Beeston, Bedfordshire

infobox UK place
country = England
static_

static_image_caption=
latitude= 52.119
longitude= -0.295
official_name = Beeston
population =
shire_district= Mid Bedfordshire
shire_county= Bedfordshire
region= East of England
constituency_westminster= North East Bedfordshire
post_town= SANDY
postcode_district = SG19
postcode_area= SG
dial_code= 01767
os_grid_reference= TL168482

Beeston is a hamlet of about convert|530|acre|km2 in the town of Sandy in the Wixamtree Hundred (division) of the county of Bedfordshire, England, about a half a mile south of Sandy, north of Biggleswade and east of Bedford. [Post Office Directory 1854] Beeston appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 where it shown as having a mill: "Bistone: Roland, Norman and Pirot from Eudo FitzHubert; William Speke; Thurstan the Chamberlain; Godmund; Alwin from the King. Mill."

The medieval period saw the construction of the Great North Road, the post road connecting London to Edinburgh, which ran through Beeston. In the 1920s the Ministry of Transport upgraded the Great North Road to a trunk road and it became the A1. Subsequent upgradings during the 1960s saw this section of the road become a dual carriageway which effectively split the hamlet and isolated the larger part of Beeston from Sandy, pedestrian access being limited to a footbridge. Plans are afoot to reposition the road to bypass Beeston/Sandy but no date for this work has been set.

Historically the main occupation of the residents of Beeston was market gardening, farming and straw plaiting (woman & girls) for the hat industry. [The Census of England and Wales 1841 - 1901 - Public Record Office]

Beeston is in the Anglican Parish of St Swithun, Sandy. It has a Wesleyan (Methodist) Chapel built 1865 with seating for 300. [Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898]

The major feature of Beeston is the 13 acre village green bounded by many of the older residences.

References