Northill

Coordinates: 52°06′20″N 0°19′23″W / 52.10569°N 0.32302°W / 52.10569; -0.32302

Northill
Northill  Northill shown within Bedfordshire
Population	2,288 (2001)
OS grid reference	TL149465
Parish	Northill
Unitary authority	Central Bedfordshire
Ceremonial county	Bedfordshire
Region	East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	BIGGLESWADE
Postcode district	SG18
Dialling code	01767
Police	Bedfordshire
Fire	Bedfordshire and Luton
Ambulance	East of England
EU Parliament	East of England
UK Parliament	NE Bedfordshire
List of places: UK • England • Bedfordshire

Northill is a village and civil parish in the county of Bedfordshire, England. It falls under the Northill and Blunham ward in the Central Bedfordshire local authority. As of 2001 Northill had a population of about 900 people.^{[citation needed]} The village is also the administrative centre of the civil parish of Northill, which as of 2001 had a population of 2,288.^[1] The parish includes the hamlets of Budna, Lower and Upper Caldecote, Hatch, Ickwell and Thorncote Green.

The village is located about 4 miles to the west north west of Biggleswade^[2] and is centred around a T-junction, which sees the Ickwell Road meet the Bedford Road.

Geography

Topographically, Northill is situated on a slightly elevated ridge that run from north to south, and the surrounding terrain comprises parkland and woodland.It has a school, pub and church.

History

St. Mary's church in Northill

Part of the ancient hundred of Wixamtree, the village was originally known as North Givell^[3], meaning the northern part of territory of the River Ivel. The place-name is first evidenced in the Domesday Book of 1086. The core of the village's buildings date back to the 14th century.^[4] To this day many examples of thatched roofing exist around Northill.

Among the buildings stemming from the 14th century is the village's Anglican Church of St Mary, which is built of ironstone and has been extensively restored over the subsequent centuries. The church itself contains fine examples of 17th-century painted glass.

Northill was the baptismal place, and possibly the birthplace, of the famous clockmaker Thomas Tompion, who built the famous Pump Room Clock in 1709 that has since seen active service in the city of Bath.

Events and Amenities

Aside from residential homes, Northill features an Anglican church, and a public house called The Crown located next door to the church. The village features no stores or shops, and no prominent commercial entities.

The village of Northill is known locally for being the starting place of the popular Ickwell May Day celebration that sees local floats and residents travel the mile or so down the Ickwell Road to the neighbouring village of Ickwell. There the celebrations conclude on the village green. The Northill/Ickwell May Day celebration has been in operation since at least circa 1565.

Footnotes

1. ^ "Census 2001: Parish Headcounts: Mid Bedfordshire". Office for National Statistics. http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/viewFullDataset.do?instanceSelection=03070&productId=779&$ph=60_61&datasetInstanceId=3070&startColumn=1&numberOfColumns=8&containerAreaId=790320. Retrieved 29 October 2010. 
2. ^ "Map of Northill, Bedfordshire, United Kingdom". Multimap.com. http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=public&GridE=-0.32480&GridN=52.10080&lon=-0.32480&lat=52.10080&search_result=Northill%2C%20Bedfordshire&db=freegaz&lang=&keepicon=true&place=Northill%2C%20Bedfordshire&pc=&advanced=&client=public&addr2=&quicksearch=northill&addr3=&scale=100000&addr1=. Retrieved September 23, 2006. 
3. ^ "Northill Tourist Information". AboutBritain.com. http://www.aboutbritain.com/towns/northill.asp. Retrieved September 23, 2006. 
4. ^ "Northill". YourTotalEvent.com. http://www.yourtotalevent.com/places/Bedfordshire/northill.htm. Retrieved September 23, 2006. 

External sources

• About Britain, Northill
• Parish of Northill
• National Statistics Neighbourhood Profile
• Places in Bedfordshire - Northill
• Ickwell May Day, Official Website
• Bedfordshire County Council Population Statistics

External links

Media related to Northill at Wikimedia Commons