Dunton, Bedfordshire

Dunton

Dunton parish church
Dunton
Dunton shown within Bedfordshire
Population 696 (2011 Census including Edworth)[1]
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town biggleswade
Postcode district SG18
Police Bedfordshire
Fire Bedfordshire and Luton
Ambulance East of England
EU Parliament East of England

Dunton is a small village in the county of Bedfordshire, England.[2] The village is closely bordered to the counties of Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire. It is situated 3.6 miles east south east from the town of Biggleswade and is civil parish to the surrounding hamlets of Newton and Millow, possibly appearing as Meluho or Melnho, in 1396.[3] and where Dunton appears as Duntone.

Central to the village is the Church of St. Mary Magdalene. The 5th-century Anglo-Saxon architecture of the church consists of a chancel, nave of four bays, aisles and an embattled western tower which is illuminated at night by floodlights. The church's five bells were hung in 1887 in commemoration of the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria. The south porch was partially rebuilt and the chancel restored in 1861.[4] The church is a focal point for the local community, regularly providing events and services for everyone. The Dunton Folk Club, who organise a series of folk music concerts and traditional sessions throughout the year, are often hosted in the church.

Next to the church, on the high street is The March Hare freehouse which is the last of 5 pubs which once existed in the village. For a few years, the pub stood derelict and boarded up, but it was restored and reopened in 2010. It now serves local ale and Dunton's own craft cider.[5] In 2013, it was awarded the East Bedfordshire CAMRA 2013 branch pub of the year.

On the High Street opposite the March Hare is the former Post Office, which closed in 2006. In 2011, with cooperation with the March Hare, a plan is being developed to share the pub with a community shop.

The village has a small VC Lower School which teaches children up the age of 9. Dunton Village Pre-school was taught in the memorial hall, which was constructed in 1925. The hall is also used by other village organisations and is available to hire for events.

Dunton Village Pre-School was dissolved at the end of 2017 due to funding, however the Boomerang Before and Afterschool clubs still run from the memorial hall, there is currently discussion of Dunton Village Pre-School being re-started under an academy scheme however this is still in the planning stages.

Since January 2012 the annual Dunton Wassail takes place at Church Farm. A tradition where noise is made to waken the apple trees from their winter slumber and cider soaked toast is hung on the trees. Morris dancing, mulled cider, then the night is seen to an end with live folk music and acoustics at the March Hare.

The one and a half acre village garden is also located at Church Farm.[6]

Dunton has 3 bus stops situated on Cambridge Road – near Kings Pond Close, Hallside and Church Street – near the March Hare. The 188 Centrebus service to Biggleswade, Sandy and Hitchin via Henlow, Wrestlingworth and Potton runs on a 2 hourly bases from 0941 to 1736 everyday apart from Sunday and bank holidays.

There is a playing field with a sports pavilion used by a men's adult football team that play in the Beds Premier league and a reserve team that play in the Beds Premier Reserve Division 2. Dunton has added an under 15's youth side; these boys have a direct route into adult football and play in the Royston Crow league.

Dunton on a snowy day in 2009

References

  1. ↑ "Civil Parish population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  2. ↑ "Dunton, Bedfordshire". Archived from the original on 21 February 2011. Retrieved 21 February 2011.
  3. ↑ Plea Rolls of the Court of Common Pleas; CP 40/541. year 1396;http://aalt.law.uh.edu/AALT6/R2/CP40no541a/bCP40no541adorses/IMG_0070.htm; entry number 2
  4. ↑ "Church History". Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  5. ↑ "Dunton Cider". Archived from the original on 10 January 2014.
  6. ↑ http://www.duntongarden.org/
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