Caddington

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Caddington
Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire
Location
Grid reference: TL065195
Location: 51°51’47"N, 0°27’24"W
Data
Population: 3,846
Post town: Luton
Postcode: LU1
Local Government
Council: Central Bedfordshire
Parliamentary
constituency: 		Luton South

Caddington is a village and parish on the borders of Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. The village green and parish church are located on the Bedfordshire side of the border, with most of the residential areas on the Hertfordshire side.

The western border of the parish is Watling Street, to the west of which is Kensworth. The northern and eastern border are generally formed by the railway line and the M1. To the south-east of the parish is the parish of Slip End, and to the south is Markyate, in Hertfordshire.

Caddington village and the nearby hamlet of Aley Green are in the south of the parish. The hamlet of Chaul End lies in the north of the parish, and at the border with Luton lies Caddington Park. The Zouches Farm radio tower is situated in the north-west of the parish.

History

Caddington was once the centre of a thriving brick industry built around the rich source of clay. A "Caddington Blue" was a well-known engineering brick. The assertion relating to the Caddington blue is regarded by some as a little suspect. During the 1970s Bedfordshire County Council in conjunction with the Royal Commission On Historical Monuments (England), published the book "Brickmaking - A History And Gazetteer". The book identifies 17 specific sites within the Caddington locale which are credited with producing "Greys". The common name for the plum coloured brick produced from the flinty brick earths excavated from an area from Kensworth through Caddington to Stopsley is "Luton Grey".

Much of Caddington is now urban and there has been much residential development in recent years with the provision of local facilities such as shops, schools and a public hall. Caddington still retains its village green and nearby is the mediæval parish church, restored in Victorian times. Manshead School (formerly Dunstable Grammar School) relocated to Caddington in 1971.

Markyate Priory, disestablished in 1537, was situated in Caddington. Caddington has had various schools such as Willowfield and Heathfield Lower Schools and Five Oaks Middle School but these have since been combined into Caddington Village School.

Sport and leisure

Caddington has a Non-League football team Caddington F.C. and a thriving cricket club with three adult teams and a youth development section. It is also home to Caddington Chequers FC who compete in the Leighton & District Sunday Football League. The Chequers Public house have also sponsored Caddingtons newest football club, AFC Chequers Caddington who compete in the South Beds & district Sunday football league.

Football and Cricket fixtures are hosted at the Caddington Recreation Association in Manor Road which, as well as providing sports facilities also has a function room and members' bar.

Two local public houses can be found either side of the village green, namely The Cricketers and The Chequers.

Caddington has an annual village show in September incorporating a produce show, dog show and craft fair.

Places of worship

Caddington has a number of local churches:

  • All Saints, Church of England, The Green, LU1 4BG. – A lovely 11/12C church in the middle of the village.
  • St Thomas Apostle, Roman Catholic Church, Manor Road. (Served from St Margaret of Scotland, Farley Hill, Luton.) – A small church next to the Recreation & Social Club on the south side of the village. Service Saturday 18:00.
  • Caddington Baptist Church, 27 Luton Road, LU1 4AF. A dedicated church opposite All Saints. Sunday 11:00 and 18:15.
  • Aley Green Methodist Church (Methodist), Mancroft Road, Aley Green, LU1 4DR. – In the nearby village of Aley Green.

Notes and references

Brickmaking - A History & Gazetteer 1979. ISBN 0-901051-86-1

Outside links

 ("Wikimedia Commons" has material
about Caddington)
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