Astwick

Astwick is by the River Ivel just to the north of Stotfold and lies {{convert|4|mi|km|0}} south of Biggleswade and {{convert|19|mi|km|0}} south-west of Cambridge. The Great North Road forms the eastern parish boundary with Hertfordshire. The A1 was improved around 1958; known as the Edworth to Astwick Turn scheme. It is the first non-motorway section of dual-carriageway north of the Baldock motorway bypass.

Altitude

The hamlet is {{convert|44|m|ft|0}} above sea level. The land rises to {{convert|74|m|ft|0}} in the north of the parish towards Topler's Hill.{{cite web |title=Astwick: elevation |url=https://routecalculator.co.uk/elevation |website=Route Calculator |access-date=31 August 2019}}

Geology and soil type

Land north of the main road through the hamlet is arable farmland and lies on boulder clay. To the south are pastures on largely grey and grey-blue clay but by the River Ivel is alluvium and river gravel.{{cite web |title=Sheet 204. Geological Survey of England & Wales |url=http://www.largeimages.bgs.ac.uk/iip/mapsportal.html?id=1003300 |website=British Geological Survey |access-date=30 August 2019}} The north of the parish has highly fertile lime-rich loamy and clayey soils with slightly impeded drainage. There is a narrow east–west band of freely draining lime-rich loamy soils followed by loamy soils with naturally high groundwater beside the River Ivel.{{cite web |title=Soilscapes Viewer |url=http://www.landis.org.uk/soilscapes/index.cfm |website=LandIS - Land Information System |publisher=Cranfield University |access-date=30 August 2019}}

The night sky and light pollution

Light pollution is the level of radiance (night lights) shining up into the night sky. The hamlet has an index of 1-2 nanoWatts (nW). This brightens to 2-4 nW alongside the A1 road but darkens to 0.5-1 nW in the western part of the parish.{{cite web |title=Map |url=https://www.nightblight.cpre.org.uk/maps/ |website=nightblight |publisher=Campaign for the Protection of Rural England |access-date=1 September 2019}}

Astwick was first recorded in the Domesday Book in 1086 as Estuuiche. Its name means east farm, 'east' referring to its location on the eastern border of Bedfordshire.{{Cite web |title=Astwick :: Survey of English Place-Names |url=http://epns.nottingham.ac.uk/browse/Bedfordshire/Astwick/53282b41b47fc407a9000307-Astwick |access-date=2024-02-03 |website=epns.nottingham.ac.uk}}

Archaeologist, William Ransom unearthed an Anglo-Saxon cemetery near Astwick in 1886. Finds, including a short sword and spearheads are in the collection of the Department of Medieval and Later Antiquities at the British Museum.{{cite journal |last1=Kennett |first1=David H. |title=Seventh Century Finds from Astwick |journal=Bedfordshire Archaeological Journal |date=1972 |volume=7 |pages=45–51|url=http://www.archaeologyuk.org/cbasm/index_htm_files/VOLUME%2007.PDF |access-date=15 October 2019}}

The Parish Church of St Guthlac dates from the 15th-century, although there is evidence of an earlier structure on the site. The present tower was likely the central tower of a cruciform church.{{cite book |last1=Page |first1=William |title=A History of the County of Bedford: Volume 2 |date=1908 |publisher=Victoria County History |location=London |pages=203–206 |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/beds/vol2/pp203-206 |access-date=1 September 2019}} An unusual feature is the protruding chimney; not normally something found on a church.{{cite web |title=Church of Saint Guthlac |url=https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101113827-church-of-saint-guthlac-astwick#.XWspeChKizc |website=British Listed Buildings |access-date=1 September 2019}}

Another notable building is the moated Astwick Bury, which dates from around 1700 and is Grade II listed.{{cite web|url=http://www.britainexpress.com/counties/bedfordshire/az/astwick.htm |title=Astwick, Bedfordshire |publisher=Britain Express |access-date=8 March 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-37802-astwick-bury-astwick- |title=Astwick Bury |publisher=British Listed Buildings |access-date=8 March 2014}}

Astwick Mill on the River Ivel was built in 1847 as a water-powered stone mill. It was converted to steam power in 1891 with the installation of six roller mills. In use as a corn mill until 1922, it is now a Grade II listed private residence.{{cite web |title=Bowman's Mill, Astwick |url=https://millsarchive.org/explore/mills/entry/7863/bowmans-mill-astwick#.XWswVyhKizc |website=Mills Archive |access-date=1 September 2019}}{{cite web |title=Bowman's water mill |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1393880 |website=Historic England |access-date=1 September 2019}}

The parish is too small to have a parish council and instead has a parish meeting.

Astwick is part of Stotfold ward for elections to Central Bedfordshire Council.{{Cite web |title=Election Maps |url=https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/election-maps/gb/?x=521809&y=238576&z=6&bnd1=CPC&bnd2=CTY+GLA&labels=on |access-date=2025-01-03 |website=www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk}} Prior to 1894, Astwick was administered as part of the Hundred of Biggleswade. From 1894 until 1974 it was in Biggleswade Rural District and from 1974 to 2009 in Mid Bedfordshire District.

For elections to the UK parliament, Astwick was in the Mid Bedfordshire constituency until 1997, in North East Bedfordshire until 2023 and is now part of Hitchin constituency.

There is a high intensity poultry unit at Vine Farm. The facility, as completed in July 2016, consists of eight poultry houses with a permitted capacity of 336,000 broilers.{{cite web |title=Vine Poultry Farm Case Study |url=http://www.clarkegroup.co.uk/case-study/vine-farm-case-study/ |website=Clarke Group Construction |access-date=1 September 2019}} Permission was given by the Environment Agency in October 2018 for an additional two sheds and an increase in total capacity to 442,000.{{cite web |title=Permitting Decision - Vine Farm |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/750881/Decision_Document_-_Final.pdf |website=assets.publishing.service.gov.uk |access-date=1 September 2019}}

Astwick is in the Potton Public Water Supply Zone (RW50). The water supplied by Anglian Water comes from groundwater boreholes and is chloraminated and classed as hard.{{cite web |title=Drinking Water Quality Information |url=http://waterquality.anglianwater.com/map.aspx |website=Anglian Water |access-date=7 September 2019}}

The Eastern Power Area of UK Power Networks is the distribution network operator for electricity.{{cite web |title=Check if you're in our area |url=https://www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/internet/en/about-us/areas-we-cover/#itop |website=UK Power Networks |access-date=7 September 2019}} Cadent Gas owns and operates the area's gas distribution network.{{cite web |title=Map: who operates the gas distribution network? |url=https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/key-term-explained/map-who-operates-gas-distribution-network |website=ofgem |access-date=7 September 2019}}

The two nearest general hospitals are Bedford (Bedford Hospital NHS Trust) and Lister Hospital, Stevenage (East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust). Ambulance services are provided by the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust. Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service and Bedfordshire Police cover the parish.

The majority of this community is in the catchment area for Samuel Whitbread Academy.{{cite web|url=https://www.bestacademies.org.uk:443/_site/data/files/governance/legal/8B8CB67B5833D0F23434CB8DA7134211.pdf|title=Admission Arrangements September 2025|publisher=Bedfordshire Schools Trust|access-date=2025-01-03|page=15/35}} - Map is on p. 35/35.

The nearest public library is Stotfold.

{{reflist}}

• {{Commons category-inline|Astwick}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070823193939/http://www.tudoroaks.co.uk/ Tudor Oaks Lodge]
• {{OpenDomesday|TL2138|astwick|Astwick}}

{{Adjacent communities

| Centre = Astwick

| N = Biggleswade

| NE = Edworth, Hinxworth

| W = Henlow

| E = Caldecote

| S = Stotfold

| SW = Arlesey

| NW = Langford

}}

{{Places in Bedfordshire}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Hamlets in Bedfordshire

Category:Civil parishes in Bedfordshire

Category:Central Bedfordshire District