Page Author: Alan D. Winter
This page for my "heritage" jottings about Houghton RegisHOUGHTON-REGIS, a village and a parish in Luton district, Beds. The village stands near Watling-street, 1 mile N of Dunstable r. station; and has a post-office under Dunstable. The parish contains also the hamlets of Bidwell, Puddle-hill, Sewell, and Thorn. Acres, 4,500. Real property, £8,920. Pop., 2,169. Houses, 452. The property is divided among a few. The manor belongs to the Duke of Bedford. Houghton Hall is the seat of H. Brandreth, Esq. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Ely. Value, £400.* Patron, the Duke of Bedford. The church is early English; was recently restored; consists of nave, aisles, and chancel, with a a tower; and contains an effigies of a knight and monuments of the Brandreths. There are chapels for Baptists, Wesleyans, and Primitive Methodists, a large national school of 1847, an endowed school with £50 a-year, and a charity with £10. Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales, 1866
PLACENAMES
In "A History of Bedfordshire", in reference to Houghton Regis, the book mentions that the following place names have been found:
LE VONTE
BOCHAMFORLONG
POLEYNNESCROUCH
THERINGSDENE
TETLOWE
LE REDEBRADE
TWAME
LENETHEZEMERE
LETUS
LE OTEDEN
LYTAREHUL
OTEHUL
TETLOWE ~ "A topographical surname. From the Old English personal name Taeta from the old Norse word Teitr meaning cheerful and the Old English word leah meaning wood clearing. So, a Tetlowe lived close to Taeta's wood clearing.
LETUS - A French surname.
more research needed on the others.
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Rabbit Lane
Whenever I have used "Rabbit Lane", I have always meant it to mean that footpath/cycle track on the western edge of Houghton Hall Park, which comes out at Porz Avenue.
But I have an image of the 1762 survey map, copied in 1766, that refers to this as "Cook Lane" leading south from a point west of Houghton Hall. A little further over to the west is another track labelled "Adams Lane" which is more likely to be the present day route. Adams Lane and Cook Lane converge and become labelled, "Wood Way" a little further to the south.
The same route is referred to as "Malmsley Lane" in a 1946 map.
Pam Cameron, refers to it as Rabbit Lane in her account recorded here . Mrs Cameron says that Rabbit Lane ran alongside of Houghton Hall, it was named due to the number of Rabbits there. She remembers a relative going down there with Ferrets trying to catch the Rabbits, he had permission from Colonel Part first!
So, I need help here. Where is the proof of the name Rabbit Lane written? Or was it just colloquially known as Rabbit Lane?
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1955 Aerial View and Conservation Area
44 Page 2008 Document, Conservation Area and Management Plan for Houghton Regis - 1955 aerial view of town centre. Held by CBC - Also a copy held here (Alan Winter's Google Drive).
A summary of heritage buildings in the conservation area is contained in the planning application for an additional building in the grounds of Treow House, 2015, application CB/15/00957.
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Spooky Woodlands Avenue
Hazel Keane: "Mum woke up one night and saw a man standing at the bottom of the bed. In the morning dad came home from working nights to find the front door keys in the lock of the front door. Having said that my auntie was a district nurse and was told many stories from the old folk of the village. One story was that there was a murder under the big tree in the lane behind 42 and 43 Woodlands."16 November at 21:48 Facebook
Catherine Hirst: "Woodlands is a spooky road. Once three of my brothers saw what appeared to be a young girl in 17th century clothes gliding along the long path about a foot above the ground. Mum went to the library and found out that in the 17th century a lane ran along that line and it was higher than the path is now."
16 November at 20:27, Facebook
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Moore Crescent.
Moore Crescent Recreation Ground was acquired by the Town Council via a series of transfers between May 2000 and October 2001. Certainly, the Town Council is the owner under Title Number BD221973.
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Houghton Regis Quarry: Kenneth Moore, The Man in The Moon, 1960
The film was about a group of pioneers who ran out of money in their quest to go to the moon, so they plonked a craft in our Houghton Regis quarry, and pretended they had landed. And you wondered where conspiracy theories started?
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CUMBERLAND Richard Cumberland gravestone at All Saints churchyard states that he was Headmaster of the (Thomas) Whitehead Free School for 53 years. He died in May 1874 aged 87. Richard Cumberland was born in Houghton Regis and his baptism was at All Saints Church Houghton Regis on the 31st October 1788. He was the son of William and Ann Cumberland. The Cumberland family was a large Houghton Regis family, they appear in Houghton Regis around 1650 about the same time as the Brandreths and seem to have moved on by the end of the First World war. Cumberland St appears on the 1880 ordnance survey map of Houghton.
C. 3120. Grant by Matthew de Bayfeld of Dunstaple, clerk, to Gregory Sawine of Houtone, of land in Houtone, parts lying in the north field at Borhamforlong and Nynaker extending northwards upon Haselgraveforlong, and beyond Fancotepath, and parts in the little field, at Poleynnescrouch &c. with meadow at Podele extending northwards upon the pasture of the lord of Eyton &c. St. Peter ad vincula, 32 Edward I. Injured.
SOURCE : Deeds, C.3101 - C.3200, Sponsor, History of Parliament Trust
Publication: A Descriptive Catalogue of Ancient Deeds: Volume 3
Author: H. C. Maxwell Lyte (editor)
THERINGSDENE:
C. 793. Grant by Henry le Smyth, of Dunstable, to Thomas de Chetindon, and Alice his wife, of land in the fields of Dunstable, Houghton Regis and Toturno, part thereof extending upon Carterweys, part in Theringsdene, &c. Tuesday after St. Andrew the Apostle, 12 Edward III. Seal.
SOURCE Deeds, C.701 - C.800, Sponsor, History of Parliament Trust
Publication: A Descriptive Catalogue of Ancient Deeds: Volume 1
Author: H. C. Maxwell Lyte (editor), Year published: 1890
Manor Park Estate
February 1950. Local newspaper reported that The HR Parish Council had suggested names for a new housing estate: Dusty Avenue, Manor Park Estate, Strange's Folly, Beechwood Avenue, Robin Hood Estate, Cumberland Estate. Manor Park Estate won. Mr Sandford protested saying, "It is not a suitable site for a housing estate, and I am afraid that the council will have all the backwash when houses are erected." T. Strange of 20 Park Avenue wrote a letter to the paper deploring the name "Manor Park", as the landowners of Manor Park had done all in their power to stop the village getting the site. The following week a letter from Mr Sandford suggested that Mr Strange should attend parish council meetings to find out what business was being done, and then criticism would be welcome. Mr Strange wrote back accusing Mr Sandford of misquoting him.AYLESBURY DUCKS
Luton Times and Advertiser - Friday 22 January 1909.
"The late Mr. Joseph Green was probably the largest breeder of ducks in this country. His farm at Bidwell during the busy duck breeding season was a wonderful sight, meadow after meadow being crosly covered with the thouands of ducklings which he would be rearing for the London markets."
"It may be reasonably conjectured that there are far more 'Aylesbury' ducks put on the markets of London from South Bedfordshire than ever see the light near Aylesbury. A stranger to the district would be astonished to watch the celerity with which some of the experienced hands kill and pluck the ducklings on some of these local duck farms. In the height of the season sometimes on a single farm from 200 to 300 are killed daily and plucked ready for market".
Ever wondered how Sundon Road got its name?
The Parish clerk had been in the habit of referring to the unmarked road leading from the pond opposite The Chequers leading towards Chalton Cross as Chalton Road. But in June 1956 the question was asked as to what the name of the road actually was. After discussion, the councillors resolved to ask the Luton Rural District Council. In July the reply came back from LRDC requesting HRPC decide what they wanted it to be known as. A vote was taken on Sundon Road or Chalton Road, and the former won by 5 votes to 4, whereupon the LRDC were asked to supply signage and renumber houses in the road. (source: Houghton Regis Parish archives)There are six bells in All Saints' belfry. Inscriptions:
1. John Briant Hertford Fecit 1815
2. J. Briant Hertford 1816
3. Newcombe made mee 1616
4. J Briant Hertford fecit 1811
5. O.B. John Dier made me 1580
6. Anthony Chandler made mee 1673
(3rd and 5th recast 1899)
The 5th bell is probably the earliest dated in the county.
This information comes from a map of the church.
http://www.allsaintshoughtonr.org.uk/the_church_bells_96.html
Bedfordshire's Yesteryears: War Times and Civil Matters v. 4
edited by Brenda Fraser-Newsteadp183. ISBN 1-871199-23-9
CLAUDE HORWOOD, b. 7 August 1911.
"My grandfather was a chemist in Dunstable and later at Wooton and Webb pharmacy. He then had his own shop in Brunswick Street. He moved from Houghton Regis to Luton while my father was still young. My father often used to meet him from work and it was very seldom that he saw any vehicle on the road between Luton and Dunstable - just the miller's wagon and carrier's cart which plied between Luton and Dunstable two days a week. The route was a dark lane from the area where Dunstable Road begins in the centre of Luton, up to Dunstable Road, with high hedges and overhanging trees. Father was frightened of going along this lane at night during winter, but when the light evenings came he would go to meet his father."
"My mother lived to be a little short of a hundred and has now been dead some thirty years. I was born when she was about forty-five. What she and father told me goes back many years. They lived in Houghton Regis before they married. My mother used to walk from Houghton Regis to the centre of Luton each day before she married, and worked a twelve hour day, starting at 6am. I believe she was a machinist then. She made this walk every day, and there were few buildings there then, just a laundry at the top of Beech Hill. The Gas Works had been built at this time, and Christ Church at the top of George Street, was in the process of being built."
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Bedfordshire Within Living Memory
- Bedfordshire Federation of Women's Institutes.. 1992. ISBN 1 85306 200 6p146:- (refers to pre WWII)
"There were two schools in the village of Houghton Regis. One was a council school and the other a Church of England school. I went to the C of E one which was situated on the edge of the village green where we were allowed to play - weather permitting. If not, we played in our playgrounds which were separated by a brick wall - one for the girls and infants, the other for the boys. The toilets were at the far end of the playground. Our school was heated by an open fire which had a large fire-guard. In the morning break we had Horlicks to drink which cost three pence per week. It was made by the headmaster in a large urn at the front of the classroom while we quietly got on with our work. When we were in the top class, we took turns to wash the urn in a large sink in the cloakroom."
"On Ash Wednesday and Ascension Day, being a church school, we used to attend church in the morning, and then go back to school for our Horlicks. Then we talked about why we had been to church and sometimes had a story read to us. We were then allowed the afternoon off school so that we could gloat over the children when they came out to play."
"Just beside our school were kennels where the hunting hounds were kept. If they were being exercised while we were playing on the green we were allowed to stroke them. They used to enjoy running about with us, but the kennel man just had to whistle and they immediately ran to him. If there was a Meet when we were at school, we were allowed to go outside to see them go off for the hunt."
"Until 1935 there was no senior school in the area, and the children stayed at the same school until they were 14 years old when they left to go to work. The year I was to go to senior school was 1939 so we had to have three weeks extra holiday because war was declared and the corridors of the school had to be reinforced with sandbags and a dug-out built. At first we used to go home for mid-day dinners, walking about a mile and a half each way, but when there was more danger from bombing, we were allowed to stay at school and take sandwiches to eat. The only children to have school dinners lived two miles or more away, although it was later changed so that all children could have school dinners. Our education was often disrupted by air raid practice, which we only had to use in reality a few times. Our male teachers were called up for service and we were always having our teachers changed. Many of them came from London with the evacuees."
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CCE 5244/1 1978
Source of acquisition: Acc.21139
Contents:
Epitome of title relating to the freehold property known as land forming part of Chantry Farm, Houghton Regis attached to examined copies of (inter alia)
Conveyance dated 9 Dec 1936 from Annie Louise Franklin of Chantry Farm, Houghton Regis, wife of Thomas Franklin of the same, farmer, to Richard Oakley Andrews of Chalton Cross nr. Luton, farmer, for £6500, of closes, fields or parcels of land [48.42a.,? in part/whole] forming the major part of Chantry Farm at Houghton Regis (as delineated on an annexed plan).
Includes an acknowledgement to produce a Conveyance dated 31 Dec 1914 between Charles Henry Bergne andf Hervey A'Court Bergne (1) Evelyn Frances Christobel Brandreth (2), Charles Henry Bergne (3), Daniel Henry Redhead (4), Redhead & Gray Ltd. (5) and ALF (6); and endorsed with memoranda of 9 subsequent conveyances of part (including The Elms and Lynwood, Park Road North, 1937-1974).
Supplemental abstract of the title of the trustees of Richard Oakley Andrews of The Bury, Sharpenhoe, farmer and Company Director, deceased to freehold estate in Bedfordshire (including Bury Farm at Sharpenhoe, Happyland Farm, Alton Farm, part Gostelow's Farm and Chapel Dairy Farm at Toddington and Chantry Farm and Easthill Farm at Houghton Regis (abstracting from 1960).
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/A2A/records.aspx?cat=004-cc_2-2&cid=-1#-1
The Lion Carving at Whipsnade Zoo
The landmark was started in June 1931. It was designed by R B Brook-Greaves, and was completed Easter 1933
Dunstable Borough Gazette and Luton Journal January 27, 1950
The Dunstable Corporation to pay £18,550 for Brewers Hill Farm under a compulsory purchase order.
Houghton Regis Rangers F.C. held a party for childrens players at the Memorial Hall last Saturday. A big tea was followed by a visit to Father Christmas and a film show. Later in th evening the Rangers entertained Skefko Atheltic, who they had earlier beaten, to a social.
Dunstable Borough Gazette and Luton Journal February 3, 1950
Three candidates for South Beds General Election are in the news. Moeran (Labour); Knight (Liberal); Fearnley-Whittingstall (National Liberal and Conservative)
Picture of N0.6 double decker bus with a broken axle near the grass verge on Poynters Road, Houghton Regis, during the sudden freeze on Monday.
MANOR PARK ESTATE
Dunstable Borough Gazette and Luton Journal February 3, 1950
On Tuesday night (31/1/1950) the Houghton Regis council deliberated over names for a new housing estate. Suggestions included: Dusty Avenue, Manor Park Estate, Strange's Folly, Beechwood Avenue, Robin Hood Estate, and Cumberland Estate. Manor Park Estate was chosen. But Mr Sandford wanted to record a protest in the minutes saying, "It is not a suitable site for a housing estate, and I am afraid that the Council will have all the backwash when the houses are erected." The report includes the names of the councillors who suggested each name. The following week, the Gazette carried a letter from Mr T. Strange of 20 Park Avenue, saying the councillors were all asleep, they had known about the scheme for some time, and they shouldn't call it Manor Park 'as the land owners of Manor Park did all in their power to stop the village getting the site".
- Cement dust was worrying the HR parish council. They decided to send a letter complaining of the dust to the management of the works.
- Council to ask for another telephone kiosk for the village to go at the northerly end of Houghton High Street.
Dunstable Borough Gazette and Luton Journal February 10, 1950
- Gen. Election candidate, Moeran, said the cement industry was a tight monopoly "which should be nationalised".
- Annie Bird, 85, of Bedford Rd, HR, died on Tuesday. Daughter of Mr and Mrs W. Bird of Bidwell Farm.
- Luton R.D.C. allocate quota of 4 new homes to Houghton Regis.
THEEDWAY
An Anglo Saxon charter of 966 for Linslade gives evidence of a trade route for salt in Bedfordshire. It was the main east-west route through the settlement known as Thiodwegthe from where 'Theedway' or 'or Ede Way' is probably derived. This route crossed the Ousel at 'Yttingaford' (now Tiddenfoot), and moved eastwards 12 miles across Bedfordshire, Eggington, Chalgrave, and converged into the Icknield Way, north of Luton at the foot of Warden hills. The northern boundary of Luton is established along the Theedway, and has been the boundary for at least a thousand years, and is the present limit of Luton's built up area. A section of Theedway survives near Linslade as Bridleway37 near Grovebury Farm north of the A505. (ref. Greensand Trust).
This route was noted in the Chalgrave Charter of King Athelstan in AD926 (1034) and was therefore in use during the Anglo-Saxon period (Blundell J H, 1925, Toddington, Its Annals and People. E. Ashby 1925). Possibly a successor of the putative Icknield Way prehistoric route, and its name means 'the people's road or highway'. It passes through all of Bedfordshire's Royal Manors, but avoids key settlements. The route may have been used to transport salt from the East Anglian Fens inland, avoiding paying tolls at towns and markets (Edgeworth, M, 2007, Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Bedfordshire, in Oake, M et al (ed),
Bedfordshire Archaeology – Research and Archaeology: Resource Assessment, Research
Agenda and Strategy, Bedfordshire Archaeology Monograph 9, 87-109 ). The origins of the route are unclear; it has been suggested that it was a prehistoric track, as concentrations of struck flint have been along its course (Austin, W, 1928, The History of Luton and its Hamlets, Volumes 1 and 2. County Press). The route remained important into the 18th century, when it started to decline. It was finally removed as a major thoroughfare by the 19th century enclosures.
First World War
At .dunstablehistory.co.uk
Articles contains items about Houghton Regis:
"The men paraded outside Dunstable town hall and went on to Houghton Regis where they bivouacked for the night on Houghton Green. Most of the men slept in the open in their greatcoats, on top of waterproof sheets and blankets, but someone found a tent for the officers"
PHOTO: "Marching through Houghton Regis"
PHOTO: Lt Berlin's funeral, Houghton Regis.
PHOTO: Chequers corner, Houghton Regis, scene of Lt Berlin's accident. The pond has now been filled in.
"There's a quite a well-known postcard issued in July 1915 which shows the funeral of Second Lieutenant Bertlin at Houghton Regis Church. He had been based with the Royal Engineers at Houghton and was fatally injured when his motorcycle hit a car while going round the bend near the Chequers pub in the village. He was brought “with all speed” to Houghton Hall and then taken to the military hospital at Wardown Park, Luton, where he died. The report of the accident and the subsequent inquest was given huge prominence in the Gazette, out of all proportion, you might think, to the less detailed coverage given to the other tragedies now occurring in France on almost a weekly basis."
PHOTO: "Pte F. Smith, of 95 High Street, Houghton Regis, was killed in action at Gallipoli. "
Dunstable Borough Gazette and Luton Journal January 27, 1950
The Dunstable Corporation to pay £18,550 for Brewers Hill Farm under a compulsory purchase order.
Houghton Regis Rangers F.C. held a party for childrens players at the Memorial Hall last Saturday. A big tea was followed by a visit to Father Christmas and a film show. Later in th evening the Rangers entertained Skefko Atheltic, who they had earlier beaten, to a social.
Dunstable Borough Gazette and Luton Journal February 3, 1950
Three candidates for South Beds General Election are in the news. Moeran (Labour); Knight (Liberal); Fearnley-Whittingstall (National Liberal and Conservative)
Picture of N0.6 double decker bus with a broken axle near the grass verge on Poynters Road, Houghton Regis, during the sudden freeze on Monday.
MANOR PARK ESTATE
Dunstable Borough Gazette and Luton Journal February 3, 1950
On Tuesday night (31/1/1950) the Houghton Regis council deliberated over names for a new housing estate. Suggestions included: Dusty Avenue, Manor Park Estate, Strange's Folly, Beechwood Avenue, Robin Hood Estate, and Cumberland Estate. Manor Park Estate was chosen. But Mr Sandford wanted to record a protest in the minutes saying, "It is not a suitable site for a housing estate, and I am afraid that the Council will have all the backwash when the houses are erected." The report includes the names of the councillors who suggested each name. The following week, the Gazette carried a letter from Mr T. Strange of 20 Park Avenue, saying the councillors were all asleep, they had known about the scheme for some time, and they shouldn't call it Manor Park 'as the land owners of Manor Park did all in their power to stop the village getting the site".
- Cement dust was worrying the HR parish council. They decided to send a letter complaining of the dust to the management of the works.
- Council to ask for another telephone kiosk for the village to go at the northerly end of Houghton High Street.
Dunstable Borough Gazette and Luton Journal February 10, 1950
- Gen. Election candidate, Moeran, said the cement industry was a tight monopoly "which should be nationalised".
- Annie Bird, 85, of Bedford Rd, HR, died on Tuesday. Daughter of Mr and Mrs W. Bird of Bidwell Farm.
- Luton R.D.C. allocate quota of 4 new homes to Houghton Regis.
THEEDWAY
An Anglo Saxon charter of 966 for Linslade gives evidence of a trade route for salt in Bedfordshire. It was the main east-west route through the settlement known as Thiodwegthe from where 'Theedway' or 'or Ede Way' is probably derived. This route crossed the Ousel at 'Yttingaford' (now Tiddenfoot), and moved eastwards 12 miles across Bedfordshire, Eggington, Chalgrave, and converged into the Icknield Way, north of Luton at the foot of Warden hills. The northern boundary of Luton is established along the Theedway, and has been the boundary for at least a thousand years, and is the present limit of Luton's built up area. A section of Theedway survives near Linslade as Bridleway37 near Grovebury Farm north of the A505. (ref. Greensand Trust).
This route was noted in the Chalgrave Charter of King Athelstan in AD926 (1034) and was therefore in use during the Anglo-Saxon period (Blundell J H, 1925, Toddington, Its Annals and People. E. Ashby 1925). Possibly a successor of the putative Icknield Way prehistoric route, and its name means 'the people's road or highway'. It passes through all of Bedfordshire's Royal Manors, but avoids key settlements. The route may have been used to transport salt from the East Anglian Fens inland, avoiding paying tolls at towns and markets (Edgeworth, M, 2007, Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Bedfordshire, in Oake, M et al (ed),
Bedfordshire Archaeology – Research and Archaeology: Resource Assessment, Research
Agenda and Strategy, Bedfordshire Archaeology Monograph 9, 87-109 ). The origins of the route are unclear; it has been suggested that it was a prehistoric track, as concentrations of struck flint have been along its course (Austin, W, 1928, The History of Luton and its Hamlets, Volumes 1 and 2. County Press). The route remained important into the 18th century, when it started to decline. It was finally removed as a major thoroughfare by the 19th century enclosures.
Drunk in Charge of a Cart
Percy Hill of Dunstable was in trouble in November 1912. The Dunstable Borough Gazette reported that he was fined 3s 3d with 6s 3d costs when his case came up for not keeping to the left or near side of the road while driving a cart and while being drunk on November 15th. Defendant pleaded guilty to the charge. His accuser said that on arrival at the crossing near Houghton Regis the chauffeur had blown his whistle but the cart driver had not moved over. Then, about 100 yards further along the road with only 3 or 4 inches to pass, the chauffeur drove into a hedge and his passenger was thrown out.First World War
At .dunstablehistory.co.uk
Articles contains items about Houghton Regis:
"The men paraded outside Dunstable town hall and went on to Houghton Regis where they bivouacked for the night on Houghton Green. Most of the men slept in the open in their greatcoats, on top of waterproof sheets and blankets, but someone found a tent for the officers"
PHOTO: "Marching through Houghton Regis"
PHOTO: Lt Berlin's funeral, Houghton Regis.
PHOTO: Chequers corner, Houghton Regis, scene of Lt Berlin's accident. The pond has now been filled in.
"There's a quite a well-known postcard issued in July 1915 which shows the funeral of Second Lieutenant Bertlin at Houghton Regis Church. He had been based with the Royal Engineers at Houghton and was fatally injured when his motorcycle hit a car while going round the bend near the Chequers pub in the village. He was brought “with all speed” to Houghton Hall and then taken to the military hospital at Wardown Park, Luton, where he died. The report of the accident and the subsequent inquest was given huge prominence in the Gazette, out of all proportion, you might think, to the less detailed coverage given to the other tragedies now occurring in France on almost a weekly basis."
PHOTO: "Pte F. Smith, of 95 High Street, Houghton Regis, was killed in action at Gallipoli. "
