Westoning
Encyclopedia
Westoning is a village and civil parish in Bedfordshire located about a mile south of the town of Flitwick
. It is about two miles north-east of junction 12 of the M1 motorway
, and beside the First Capital Connect
railway line to London
and beyond. The nearest railway station is located in Harlington
, just over a mile to the south, although it is often considered easier to get to the railway station in Flitwick
by foot. Westoning's tranquil location has many public footpaths through the village's numerous farms. The River Flit
flows behind the Westoning stud farm.
and newsagent with a traditional village butcher situated opposite. There is a children's park fenced off from the rest of the recreation ground which provides various playground apparatus for young children.
The village is home to two public houses and a social club, Westoning Recreation Club (situated at the recreation ground on Greenfield Road). The pubs are named The Chequers and The Bell, and are located on Park Road and Greenfield Road respectively. At the top of Sampshill Road, Billington's Car Company have their storage area for stock. Flitvale Garden Centre is located just outside the village on the road to Flitwick.
The recreational facilities include Westoning Football Club, Westoning Tennis Club and the club holds a regular village tournament between its members.
Westoning Village Hall is situated in Church Road and is used to stage regular productions by the village's amateur dramatic society, the Westoning Players. The building dates back to the 1840s and has a long and colourful history of village life. The village hall also runs a pre-school service.
Westoning Lower School is situated in the heart in the village and is known for its many social occasions that include performances such as country dancing. Many performances are conducted at the village fair.
Westoning Recreation Club also holds an annual event to serve as a fund raising event for both itself and the Lower School. For the past few years this annual event has been a "Donkey Derby". The Recreation Club also holds real ale festivals twice a year, other events include a summer fête and church fête which are held within the recreation ground and vicarage grounds respectively.
and was once inhabited by John Bunyan
.
petrol tanker overturned in the High Street. The tanker subsequently caught fire and exploded, destroying eight houses. Twenty-one people were made homeless and over a hundred more were evacuated from their homes. Fortunately, nobody was injured in the blast but a number of fireman were hurt when their fire engine also overturned on attending the scene. Eyewitness accounts state that petrol seeped into the drainage system and cast iron inspection covers were blown into the air when the fire spread and ignited the petrol vapour in the drains.
Flitwick
Flitwick, pronounced , is a small town and civil parish in Central Bedfordshire, England. The nearby River Flit runs through Flitwick Moor, a nature reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest.-Location:...
. It is about two miles north-east of junction 12 of the M1 motorway
M1 motorway
The M1 is a north–south motorway in England primarily connecting London to Leeds, where it joins the A1 near Aberford. While the M1 is considered to be the first inter-urban motorway to be completed in the United Kingdom, the first road to be built to motorway standard in the country was the...
, and beside the First Capital Connect
First Capital Connect
First Capital Connect is a passenger train operating company in England that began operations on the National Rail network on 1 April 2006...
railway line to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and beyond. The nearest railway station is located in Harlington
Harlington, Bedfordshire
Harlington is a village and civil parish located in Bedfordshire, England, near the M1 motorway. The nearest town is Flitwick about three miles to the north...
, just over a mile to the south, although it is often considered easier to get to the railway station in Flitwick
Flitwick
Flitwick, pronounced , is a small town and civil parish in Central Bedfordshire, England. The nearby River Flit runs through Flitwick Moor, a nature reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest.-Location:...
by foot. Westoning's tranquil location has many public footpaths through the village's numerous farms. The River Flit
River Flit
The River Flit is a short river in Bedfordshire, England. It flows through Flitwick, then past Greenfield and Flitton, then through Clophill, Chicksands, and Shefford, then past Stanford, before meeting the River Ivel at Langford....
flows behind the Westoning stud farm.
Population
Westoning has a population of 2,001. The village is represented on the Central Bedfordshire Council; it forms part of the Westoning and Tingrith ward.Amenities
Located on the village high street is the small joint Post OfficePost 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...
and newsagent with a traditional village butcher situated opposite. There is a children's park fenced off from the rest of the recreation ground which provides various playground apparatus for young children.
The village is home to two public houses and a social club, Westoning Recreation Club (situated at the recreation ground on Greenfield Road). The pubs are named The Chequers and The Bell, and are located on Park Road and Greenfield Road respectively. At the top of Sampshill Road, Billington's Car Company have their storage area for stock. Flitvale Garden Centre is located just outside the village on the road to Flitwick.
The recreational facilities include Westoning Football Club, Westoning Tennis Club and the club holds a regular village tournament between its members.
Westoning Village Hall is situated in Church Road and is used to stage regular productions by the village's amateur dramatic society, the Westoning Players. The building dates back to the 1840s and has a long and colourful history of village life. The village hall also runs a pre-school service.
Westoning Lower School is situated in the heart in the village and is known for its many social occasions that include performances such as country dancing. Many performances are conducted at the village fair.
Westoning Recreation Club also holds an annual event to serve as a fund raising event for both itself and the Lower School. For the past few years this annual event has been a "Donkey Derby". The Recreation Club also holds real ale festivals twice a year, other events include a summer fête and church fête which are held within the recreation ground and vicarage grounds respectively.
Expansion
Westoning is considered safe from further development and expansion due to being bordered by the M1 motorway, Bedford to Brighton train line, and green belt land. The village has, however, seen substantial development throughout the last century with new developments including Highfields, Home Farm Way, and Manor Park Drive. Recently, Westoning Manor house was redeveloped into expensive and exclusive flats, while the grounds of the manor house were developed into very large four and five bedroom detached houses.History
The village is mentioned 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...
and was once inhabited by John Bunyan
John Bunyan
John Bunyan was an English Christian writer and preacher, famous for writing The Pilgrim's Progress. Though he was a Reformed Baptist, in the Church of England he is remembered with a Lesser Festival on 30 August, and on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church on 29 August.-Life:In 1628,...
.
Legend and folklore
Westoning is the location of "An Execution and a Miracle", a 12th Century legend. In the tale, a man named Fulke had refused to pay his rent of one denarius to a local farmer, Ailward or Eilward. On an upcoming holiday, Ailward suggested that Fulke should repay half his debt in settlement and keep the rest for drinking, but Fulke refused. Ailward flew into a rage and headed for Fulke's house where he broke in and he seized a grindstone and a pair of gloves. Fulke followed him, broke his head open, stabbed him in the arm, bound him, and, at the suggestion of the local beadle, accused him of stealing many more objects. Found guilty at his trial, Ailward was sent to the ducking pond where he would be found guilty if he floated and innocent if he sank (and drowned). Ailward floated, was deemed guilty, and was left at the side of the road, castrated and his eyes gouged out. A local farmer found him and took him home. After days of praying, Ailward's eyes and testicles grew back (though his eyes were different colours and his testicles were smaller than they had been before). He devoted the rest of his years to St. Thomas. A slightly amended, animated version of the legend has been produced online.Notable events
Westoning made news headlines on 11 September 1976 when, at 07:10am, a TexacoTexaco
Texaco is the name of an American oil retail brand. Its flagship product is its fuel "Texaco with Techron". It also owns the Havoline motor oil brand....
petrol tanker overturned in the High Street. The tanker subsequently caught fire and exploded, destroying eight houses. Twenty-one people were made homeless and over a hundred more were evacuated from their homes. Fortunately, nobody was injured in the blast but a number of fireman were hurt when their fire engine also overturned on attending the scene. Eyewitness accounts state that petrol seeped into the drainage system and cast iron inspection covers were blown into the air when the fire spread and ignited the petrol vapour in the drains.
External links
- An Execution and a Miracle – An animated version of the Legend
- The History of Westoning
- Village Hall
- Flitvale Garden Centre
- Westoning Baptist Church
- 2001 Census information on Westoning
- Westoning Pre-school