Cople
Timeline

Places > Cople 

1087c: Cople church built by the De Beauchamp family. The list of Vicars dates back to 1237. The Church was rebuilt in the 15th century.

1642-51: During the Civil Wars Cople was in the Parliamentary camp as Sir Samuel Luke of Wood End was an important Parliamentarian. He raised a regiment for Parliament and commanded the garrison at Newport Pagnell. He was immortalised by Samuel Butler as Hudibras. The vicar was a staunch Royalist and was arrested on trumped up charges, fined 100 and sent to Newgate Prison.

1766: John Wesley preached at Cople 12th November.

1770c: Cople Toll House built at junction of the main A603 Bedford to Sandy Road and the main Cople Turn. It is one of only two tollhouses that exist in Bedfordshire.

1847: Henry East Havergal became Vicar. He was a noted local vocalist and instrumentalist. He remained Vicar until his death in 1875.

1857: Rev. Havergal installed an organ in the church of his own design.

1869: School opened on the 1st February 1869.

1870: Almshouse for poor widows pulled down.

1886: Stained glass window installed in Church.

1901: School closed for four weeks due to a measles epidemic.

1926: New churchyard laid out and consecrated.

1940: 26 evacuees with their master arrived from Newhaven, Sussex. The school roll was now 73 comprising 42 Cople children and 31 evacuees. By 1942 there were only 11 evacuees on the register and by 1944 only 8 were listed.

1971: Cople House destroyed by fire.

1976: 24 houses built on the site of Cople House and the site renamed Woodlands Close.

1994: Cople School celebrated its 125th anniversary with a week of celebrations including a Victorian Open Morning and a Foundation Ceremony.

Page last updated: 23rd January 2014