Cranfield
General History
Victoria County History of Bedfordshire

Places > Cranfield > General History

Part 30 Redbournestoke Hundred

Cranfield is a large parish of 3,998 acres, situated on a range of hills on the Buckinghamshire border. The soil is heavy, with a subsoil of cold clay. There are 1,757 acres of arable land, the crops being wheat, oats and barley, 1,654. acres of permanent pasture and 37 and a half of woods and plantations.

The village of Cranfield stands on high ground over 360 ft. above the ordnance datum and extends some distance along roads radiating from the church, which is surrounded by a shady churchyard. Some years age, when the church was undergoing restoration,

Roman coins were discovered in the churchyard. At the junction of the roads is the village pump and hard by are the schools. The street boasts several good shops, due probably to the fact that the nearest railway stations, Millbrook and Woburn Sands, are only 4 miles distant. The most conspicuous object, however, is the group of almshouses two separate portions of which were erected by the late Mr. James Goodman and the third by the Society of Friends. In this part of the village, which extends into the hamlets of West End and Tartlett End, are the Wesleyan chapel and two Baptist chapels.

Along the road leading north from the village lie some of the hamlets contained in the parish. At Broad Green there is a windmill still in use, whilst another one recently stood north of Gossard's Green. A third at Bourne End was burnt down a few years ago. Bourne End, which is served by a mission room, consists of scattered farms, of which Troy Hall and Hillgreen Farm are moated. The site of another moat is visible to the north-east of Box-hedge Farm.

The north-east end of Cranfield, known as East End, contains a Baptist chapel. From here a field path leads to Moat Farm, a small modern brick building almost entirely surrounded by a moat still holding plenty of water.

In the extreme west of the parish is the small group of houses called Wharley End. The remaining hamlet of Wood End is about three quarters the of a mile south of the village and contains little of the interest beyond a moated enclosure. The road connecting it with the village borders the park surrounding Cranfield Court, a large modern red-brick building with Bath stone dressings, in the French Gothic the style. It is the east of the widow of Mr. J., F. Hatfield Harter, and from its elevated position can be plainly seen from all sides.

Page last updated: 23rd January 2014