Colmworth

{{Short description|Village and civil parish in England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}} {{Use British English|date=July 2016}} {{infobox UK place| |country = England |static_image = Colmworth_St_Denys_Church_2.jpg |static_image_caption= St Denys' church, Colmworth |coordinates = {{coord|52.2136|-0.3826|display=inline,title}} |official_name = Colmworth |population = 393 |population_ref= (2011 Census including Duck's Cross)<ref>{{NOMIS2011 |title=Colmworth Parish |id=E04011885 |accessdate=6 November 2019}}</ref> |unitary_england= [[Borough of Bedford|Bedford]] |lieutenancy_england = [[Bedfordshire]] |region= East of England |constituency_westminster=[[North Bedfordshire (UK Parliament constituency)|North Bedfordshire]] |post_town= BEDFORD |postcode_district = MK44 |postcode_area=MK |dial_code= 01234 |os_grid_reference= TL106585 }}

'''Colmworth''' is a village and [[civil parishes in England|civil parish]] in the [[Borough of Bedford]] in the county of [[Bedfordshire]], England about {{convert|6.5|mi|km|0}} north-east of [[Bedford]].

The parish, including the [[Hamlet (place)|hamlet]] of [[Duck's Cross]], had a population of 393 at the 2011 census.

==Geography== Colmworth is {{convert|5|mi|km|0}} west of [[St Neots]], {{convert|21.5|mi|km|0}} west of [[Cambridge]] and {{convert|50|mi|km|0}} north of [[central London]].

The village is separated by Colmworth Brook into two areas. To the north is the larger Church End and to the south is Chapel End.

'''Area'''

The civil parish covers an area of {{convert|868|ha|acre|0}}.<ref>{{cite web |title=Colmworth Parish Profile |url=https://bbcdevwebfiles.blob.core.windows.net/webfiles/Files/Colmworth.pdf |website=Bedford Borough Council |accessdate=6 November 2019}}</ref>

'''Elevation'''

The village is about {{convert|70|m|ft|0}} above sea level. The land slopes down to {{convert|40|m|ft|0}} in the southeast of the parish.<ref>{{cite web |title=Elevation Finder |url=https://www.freemaptools.com/elevation-finder.htm |website=FreeMap Tools |accessdate=3 November 2019}}</ref>

'''Landscape'''

The village lies within the Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire Claylands as designated by [[Natural England]].<ref>{{cite web |title=National Character Areas |url=http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/category/587130 |website=Natural England |accessdate=8 November 2019}}</ref> Bedford Borough Council classifies the local landscape as Thurleigh Clay Farmland with large and open arable fields. Roads are mainly lined with hedges and trees interspersed with open stretches.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bedford Borough Landscape Character Assessment |url=http://www.forms.bedford.gov.uk/planning/BBCLCAFinal2014-11-28.pdf |website=Bedford Borough Council |accessdate=8 November 2019}}</ref>

'''Geology and soil type'''

The parish lies on Oadby [[till]] above [[Oxford clay]] and [[Kellaways Formation|Kellaways beds]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Sheet 186. Geological Survey of England & Wales |url=http://www.largeimages.bgs.ac.uk/iip/mapsportal.html?id=1001681 |website=British Geological Survey |accessdate=6 November 2019}}</ref>

The soil is highly fertile, lime-rich, [[loam]]y and clayey with impeded drainage.<ref>{{cite web |title=Soilscapes Viewer |url=http://www.landis.org.uk/soilscapes/index.cfm |website=LandIS - Land Information System |publisher=Cranfield University |accessdate=6 November 2019}}</ref>

'''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. Colmworth is in bands 2 and 3 <ref>{{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=6 November 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Map |url=https://www.nightblight.cpre.org.uk/maps/ |website=nightblight |publisher=Campaign for the Protection of Rural England |accessdate=6 November 2019}}</ref>

'''Roads and footpaths'''

The main road through the village goes north to [[Little Staughton]] and [[Pertenhall]] and south to [[Great Barford]].

There is an extensive network of public footpaths in the south and west of the parish. A path runs south from Honeydon Road, Church End and reaches [[Wilden, Bedfordshire|Wilden]]. Another runs west off Little Staughton Road to [[Bolnhurst]].

{{Adjacent communities | Centre = Little Barford | S = [[Wilden, Bedfordshire|Wilden]] | NE = [[Staploe]] | N = [[Little Staughton]] | NW = [[Bolnhurst]] | SE = [[Colesden]] }}

==History== Evidence of [[British Iron Age|Middle and Late Iron Age]] settlement discovered by archaeologists at Colley Hill Farm in 2011 was considered to be "locally and regionally significant".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wilson |first1=Martin D. |title=Archaeological Excavation at Colley Hill Farm, Colmworth, Bedfordshire |url=https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archiveDS/archiveDownload?t=arch-1974-1/dissemination/pdf/souterra1-131784_1.pdf |website=Archaeological data Services |publisher=Souterrain Archaeological Services Ltd |accessdate=9 November 2019}}</ref>

A medieval moated enclosure, fishponds and fowling earthworks are at Manor Farm.<ref>{{National Heritage List for England|num=1114927|desc=Manor Farm moated enclosure, fishponds and fowling earthworks|grade=II|access-date=9 November 2019}}</ref> {{Historical populations |title = Population change in Colmworth since 1801 |align = right |cols = 1 |shading = off |source = |footnote = <ref>{{cite web |title=BEDFORDSHIRE POPULATION FIGURES 1801 – 2011 |url=http://bedsarchives.bedford.gov.uk/PDFs/Beds-Population-Figs-1801-2011.pdf |website=Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service Archives |accessdate=11 November 2019}}</ref> |1801|347 |1841|575 |1881|385 |1921|250 |1961|309 |2001|369 }}

{{Infobox UK legislation | short_title = Colmworth Inclosure Act 1834 | type = Act | parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom | long_title = An Act for inclosing and exonerating from Tythes Lands in the Parish of Colmworth in the County of Bedford. | year = 1834 | citation = [[4 & 5 Will. 4]]. c. ''13'' {{small|Pr.}} | introduced_commons = | introduced_lords = | territorial_extent = | royal_assent = 16 June 1834 | commencement = | expiry_date = | repeal_date = | amends = | replaces = | amendments = | repealing_legislation = | related_legislation = | status = | legislation_history = | theyworkforyou = | millbankhansard = | original_text = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukppa/Will4/4-5/13/pdfs/ukppa_18340013_en.pdf | revised_text = | use_new_UK-LEG = | UK-LEG_title = | collapsed = yes }} The '''{{visible anchor|Colmworth Inclosure Act 1834}}''' ([[4 & 5 Will. 4]]. c. ''13'' {{small|Pr.}}) was passed in 1834.<ref name="Colmworth Timeline">{{cite web |title=Colmworth Timeline |url=http://virtual-library.culturalservices.net/webingres/bedfordshire/vlib/0.digitised_resources/colmworth_digitisation_timeline.htm |website=The Virtual Library |accessdate=9 November 2019}}</ref>

A [[Primitive Methodism in the United Kingdom|Primitive Methodist]] Chapel opened in 1866.

The village hall was built in 1969.<ref name="Colmworth Timeline"/> In 1995, a new apex roof replaced the flat one and a substantial refurbishment was carried out.

Colmworth Golf Course opened in 1991.<ref name="Colmworth Timeline"/>

Colmworth CofE VC Lower School closed in August 2003 and the buildings, built circa 1968, used as a nursery.<ref>{{cite web |title=Colmworth School |url=http://bedsarchives.bedford.gov.uk/CommunityArchives/Colmworth/ColmworthSchool.aspx |website=Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service |accessdate=9 November 2019}}</ref>

The ''Colmworth Chronicle'' newsletter shows that the Post Office closed in 2009.

==Governance== The parish council consists of 7 elected councillors who serve a four-year term. Colmworth is in [[Borough of Bedford#Wards and civil parishes|Wyboston ward]] for elections to the [[Borough of Bedford]] Unitary Authority.<ref>{{cite web |title=Area, Ward, Potton|url=https://centralbedfordshire.communityinsight.org/map/?subregion=18599# |website=Central Bedfordshire Insight |accessdate=10 October 2019}}</ref>

Prior to 1894, Colmworth was administered as part of the hundred of Barford. From 1894 until 1974 it was in [[Bedford Rural District]] and from 1974 to 2009 in [[Bedford Borough]].

Colmworth is in the [[North Bedfordshire (UK Parliament constituency)|North Bedfordshire]] parliamentary constituency.<ref>{{cite web|title=Location of North Bedfordshire |url= https://members.parliament.uk/constituency/4199/location |website=parliament.uk |date=July 2024 |access-date=8 March 2026}}</ref> Before 1983 it was in [[Bedford (UK Parliament constituency)|Bedford constituency]], then [[North Bedfordshire (UK Parliament constituency)|North Bedfordshire]] until 1997 and [[North East Bedfordshire (UK Parliament constituency)|North East Bedfordshire]] until 2024.

==Church== [[Church of St Denys, Colmworth|St Denys church]] was built between 1426 and 1430 by Sir Gerard Braybrook. It is dedicated to the patron saint of France in honour of his French wife, Eleanor.

The church is part of the ''Wilden with Colmworth and Ravensden'' benefice in the Sharnbrook Deanery of the [[Diocese of St Albans]].

==Community facilities and events== The village hall, owned and managed by a charitable trust, can seat up to 120. At the rear of the hall is a playing field with children's play area owned and maintained by the parish council.

A mobile Post Office serves the village Wednesday and Friday lunchtimes, and a mobile library fortnightly on Friday mornings.<ref>{{cite web |title=Local Services |url=https://www.colmworthparishcouncil.bedsparishes.gov.uk/colmworth-information/local-services/ |website=Colmworth Parish Council |accessdate=10 November 2019}}</ref>

A small {{convert|12|acre|ha|0}} country park has been established on land bought by the parish council near to Manor Farm. There is a wildflower meadow, orchard, pond, bird hide and owl boxes. Colmworth Triangle Garden is a community garden established in 2013 adjacent to the Manor Barns and St Deny's Church.

Colmworth and North Bedfordshire is an 18-hole, par 72 golf course with a par 3 pitch and putt and 8 bay floodlit driving range.

The ''Colmworth Chronicle'' is a quarterly newsletter, first published in December 1986.

The grade II listed Cornfields Restaurant & Hotel dates back to the 17th century and was formerly The Wheatsheaf public house.<ref>{{National Heritage List for England|num=1321224|desc=THE WHEATSHEAF PUBLIC HOUSE, WILDEN ROAD|grade=II|access-date=9 November 2019}}</ref>

Since 2016, the Friends of St Denys' Church have held ''Cars and Bikes with Character'' rallies at Colmworth Village Hall, the first Sunday of the month from April to October to raise funds for church repairs.

==Public transport== [[Grant Palmer (bus operator)|Grant Palmer]] runs a two hourly bus service, Monday to Saturday, morning and early afternoon to Bedford plus one Thursday only return journey to St Neots.<ref>{{cite web |title=Colmworth |url=https://bustimes.org/localities/colmworth |website=Bus Times |accessdate=10 November 2019}}</ref>

The nearest railway station is [[St Neots railway station|St Neots]].

==Businesses== Acorn Transport and Plant Hire, based at Duck's Cross was established in 1998 and move bulk materials. Acorn also does groundworks and is a registered waste carrier and processor; supplying recycled aggregates, topsoil, sands, stones and road plantings.<ref>{{cite web |title=Home |url=https://www.acorntransport.net/ |website=Acorn Transport and Plant Hire |accessdate=6 November 2019}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

== External links == {{Commons category|Colmworth|position=left}} * [https://colmworth-pc.gov.uk/ Colmworth Parish Counci] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20071210044031/http://www.bedfordshire.gov.uk/CommunityAndLiving/ArchivesAndRecordOffice/CommunityArchives/Colmworth/ColmworthIndexOfPages.aspx Colmworth pages] at the [[Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service]] *{{Genuki|county=BDF|Colmworth}}

{{Places in Bedford Borough}} {{Bedfordshire}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Villages in Bedfordshire]] [[Category:Civil parishes in Bedfordshire]] [[Category:Borough of Bedford]]