Stotfold

Stotfold Watermill stands on the River Ivel and is one of four mills in Stotfold that were recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086."Bedfordshire and Domesday", Bedfordshire Historical Record Society, Quarto Memoir, 1922 vol. 1, by G. Herbert Fowler, p.72 It is the only working mill left in Stotfold and is a grade II listed watermill.{{cite web|url=http://www.stotfoldmill.com/index.php?pg=bert_hyde.php |title=Stotfold Mill — Stotfold Watermill and Nature Reserve |publisher=Stotfoldmill.com |date=2013-01-18 |access-date=2013-05-26}} The Mill was fully restored after being burnt down on 15 December 1992.{{cite web |url=http://www.stotfoldmill.com/bert_hyde.php?pg=history.php#Randall's%20Mill |title= The Four Stotfold Watermills - by local historian Bert Hyde|website=www.stotfoldmill.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120307194502/http://www.stotfoldmill.com/bert_hyde.php?pg=history.php#Randall's%20Mill |archive-date=7 March 2012}} The Mill opened to the public in May 2006, with the formal opening taking place in October 2006, followed shortly after by a visit from the Duke of Edinburgh on 17 November 2006.{{cite web |url=http://www.stotfoldmill.com/history.php?pg=time_line.php |title=Stotfold Mill History - from Domesday Book to 21st century restoration |access-date=2011-04-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120307194511/http://www.stotfoldmill.com/history.php?pg=time_line.php |archive-date=7 March 2012 |df=dmy-all }} It has a 4.4 metre wide overshot corn mill waterwheel which is the widest in the country{{cite web|url=http://www.stotfoldmill.com/index.php?pg=history.php |title=Stotfold Mill — Stotfold Watermill and Nature Reserve |publisher=Stotfoldmill.com |date=2013-01-18 |access-date=2013-05-26}} and is currently open to the public with a tea room on alternate weekends in season (March to October) and on special event weekends.{{cite web |url=http://www.stotfoldmill.com/opening.php?pg=index.php |title=Stotfold Mill - A Great Day Out - Opening Times |access-date=2011-04-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716153140/http://www.stotfoldmill.com/opening.php?pg=index.php |archive-date=16 July 2011 |df=dmy-all }} The Mill is a charity run by the Stotfold Mill Preservation Trust. All money raised is used for the continual upkeep and restoration of the Mill and of the local area.{{cite web|url=http://www.stotfoldmill.com/index.php?pg=opening.php |title=Stotfold Mill — Stotfold Watermill and Nature Reserve |publisher=Stotfoldmill.com |date=2013-01-18 |access-date=2013-05-26}} Its major fundraiser is the annual Stotfold Mill Steam and Country Fair which takes place in May and attracted around 8,500 visitors raising approximately £20,000 in 2010.{{cite web|url=http://www.thecomet.net/news/weather_failed_to_dampen_the_spirts_of_steam_fair_visitors_1_296064 |title=Weather failed to dampen the spirts of steam fair visitors - News |publisher=The Comet |date=2010-05-10 |access-date=2013-05-26}}

File:St Mary's Church, Stotfold from south.jpg]]

The parish church of St Mary the Virgin dates to about 1150 but was probably preceded by a series of wooden Saxon churches on the same site. The church is built of flint with Ashwell clunch stone dressings to the buttresses and is mainly in the Early Perpendicular style. In about 1450 the tower was added and the chancel widened, and it is believed that the baptismal font also dates from this time; it is octagonal and panelled.{{cite web|url=http://www.stotfoldchurch.org.uk/History.html|publisher=stotfoldchurch.org.uk|title=History of St Mary's church - St Mary's church website |access-date=2016-12-21}}{{cite web|url=http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/BDF/Stotfold|publisher=genuki.org.uk|title=GENUKI: Stotfold, Bedfordshire – The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868) |access-date=2016-12-21}}

In about 1824 much work was done at the church which included plastering the roof of the north aisle and replacing both the mediaeval carvings and the 400-year-old pews, the latter being done by local contractor William Seymour of Arlesey. At the same time the old paintings on the walls were either destroyed or whitewashed over.[https://books.google.com/books?id=YTEB8cwULEoC&dq=st+mary%27s+church+stotfold&pg=PA670 Vol 27, November 1827], The Gentleman's Magazine - Google Books pg 401

File:Greenacre Centre, Stotfold.jpg

There are two tiers of local government covering Stotfold, at parish (town) and unitary authority level: Stotfold Town Council and Central Bedfordshire Council. The town council is based at the Greenacre Centre, which was built in 2016.{{cite web |title=Consultation: Stotfold Library, 2022 |url=https://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/info/38/consultations/1167/consultation_stotfold_library_2022/3 |website=Central Bedfordshire Council |access-date=3 August 2023}}{{cite web |title=Contact us |url=http://www.stotfoldtowncouncil.gov.uk/Contact_Us_22400.aspx |website=Stotfold Town Council |access-date=3 April 2023}}

Stotfold was an ancient parish. When elected parish and district councils were created in 1894 it was given a parish council and included in the Biggleswade Rural District.{{cite web |title=Stotfold Ancient Parish / Civil Parish |url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10099614 |website=A Vision of Britain through Time |publisher=GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth |access-date=13 April 2024}} In 1974 the Biggleswade Rural District was replaced by Mid Bedfordshire. At the same time, parish councils were given the right to declare their parishes to be a town, which Stotfold did with effect from 1 April 1974.{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government Act 1972|year=1972|chapter=70|section=245|access-date=13 April 2024}}{{cite news |title=Focus on Stotfold: An old town looks to the future |url=https://www.findmypast.co.uk/search-newspapers |access-date=13 April 2024 |work=Biggleswade Chronicle |date=30 May 1975 |page=27}} Mid Bedfordshire and Bedfordshire County Council were both abolished 2009, when Stotfold became part of the unitary authority of Central Bedfordshire.{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Bedfordshire (Structural Changes) Order 2008|year=2008|number=907|access-date=13 April 2024}} The parish of Stotfold historically included the Fairfield area, which was made a separate parish in 2013.{{cite web| url=https://www.lgbce.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/23098/Bulletin-of-changes-to-local-authority-arrangements-v3-FINAL.pdf| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180112042609/https://www.lgbce.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/23098/Bulletin-of-changes-to-local-authority-arrangements-v3-FINAL.pdf| url-status=dead| archive-date=12 January 2018|title=Bulletin of change to local authority arrangements, areas and names in England|publisher= Lgbce|access-date = 13 April 2024}}

It is 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.

Local news and television programmes are provided by BBC East and ITV Anglia. Television signals are received from the Sandy Heath TV transmitter.{{cite web|url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Sandy_Heath|title=Full Freeview on the Sandy Heath (Central Bedfordshire, England) transmitter|date=1 May 2004|website=UK Free TV|accessdate=31 May 2025}} Local radio stations are BBC Three Counties Radio on 95.5 FM, Heart East on 96.9 FM and BigglesFM is a licensed community radio station transmitting from nearby Potton on 104.8 FM and online. Full-time broadcasting began in April 2011.{{Cite web |title=Biggles FM |url=http://static.ofcom.org.uk/static/radiolicensing/html/radio-stations/community/cr000196ba4bigglesfm.htm |website=OFCOM |access-date=31 May 2025}} The town is served by the local newspapers, The Comet, Biggleswade Chronicle, {{Cite web |title=Biggleswade Chronicle |url=https://www.britishpapers.co.uk/england-eang/biggleswade-chronicle/ |website=British Newspapers Online |access-date=31 May 2025}} and The Stotfold and Arlesey News Magazines , a local magazine which is distributed free to every households in the town and Arlesey. {{Cite web |url=https://stotfoldandarleseynews.co.uk/|title=The Stotfold and Arlesey News Magazines |access-date=31 May 2025}}

{{See also|Sport in Bedfordshire}}

Stotfold has a Non-League football club Stotfold F.C., which plays at New Roker Park.

Stotfold was put on the map in 2024 with the founding of the "Stotfold Stunners" running club.

{{alumni|residents|date=October 2018}}

• Kevin Gentle (born 1959), former cricketer
• Nicky Hunt, Commonwealth Games Gold winner/Olympic hopeful (archery)
• Olympic and world champion track cyclist Victoria Pendleton was brought up in Stotfold. In 2007, the cycle track between Arlesey and Stotfold was renamed in her honour.There is also a golden post box in her honour. [http://www.bedfordshire.gov.uk/CouncilAndDemocracy/News/Shesoncetwicethreetimesalady.aspx Bedfordshire County Council Press Release] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081114133013/http://www.bedfordshire.gov.uk/CouncilAndDemocracy/News/Shesoncetwicethreetimesalady.aspx |date=14 November 2008 }}

{{Reflist}}

{{Commonscat multi|Stotfold|Stotfold Watermill}}

• [http://www.stotfoldtowncouncil.gov.uk/ Town Council]

{{Bedfordshire}}

{{Places in Bedfordshire}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Towns in Bedfordshire

Category:Civil parishes in Bedfordshire

Category:Central Bedfordshire District