Milton Ernest
Timeline
Places > Milton Ernest
12th Century: The oldest part of the church is the chancel which has Norman work of the early 12th century; the chancel arch and the west tower are of 13th century date.
1271: Hermitage established here, held by Cauldwell Priory.
1612: Milton Ernest residents, Mary Sutton and her mother were tried for witchcraft at Bedford on Monday 30th March, found guilty and executed.
1695: The Almshouses built and funded by Sir Edmund Turnor.
1719: Underhill Robinson publishes the first book in Bedfordshire, Vindiciae verae pietatis or evangelical sanctification truly stated and vindicated: and the common mistakes of many detected. He was based in Milton Ernest.
1733: Earliest record of the Queens Head Public House.
1735: Five working mills recorded.
1785: Deeds relating to the Swan Public house date back to this year although it is probable that the pub was built before this date.
1803: Enclosure Act passed.
1834: The kennels for the Oakley Hunt built, the land was acquired for 314 and the stables and kennels were built at a cost of 859. At its peak the kennels housed 100 hounds and 30 horses, these remained until June 1972 when the kennels were sold. A housing estate was built on the site between 1976 and 1978.
1837: Smallpox Hospital built in a field off Thurleigh Road.
1839: Wesleyan Chapel built, on the 6th August 1944 Glenn Miller performed at a chapel service.
c1847: A brickyard was in existence by this date and continued to be worked until about c1869.
1851: The National School opened, in 1854 there were 45 pupils.
1854: Work started on Milton Ernest Hall and was completed by the summer of 1858 at a cost of 12,167. The hall was designed by William Butterfield for the Stacey family, to whom he was related by marriage. It is the only country house designed by Butterfield who is better known as a leading Victorian church architect. The stonework was quarried at nearby Pavenham. Work on the house started in the summer of 1854 and the family moved into the house in July of 1858.
1856: Watermill designed by William Butterfield.
1864: Restoration work on the church carried out by William Butterfield.
1872: The Milton Ernest Voluntary Controlled School opened; it was built to accommodate 119 pupils and replaced the old school on the village green.
1874: Milton House built.
1893: Further major work on the church took place again under the direction of William Butterfield.
1906: The Grange was built for Henry Curtis. During the World Wars it was used by the forces, while between the wars it was a private school. In 1950 The Grange was sold and turned into flats and in the 1990s the building became a residential home.
1934: The old stone Swan Public House was demolished and replaced by a brick building.
1944: During the Second World War Milton Ernest Hall became the American Eighth Air Force Service Command HQ; they had moved in during February 1943. Glenn Miller left for his ill fated trip to France on 15th December after lunch at The Hall, taking off from Twinwoods Airfield.
1959: The Village Hall built.
1970: Woodlands Craft Centre opens in March, the Wesleyan Chapel closes.
1972: The Oakley Hunt moves its kennels to Melchbourne and a housing estate was built on site between 1976-78.
1973: Milton Ernest Garden Centre opens in the grounds of Milton Ernest Hall on the 20th April, before moving to Radwell Road in August 1993.
1976: Wesleyan Chapel demolished.
1984: Milton Ernest Hall converted into a nursing home.
1993: On the 26th August Milton Ernest Garden Centre opens on its new site in Radwell Road.
1999: The Swan Public House closes in February.
2007: Princess Anne officially opens the Biogen Twinwoods Recycling Plant on the 11th September. (Bedfordshire Times 14th September)
Sources
- The Newspaper Cuttings Collection in the Local Studies Library at Bedford Central Library
- Victoria County History of Bedfordshire 3 Vols. 1912.
- NEWMAN, David The Importance of Milton Ernest : Village History and Heritage Trail. 2006.
Page last updated: 3rd February 2014