'Putenho' indicating the spur or 'hoh' of land belonging to an unknown Anglo-Saxon settler Putta. The original farmstead may have been on the same site as Putnoe Farm which is now occupied by Puttenhoe Elderly Person's Home, next to Putnoe Street.
The area remained undeveloped farmland until after World War II
. At this time momentum grew in Bedford to plan the re-development of the town from its population of 58,000 to 75,000. This required the provision of a substantial area of land for housing development. The decision to develop the Putnoe area was taken in 1950, and the first phase of construction of the Putnoe estate occurred between 1953 and 1957.
, with all community services under the direct control of Bedford Borough Council
. Putnoe elects two councillors to Bedford Borough Council, both of which are currently Liberal Democrats
.
or business
estates in the area. Most shops
and services are clustered around a shopping parade located on Putnoe Street. A Costcutter
supermarket, a newsagent
s (Pinners) and post office
, a pub named The Bluebell, a café
, and a BUPA
Elderly Persons Home called 'Puttenhoe' are all located here.
Putnoe Lower School is situated on Overdale. The school now educates pupils up to the age of 11, effectively making it a primary school (the only one of its kind in the Borough of Bedford
). However the older children are educated at a different site.
The area's 9-13 year olds used to be served by Woodside Middle School
on Church Lane. The school site is being converted into a site for children aged 9-11, under the management of Putnoe Lower School.
Mark Rutherford Upper School
, located on Wentworth Drive is Putnoe's upper school
. By September 2011, the school will educate pupils from the age of 11, effectively making it a secondary school
(the only one of its kind in the Borough of Bedford
).
, located on Wentworth Drive. Bedford Athletic Rugby Club also has its ground here. The ground is used by local schools, and the club house is used by Putnoe community groups. Mowsbury Golf Course
and Squash Complex
is located directly to the north of the park, and is operated by Bedford Borough Council.
There is a community library
situated on Putnoe Street. The area has a regular bus
service into Bedford Town Centre, and there are many post and telephone boxes dotted around the locality.
Bedford
Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
, 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...
.
The boundaries of Putnoe are approximately Mowsbury Park and golf course to the north, Church Lane and Haylands Way to the east, Polhill Avenue to the south, with Kimbolton Road to the west. Part of the area is also known as Woodside.
History
Putnoe was listed in the Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
: Putenehou: Hugh de Beauchamp. Mill. Part of Bedford.
The name in its present form has been around since the 16th Century, but was formerly known as 'Puttenhoe' and 'Putenho' indicating the spur or 'hoh' of land belonging to an unknown Anglo-Saxon settler Putta. The original farmstead may have been on the same site as Putnoe Farm which is now occupied by Puttenhoe Elderly Person's Home, next to Putnoe Street.
The area remained undeveloped farmland until after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. At this time momentum grew in Bedford to plan the re-development of the town from its population of 58,000 to 75,000. This required the provision of a substantial area of land for housing development. The decision to develop the Putnoe area was taken in 1950, and the first phase of construction of the Putnoe estate occurred between 1953 and 1957.
Governance
Putnoe is an unparished areaUnparished area
In England, an unparished area is an area that is not covered by a civil parish. Most urbanised districts of England are either entirely or partly unparished. Many towns and some cities in otherwise rural districts are also unparished areas and therefore no longer have a town council or city...
, with all community services under the direct control of Bedford Borough Council
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...
. Putnoe elects two councillors to Bedford Borough Council, both of which are currently Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
.
Economy
Putnoe is almost entirely residential, there are no major industrialIndustry
Industry refers to the production of an economic good or service within an economy.-Industrial sectors:There are four key industrial economic sectors: the primary sector, largely raw material extraction industries such as mining and farming; the secondary sector, involving refining, construction,...
or business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
estates in the area. Most shops
Retailing
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
and services are clustered around a shopping parade located on Putnoe Street. A Costcutter
Costcutter
Costcutter is based in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Poland under which there are supermarkets and local and urban convenience stores. The banner also has its own brand of goods and products which are sold alongside Nisa Today own-brand products and branded products.As of December 2006,...
supermarket, a newsagent
Newsagent
A newsagent's shop , newsagency or newsstand is a business that sells newspapers, magazines, cigarettes, snacks and often items of local interest. In Britain and Australia, these businesses are termed newsagents...
s (Pinners) and post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
, a pub named The Bluebell, a café
Café
A café , also spelled cafe, in most countries refers to an establishment which focuses on serving coffee, like an American coffeehouse. In the United States, it may refer to an informal restaurant, offering a range of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches...
, and a BUPA
Bupa
Bupa is a large British healthcare organisation, with bases on three continents and more than ten million customers in over 200 countries. It is a private healthcare company, in direct contrast to the UK's National Health Services, which are tax-funded healthcare systems and do not require private...
Elderly Persons Home called 'Puttenhoe' are all located here.
Education
There are five state schools in Putnoe - Hazeldene Lower School and The Hills Lower School are both located on the same Stancliffe Road site.Putnoe Lower School is situated on Overdale. The school now educates pupils up to the age of 11, effectively making it a primary school (the only one of its kind in the Borough of Bedford
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...
). However the older children are educated at a different site.
The area's 9-13 year olds used to be served by Woodside Middle School
Woodside Middle School
Woodside Middle School is a Middle school in the Putnoe area of Bedford, Bedfordshire.The School normally admits pupils from Hazeldene Lower School, The Hills Lower School and Putnoe Lower school...
on Church Lane. The school site is being converted into a site for children aged 9-11, under the management of Putnoe Lower School.
Mark Rutherford Upper School
Mark Rutherford Upper School
Mark Rutherford Upper School is a coeducational upper school located in the Putnoe area of Bedford, Bedfordshire, England. The school is named in honour of the writer William Hale White who used 'Mark Rutherford' as a pseudonym....
, located on Wentworth Drive is Putnoe's upper school
Upper school
Upper Schools tend to be schools within secondary education. Outside England, the term normally refers to a section of a larger school. There is some variation in the use of the term in England.-State Maintained Schools:...
. By September 2011, the school will educate pupils from the age of 11, effectively making it a secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
(the only one of its kind in the Borough of Bedford
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...
).
Religious sites
- Putnoe Heights Church of EnglandChurch of EnglandThe Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
and Methodist Church, located on Putnoe Heights - Woodside Church (NewfrontiersNewfrontiersNewfrontiers is a neocharismatic apostolic ministry network of evangelical, charismatic churches founded by Terry Virgo. It forms part of the British New Church Movement, which began in the late 50s and 60s combining features of Pentecostalism with British evangelicalism...
), located on Dover Crescent
Community facilities
Putnoe's largest open space is Mowsbury ParkPark
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
, located on Wentworth Drive. Bedford Athletic Rugby Club also has its ground here. The ground is used by local schools, and the club house is used by Putnoe community groups. Mowsbury Golf Course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
and Squash Complex
Squash (sport)
Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball...
is located directly to the north of the park, and is operated by Bedford Borough Council.
There is a community library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
situated on Putnoe Street. The area has a regular bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
service into Bedford Town Centre, and there are many post and telephone boxes dotted around the locality.