Stanford, Bedfordshire
{{Short description|Hamlet in Bedfordshire, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox UK place
|country = England
|static_image_name = Cottage on Mill Road, Stanford, Beds - geograph.org.uk - 171204.jpg
|static_image_caption= Mill Road
|coordinates = {{coord|52.05492|-0.30359|display=inline,title}}
|official_name = Stanford
|population =
|civil_parish= Southill
|unitary_england= Central Bedfordshire
|lieutenancy_england = Bedfordshire
|region= East of England
|constituency_westminster= North East Bedfordshire
|post_town= Biggleswade
|postcode_district = SG18
|postcode_area= SG
|dial_code= 01462
|os_grid_reference= TL163014
|website =
}}
Stanford is a hamlet in the civil parish of Southill, in the Central Bedfordshire district, in the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire, England. It is about {{convert|8.5|mi|km|0}} south-east of the county town of Bedford.
Geography
Stanford lies {{convert|2|mi|km|0}} north-east of Shefford, {{convert|3|mi|km|0}} south-west of Biggleswade and {{convert|20|mi|km|0}} south-west of Cambridge.
Landscape
The village lies within the Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire Claylands (NCA 88) as designated by Natural England.{{cite web |title=National Character Areas |url=http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/category/587130 |website=Natural England |accessdate=20 October 2019}} Central Bedfordshire Council has locally classified the landscape as Upper Ivel Clay Valley. Flat, open arable fields predominate.{{cite web |title=4C Upper Ivel Clay Valley |url=https://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/migrated_images/type-4_tcm3-12990.pdf |website=Central Bedfordshire |accessdate=20 October 2019}}
Elevation
The village is {{convert|43|m|ft|0}} above sea level.{{cite web |title=Stanford: elevation |url=https://routecalculator.co.uk/elevation |website=Route Calculator |accessdate=22 September 2019}}
Geology, soil type and land use
The village is surrounded by arable farmland and lies on glacial gravel (till) over Lower Greensand.{{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 |accessdate=22 September 2019}} The soil is highly fertile, freely draining and slightly acid but base-rich.{{cite web |title=Soilscapes Viewer |url=http://www.landis.org.uk/soilscapes/index.cfm |website=LandIS – Land Information System |publisher=Cranfield University |accessdate=22 September 2019}}
Stanford Wood, a pine wood with a small lake is to the east of the hamlet between Stanford Road and the B658. A gravel pit is shown here on the Ordnance Survey map of 1900.
A playing field in the middle of the village includes a playground area, basketball court and football pitch. Broom South sand and gravel quarry lies to the north-east.
The night sky and light pollution
Light pollution is the level of radiance (night lights) shining up into the night sky. The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) divides the level of night sky brightness into 9 bands with band 1 being the darkest i.e. with the lowest level of light pollution and band 9 the brightest and most polluted. Stanford has an index of 0.5–1 nanoWatts (nW) which places it in band 3. However, the night sky brightens towards Langford, Clifton and Shefford.{{cite web |title=Night Blight 2016: Mapping England's Light Pollution and Dark Skies |url=https://www.cpre.org.uk/resources/countryside/dark-skies/item/4311-night-blight-2016-mapping-england-s-light-pollution-and-dark-skies |website=Campaign to Protect Rural England |publisher=CPRE |accessdate=1 October 2019}}{{cite web |title=SG18 postcode |url=https://www.nightblight.cpre.org.uk/maps/ |website=Nightblight map |publisher=CPRE |accessdate=1 October 2019}}
{{Adjacent communities
| Centre = Stanford
| NW = Southill
| N = Broom
| NE = Biggleswade
| E = Langford
| SW = Shefford
| S = Clifton
| SE = Henlow
}}
History
The Domesday Book records eight land holdings in Stanford in 1086 and lists thirteen villagers, three smallholders and four slaves.{{cite web |title=Stanford in 1086 |url=http://bedsarchives.bedford.gov.uk/CommunityArchives/Stanford/StanfordIn1086.aspx |website=Beds Archives |accessdate=23 September 2019}}
In 1870–72 Stanford had a population of 385.{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/descriptions/925680|title=Descriptive Gazetteer Entry for Stanford|publisher=A Vision of Britain through Time|accessdate=2 February 2023}}
A water mill at the end of Mill Road was fed by a mill race from the Ivel Navigation but by 1916 it was no longer in operation.{{cite web |title=Stanford Mill |url=http://bedsarchives.bedford.gov.uk/CommunityArchives/Stanford/StanfordMill.aspx |website=Beds Archives |accessdate=23 September 2019}}
Stanford at one time had three public houses. Only the Green Man remains.{{cite web |title=Stanford Pubs |url=http://bedsarchives.bedford.gov.uk/CommunityArchives/Stanford/StanfordPubs.aspx |website=Beds Archives |accessdate=23 September 2019}}
Education
A small school was opened in 1899 but a falling role led to its closure in 1921 and pupils transferred to Broom. The building on the junction of Old School Lane and the B658 road is now a residential dwelling .{{cite web |title=Stanford School |url=http://bedsarchives.bedford.gov.uk/CommunityArchives/Stanford/StanfordSchool.aspx |website=Beds Archives |accessdate=23 September 2019}}
It is in the catchment zone for Robert Bloomfield 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=14/35}} - Map is on p. 34/35. Stanford is also in the catchment zone for Samuel Whitbread Academy, which has an upper school and sixth form.{{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.
Governance
Stanford elects three councillors to Southill parish council.{{cite web |title=Councillors by Ward |url=https://www.bedsparishes.gov.uk/southill-parish-council/councillors/ |website=Southill Parish Council |accessdate=23 September 2019}}
It is part of Northill ward for elections to the Central Bedfordshire Unitary Authority.{{cite web |title=Area, Ward, Northill|url=https://centralbedfordshire.communityinsight.org/map/?subregion=18599# |website=Central Bedfordshire Insight |accessdate=23 September 2019}}
Prior to 1894, Stanford was administered as part of the hundred of Wixamtree.
From 1894 until 1974 it was in Biggleswade Rural District and from 1974 to 2009 in Mid Bedfordshire District.
Stanford is in the Mid Bedfordshire parliamentary constituency.
Public transport
Grant Palmer operates route 200 a two-hourly Monday to Saturday daytime bus service to Biggleswade (journey time 9 to 15 minutes) and to Clifton, Shefford and Flitwick (50 minutes).
There is a weekly, Wednesday only service to Bedford by community bus operator, Wanderbus (journey time 26 minutes). Wanderbus also runs monthly services to St Neots and Welwyn Garden City.{{cite web |title=Stanford, Cent Beds |url=https://bustimes.org/localities/stanford-cent-beds |website=Bus Times |accessdate=22 September 2019}}
The nearest railway station is Biggleswade.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.bedsparishes.gov.uk/southill-parish-council/ Southill Parish Council]
{{Places in Bedfordshire}}