Stotfold
Timeline
Places > Stotfold
12th Century: The present church has grown from a 12th century building which consisted of an aisleless nave and chancel. The north aisle began as a 13th century north transcript or chapel, extended to the west to form an aisle in the 14th century.
c1600: Stotfold Bury built, with extensions in the 18th and 19th century.
c1776: The Black Lion Public House opens.
1804: W. Shepherd starts his wheelwrights business.
1808: Boys' School opened.
1824: Methodist Chapel built.
1830: The Stotfold Riot of the 1st-2nd December was caused by the severity of the parish system in use in the village, 120 special constables were needed to quell the riot and two of the ringleaders, Henry Gentle and William Saunderson were transported for 14 years penal servitude to Australia.
1830: The White Swan Public House opens.
1833: The Stag Public House opens.
1838: The Cricketers Public House and The White Horse Public House open.
1840: The Sun Public House opens.
1841: The Rehoboth Strict Baptist Chapel in Church Road built.
1843: St. Mary's Girls' School built.
1844: The Coach and Horse Public House opens.
1849: The Two Brewers, Pewit and The Two Chimney Public House opens.
1855: The Pig & Whistle Public House opens.
1856: The Boot Public House opens.
1857: The Baptist Church built in Rook Tree Lane.
1858: The Fox and Duck Public House opens.
1865: The White Hart Public House opens.
1866: Stotfold House built.
1867: The Jolly Butcher Public House opens and the Wesleyan Chapel, High Street built.
1868: The Queens Head Public House opens.
1869: The New Methodist Chapel built at a cost of 1,400 as the old chapel was too small.
c1877: Brickworks were in operation by this date with production continuing until at least 1914.
1888: The Parish Hall was built, it was a corrugated iron building known locally as the 'tin box'.
1890: The White Hart Public House closes.
1900: The Boot Public House closes.
1910: The Jolly Butcher Public House closes.
1912: The White Swan Public House closes.
1924: The Sun Public House closes.
1927-8: The west tower of the church restored under the directions of Professor Albert Richardson, a nationally renowned architect who lived at Ampthill.
1928: The Cricketers Public House closes.
1929: Stotfold's first cinema opens on the 29th November, the cinema could accommodate 300 people.
1938: The Regent Cinema opens replacing the previous cinema which had become too small for the increased demand. Built at a cost of 12,000, the cinema had 700 seats with an orchestra pit and Wurlitzer organ.
1952: The Regent Cinema closes due to falling attendances.
1958: A new Salvation Army Citadel opens in Church Road.
1960: The Pewit Public House closes and becomes a private house.
1962: A new Village Hall opens near the top of Hitchin Road.
1963: The Queens Head Public House closes and becomes a private house.
1966: Stotfold Watermill ceases operating. Stotfold Branch Library and Clinic open at a cost of 25,464.
1967: The new Baptist Church opens in September.
1970: R. Shepherd & Sons, Wheelwrights and Timber Merchants closes on the 5th April.
1971: The White Horse Public House closes.
1984: Stotfold House demolished.
1985: The Rehoboth Strict Baptist Chapel demolished in September, two semi-detached houses built on the site.
c1990: The Black Lion Public House closes and becomes a private house.
1992: In December Stotfold Watermill is substantially destroyed by fire, however enough of the milling machinery remained intact for its grade two listed status to continue. In the same year St. Mary's School was demolished.
1993c: The Queens Head Public House closes.
1995: Work begins on the Arlesey/Stotfold Bypass in February.
1996: The Arlesey/Stotfold Bypass opens in March.
2001: The task of rebuilding Stotfold Watermill begins. (Biggleswade Chronicle, 20th July)
2002: First phase of the rebuilding of Stotfold Watermill completed. (Biggleswade Chronicle, 29th March)
Sources:
- The newspapers cuttings collection at Bedford Central Library.
- PICKFORD, Christopher Bedfordshire Churches in the 19th Century B.H.R.S. Vol.79 2000
- SMITH, C. Stotfold Reflections. 1993.
- HYDE, B. Stotfold Pubs and Publicans. 2002.
- PHILLIPS, G. A History of Stotfold. 1951.
Page last updated: 4th February 2014