Coordinates: 51°58′01″N 0°25′27″W / 51.9669°N 0.4241°W
| Barton-le-Clay | |
 The village sign Barton-le-Clay, Bedfordshire |
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.png)  Barton-le-Clay
 Barton-le-Clay shown within Bedfordshire |
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| Population | 5,000 (2002 est.) |
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| OS grid reference | |
| Parish | Barton-le-Clay |
| Unitary authority | Central Bedfordshire |
| Ceremonial county | Bedfordshire |
| Region | East |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BEDFORD |
| Postcode district | MK45 |
| Dialling code | 01582 |
| 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 | |
Barton-le-Clay is a large village in Bedfordshire, England, located at grid reference TL082310. The village has existed since at least 1066 and is mentioned in the Domesday Book.
Contents |
History
Ancient history
To the south west of the village, across the otherside of the by-pass is Sharpenhoe Clappers an Iron Age hill fort.
The Domesday Book
Barton-le-Clay Domesday Book entry, taken from 210d 2.
In FLITT Hundred M. The Abbot also holds Barton(in-the-clay). It answers for 11 hides. Land for 12 ploughs. In lordship 3 hides; 2 ploughs there; a third possible. 20 villagers have 9 ploughs. 7 smallholders and 6 slaves. 1 mill, 2s, meadow for 6 ploughs; woodland, 200 pigs. In total, value £10; the same when acquired; before 1066 £12. This manor always lay in (the lands of) St Benedict's Church. With this manor the Abbot claims against Nigel of Aubigny and Walter the Fleming 12 acres (49,000 m2) of meadow which lay there before 1066, but John of Les Roches dispossessed him wrongfully, and this the Hundred testifies.
Location
Barton-le-Clay is in Central Bedfordshire between Bedford and Luton, 30 miles (48 km) north of London. Nearby villages include Sharpenhoe, Silsoe, Westoning and Pulloxhill. The A6 which runs from Luton (6 miles south of the village) bypasses Barton and continues through Bedford (north of the village) to Carlisle. The bypass was constructed in January 1990.
In the south-east of the parish are the Barton Hills. Much of this area of chalk downland is now a nature reserve.
Places of worship
- Baptist – Hope Chapel
- Church of England – St. Nicholas Church[1]
- Methodist – Barton-le-Clay
- Roman Catholic – St. Matthew (Now closed)
Schools
There are two major schools in the village, Ramsey Manor Lower School and Arnold Middle School, together serving pupils aged from 5 to 13. The lower school only takes pupils from within the village while the middle school has a much wider catchment area including Westoning, Silsoe and Greenfield. Upper school children have to go to Harlington upper school.
Orchard School & Nursery is a small private nursery and prep school for children aged 0 to 7, on the outskirts of Barton in Higham Road. The village also has a pre-school.
Transportation
The closest railway station to Barton is in Harlington. Regular buses run through Barton and stop at the eight bus stops.
Clubs and groups
Organisations offer karate and football. A Rotary Club meets at The Bull Hotel.[2] Barton Players, the main local amateur dramatics group, hold plays and Summer workshops[3] for children in the village hall. However, it is open to new members who wish to join. There is a thriving youth drama group in the village called Up-Stage[4], including two branches for young people aged 13 and over called CentreStage and Stage Right. Barton also host Scouting and Guide organisations for all ages.
Football
Barton-le-Clay has a football team (Barton Rovers F.C.) who play at Sharpenhoe Road. The club played in the Southern League Division One East for the 2005-2006 season.
Public services
- Barton Library – Website
- GP Surgery Dr Sydenham & partners
War memorials
There are two World War memorials, one near the main road (on the junction between Luton Road and Hexton Road) and the other in the Parish Church - both have identical names. A list of all the people on the memorials has been compiled on the Roll of Honour website.[5]
St Nicholas Church – Restoration of 1879
Published by the NOF Digitise Architecture England Consortium.
Local newspapers
Two weekly newspapers are delivered free to all houses in Barton, with news about Barton and the surrounding area.
- Herald and Post (Luton based) – delivered every Thursday
- Luton and Dunstable Express (previously titled Luton on Sunday, Dunstable on Sunday or Bedfordshire on Sunday) – delivered every Sunday
Pictures
 The Bull Hotel in 1902. |
 A map of Barton-le-Clay from 1890. |
References
- ^ "St. Nicholas Church Barton-le-Clay Bedfordshire". St Nicholas Church, Barton. http://www.stnicholas-barton.org.uk. Retrieved 2006-11-12.
- ^ "Barton le Clay Rotary Club". Barton-le-Clay Rotary Club. http://www.bartonleclayrotary.org.uk. Retrieved 2006-11-11.
- ^ "Barton Players - Future Productions". Barton Players. http://www.bartonbydesign.co.uk/players/futureproductions.htm. Retrieved 2006-11-11.
- ^ "Upstage official website". Upstage. http://www.up-stage.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-11-11.
- ^ "Roll of Honour - Bedfordshire - Barton". Lynda Smith. http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Bedfordshire/BartonRollofHonour.html. Retrieved 2006-11-12.
External links
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