Edlesborough

Edlesborough

St Mary the Virgin parish church
Edlesborough
Edlesborough shown within Buckinghamshire
Population 2,754 (2011 Census)[1]
Civil parish
  • Edlesborough
District
Shire county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town Dunstable
Postcode district LU6
Dialling code 01525
Police Thames Valley
Fire Buckinghamshire
Ambulance South Central
EU Parliament South East England
UK Parliament
Website Edlesborough Parish Council

Edlesborough is a village and civil parish in the Aylesbury Vale district of Buckinghamshire, England. Edlesborough is also next to the village of Eaton Bray just over the county boundary in Bedfordshire, about 3 miles (5 km) west-south-west of Dunstable.

As well as the village of Edlesborough itself, the civil parish also includes the hamlets of Dagnall, Northall and part of Ringshall. Hudnall was transferred in 1885 to the parish of Little Gaddesden in Hertfordshire.[2]

Toponym

The village toponym is derived from the Old English for "Eadwulf's barrow".[3] The Domesday Book of 1086 records it as Eddinberge.[4]

Parish church

The Church of England parish church of St Mary the Virgin is built on top of a barrow and is a local landmark.[5] In 1975 the ecclesiastical parish merged with that of Eaton Bray, St Mary's was made redundant and since then it has been vested in the Churches Conservation Trust.[6]

The earliest parts of the church date from the 13th century. A chantry was added in 1338 and the tower in 1340. The closeness of these construction dates indicates how rich Edlesborough parish was at the time. Much of the church was altered in the 15th century, including the chantry, which has given the church a very 15th century character.

On 28 March 1824 the tower was struck by lightning, setting it on fire. The lead of the roof melted, and the molten lead set fire to everything it struck. Villagers fought the fire, which burnt for 12 hours until it was extinguished.

Furnishings

The 15th-century rood screen, pulpit with tester and timber roofs are all notable. In the 15th century six misericords were added to the choir stalls. These include carvings of a bat, a dragon and a mermaid. The misericord of the dragon also has some frog carvings for its supporters. There are some notable brasses.[7] A more modern addition is an Arts and Crafts movement 2-light stained glass window on the theme of the Nativity by M. E. Aldrich Rope.[8]

Economic and social history

The village was once a centre for the straw plait industry. RAF Edlesborough was a radio station near Dagnall.

Amenities

Edlesborough School is a community primary school.[9] It serves the 4–11 age range and has about 250 pupils.

The nearest secondary school is The Cottesloe School in Wing.

The village green has two football pitches, one enclosed tennis court and a cricket square. There is a small playing area for children.

References

  1. ↑ "Area: Edlesborough (Parish), Key Figures for 2011 Census: Key Statistics". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  2. ↑ Vision of Britain: Edlesborough Relationships Archived 2007-09-30 at the Wayback Machine.
  3. ↑ http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Buckinghamshire/Edlesborough
  4. ↑ Page 1925, pp. 350–361.
  5. ↑ Friends of the Church on the Hill
  6. ↑ "St Mary's Church, Edlesborough, Buckinghamshire". Complete List of Our Churches. Churches Conservation Trust. Retrieved 19 April 2011.
  7. ↑ Betjeman, John, ed. (1968). Collins Pocket Guide to English Parish Churches. The South. London: Collins. p. 127.
  8. ↑ Arthur, Rope. "List of works by Margaret Edith Rope ("Tor")". Margaret Agnes Rope, Margaret Edith Rope: Stained Glass Artists in the Arts & Crafts movement. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
  9. ↑ Edlesborough School

Sources

  • Gróf, László (1988). Children of Straw -– The story of a Vanished Craft and Industry in Bucks, Herts, Beds and Essex. Southampton: Barracuda Books. ISBN 0-86023-290-5.
  • Page, W.H., ed. (1925). A History of the County of Buckingham, Volume 3. Victoria County History. pp. 350–361.
  • Pevsner, Nikolaus (1960). Buckinghamshire. The Buildings of England. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books. pp. 114–115. ISBN 0-14-071019-1.
  • Archives of the Incorporated Church Building Society. "Edlesborough, St. Mary the Virgin". churchplansonline.org. Archived from the original on 13 December 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2009.
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