Silsoe
Timeline
Places > Silsoe
1230's: The ancestors of the Grey family probably held the manor of Silsoe including the site of the future Wrest Park between 1230 and 1236. When the house was built is uncertain but by 1308 there was a capital messuage, a dove-cote and a substantial amount of land. A capital messuage was a chief house on a manor or estate
1319: A Royal Charter was granted for a weekly market and a twice yearly fair.
c1573: By this date the Wrest Park house was a substantial house that had been expanded from its medieval core of great hall, great staircase chamber and kitchen.
1796: Silsoe Lock Up built.
1829-31: Silsoe Church built, replacing an earlier chapel first mentioned in the early 13th century. The cost was 5,000 of which 4,000 was given by Earl de Gray. The first service was held on Sunday 20th February 1831. The old chapel consisted of a chancel, aisled nave, south porch and a wooden bell turret.
1830s: New House at Wrest Park built, some 200 yards north of the site of the original house. The foundation stone was laid on the 12th February 1834 and the family took up residence in Autumn 1839. As the new house went up the old one was demolished bit by bit.
1846: Silsoe was part of the parish of Flitton but in 1846 became a separate parish.
1884: Major restoration work on church with complete seating and re-flooring taking place.
1906: From 1906 until 1911 Wrest Park was leased to the American Ambassador.
1909: Edward VII visits Wrest Park.
1914-16: Wrest Park became a military hospital until it was damaged by fire in 1916.
1930s: Wrest Park was sold to the Essex Timber Company.
1946c: After the Second World War Wrest Park was brought by the Ministry of Public Buildings and Works
1962: Work starts on the new national college where agricultural engineering will be taught to residential students. The work completed in the Autumn at a cost of 350,000.
1981: Silsoe Bypass opened in February at a cost of 1.6 million.
1985: Major restoration on the church started.
1988: Village Hall modernised at a cost of 100,000.
1999: Silsoe awarded a 46,000 grant from the Countryside Agency towards building a Millennium Green. The Green to be built on six and a half acres of allotments in the High Street.
2003: The Lord Nelson Public House closes on the 15th January.
2004: Planning permission granted to turn the Lord Nelson Public House into a private house.
Sources:
- Newspaper Cuttings Collection, Local Studies Library, Bedford Central Library
- COLLETT-WHITE, James Inventories of Bedfordshire Country Houses 1714-1830. Bedfordshire Historical Record Society Vol. 74 1995.
- PICKFORD, Christopher Bedfordshire Churches in the 19th Century. Bedfordshire Historical Record Society Vol.79 2000.
Page last updated: 4th February 2014