Museums · London
Biggleswade
Biggleswade ( BIG-əlz-wayd) is a market town and civil parish in Central Bedfordshire in Bedfordshire, England. It lies on the River Ivel, 11 miles (18 km) south-east of Bedford. Its population was 16
Steve F — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–3 h
- Best time of year
- Year-round
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
About
Biggleswade ( BIG-əlz-wayd) is a market town and civil parish in Central Bedfordshire in Bedfordshire, England. It lies on the River Ivel, 11 miles (18 km) south-east of Bedford. Its population was 16,551 in the 2011 United Kingdom census, This figure had increased by 36% to 22,541 at the time of the 2021 United Kingdom census. Evidence of settlement in the area goes back to the Neolithic period, but it is likely that the town as such was founded by Anglo-Saxons. A gold Anglo-Saxon coin was found on a footpath beside the River Ivel in 2001. The British Museum bought the coin in February 2006 and at the time it was the most expensive British coin purchased. A charter to hold a market was granted by King John in the 13th century. In 1785 a great fire devastated the town. The Great North Road passed through until a bypass was completed in 1961. A railway station was opened in 1850. From the 1930s to the late 1990s manufacturing provided a significant amount of employment. The town centre is designated a conservation area.
Photo gallery
From the Wikipedia article
Biggleswade ( BIG-əlz-wayd) is a market town and civil parish in Central Bedfordshire in Bedfordshire, England. It lies on the River Ivel, 11 miles (18 km) south-east of Bedford. Its population was 16,551 in the 2011 United Kingdom census, This figure had increased by 36% to 22,541 at the time of the 2021 United Kingdom census. Evidence of settlement in the area goes back to the Neolithic period, but it is likely that the town as such was founded by Anglo-Saxons. A gold Anglo-Saxon coin was found on a footpath beside the River Ivel in 2001. The British Museum bought the coin in February 2006 and at the time it was the most expensive British coin purchased. A charter to hold a market was granted by King John in the 13th century. In 1785 a great fire devastated the town. The Great North Road passed through until a bypass was completed in 1961. A railway station was opened in 1850. From the 1930s to the late 1990s manufacturing provided a significant amount of employment. The town centre is designated a conservation area.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
The area around Biggleswade is thought to have been inhabited from about 10,000 BC. Arrowheads believed to be from this time have been found. Sherds of late Neolithic pottery from a single Peterborough ware Mortlake bowl were found in a pit excavated south of Biggleswade Hospital. A Neolithic cursus and five associated ring ditches south of Furzenhall Farm show as crop markings on aerial images. Archaeological excavations in 2001 discovered a late Bronze Age pit to the north of the water tower on Topler's Hill. Iron Age pottery and a bead together with charred cereal grains of wheat and barley have been found in pits to the north of the town. In Roman times, a loop road known as the White…
Description
On 16 June 1785 a fire started at the Crown Inn and spread rapidly through neighbouring streets, destroying nearly one-third of the town. A national appeal raised funds for 332 people who lost their homes and others who lost their livelihoods. The Great Fire is among the historical scenes shown in a Millennium stained-glass window in St Andrew's Church.
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 52.0855, -0.2557
- District
- Central Bedfordshire
- Parish
- Biggleswade
- Postcode
- SG18 8EB
- Parliamentary constituency
- North Bedfordshire
Sources
- wikipedia: Biggleswade (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Biggleswade?
- Biggleswade is in London, in the United Kingdom — coordinates 52.0855°, -0.2557°.
- Is Biggleswade wheelchair accessible?
- Partially — OpenStreetMap notes limited wheelchair access at Biggleswade. Check ahead for specific facilities.