Milton Ernest

{{Short description|Village in Bedfordshire, England}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}

{{Use British English|date=July 2016}}

{{Infobox UK place

|country = England

|static_image_name = Milton Ernest church - geograph.org.uk - 78425.jpg

|static_image_caption= All Saints' Church

|coordinates = {{coord|52.1833|-0.5166|display=inline,title}}

|official_name = Milton Ernest

|population = 754

|population_ref= (2001)
767 (2011 Census)

|unitary_england= Bedford

|lieutenancy_england = Bedfordshire

|region= East of England

|constituency_westminster= North Bedfordshire

|post_town= BEDFORD

|postcode_district = MK44

|postcode_area= MK

|dial_code= 01234

|os_grid_reference= TL014025

}}

Milton Ernest is a village and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England, about {{convert|5|mi|km}} north of Bedford itself. It had a population of 754 in 2001.[http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/viewFullDataset.do?instanceSelection=03070&productId=779&$ph=60_61&datasetInstanceId=3070&startColumn=1&numberOfColumns=8&containerAreaId=790321 Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Parish Headcounts : Bedford] Retrieved 14 March 2010 This had risen to 761 according to the 2011 census.//www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=11126594&c=Milton+Ernest&d=16&e=61&g=6402947&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1382522746743&enc=1&dsFamilyId=2575 The village is situated on the east bank of the River Great Ouse, and is the site of Milton Ernest Hall, which was used as the United States Eighth Air Force's support command headquarters in the Second World War.[http://www.mboss.f9.co.uk/twinwood/hall.htm Twinwood Airfield : Milton Ernest Hall] Retrieved 14 March 2010

The village is named in the Domesday Book in the hundred of Stodden.[http://opendomesday.org/place/TL0156/milton-ernest/ Open Domesday Online: Milton Ernest], accessed 1 Jul 2017 The entry reads:

"Middletone / Mildentone: Miles Crispin and William Basset from Hugh de Beauchamp; Thorgils from Nigel d'Aubigny; Reginald from Walter of Flanders; Ivo, Hugh de Grandmesnil's steward from Adelaide, Hugh de Grandmesnil's wife; a beadle from the king. Mill."{{Cite web|url=http://www.domesdaybook.co.uk/bedfordshire2.html|title=The Domesday Book Online - Bedfordshire K-Z|website=www.domesdaybook.co.uk}}

All Saints' Church was built between the 12th and 15th centuries.[http://www.crsbi.ac.uk/search/location/milton%20ernest*/site/ed-bd-miler.html Corpus of Romanesque Sculpture in Britain and Ireland : All Saints, Milton Ernest, Bedfordshire] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605215932/http://www.crsbi.ac.uk/search/location/milton%20ernest*/site/ed-bd-miler.html |date=5 June 2011 }} Retrieved 14 March 2010

Possible variations in spelling may include "Milton Harneys", in 1396,Plea Rolls of the Court of Common Pleas, in 1430; CP 40 / 541; National Archives; [https://web.archive.org/web/20160303225322/http://aalt.law.uh.edu/AALT6/R2/CP40no541a/bCP40no541adorses/IMG_0190.htm]; 8th entry, lines 1 & 2 & "Midelton Erneys", in 1430.Plea Rolls of the Court of Common Pleas, in 1430; CP 40 / 677; National Archives; http://aalt.law.uh.edu/AALT1/H6/CP40no677/aCP40no677fronts/IMG_0352.htm; 4th entry; the home village of John Strete, husbandman The first half of the name means "Middle Farm". The second half of the name is derived from the name of the main manor of the village and was added in the 13th century to distinguish it from Bedfordshire's other Milton (Bryant).

Milton Ernest has a small voluntary controlled village [https://web.archive.org/web/20130828191932/http://www.miltonernestschool.ik.org/ school], closely linked to the church, that has between 60 and 65 pupils drawn from this and surrounding villages.http://www.miltonernestschool.ik.org {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130828191932/http://www.miltonernestschool.ik.org/ |date=28 August 2013 }} Retrieved 14 March 2010 The secondary school for the area is Sharnbrook Academy, in the village of Sharnbrook, located around {{convert|3|mi|km}} away.

File:In the Mood at Milton Ernest Hall (geograph 3458855).jpg

On 15 December 1944, Glenn Miller took off from RAF Twinwood Farm, in neighbouring Clapham, on his last, ill-fated flight, and was last seen in public in the Queen's Head Hotel in Milton Ernest before he disappeared. A plaque at Milton Ernest Hall honours Major Glenn Miller and members of the United States Eighth Air Force, it reads "In memory of all the personnel who served in World War II at Milton Ernest Hall headquarters USAAF Eight Air Force Service Command Station 608 1943-1946, also Major Glenn Miller & the band of the Allied Expeditionary Force who were stationed here from July to December 1944".

The controversial Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre is located in the parish.

Milton Ernest was also home to the UK's first indoor skydiving and indoor surfing facilities. However both have now ceased operations.

A book entitled "The Importance of Milton Ernest"{{Cite web |url=http://milton-ernest.co.uk/milton-ernest-home-page/the-importance-of-milton-ernest/ |title=The Importance of Milton Ernest | Milton Ernest Parish Council Village Website |access-date=23 October 2013 |archive-date=8 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130808151228/http://milton-ernest.co.uk/milton-ernest-home-page/the-importance-of-milton-ernest/ |url-status=dead }} was published by David Newman and details the above and much more of Milton Ernest history and prominence