Wilstead

{{Short description|Village in Bedfordshire, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}} {{Use British English|date=July 2016}} {{More citations needed|date=March 2017}} {{Infobox UK place| |country = England |static_image = |static_image_caption= |coordinates = {{coord|52.0666|-0.4333|display=inline,title}} |official_name = Wilstead |civil_parish= [[Wilshamstead]] |population = 3,270 |population_ref = (2011 Census including Herrings Green and Wixams )<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11130705&c=MK45+3DT&d=16&e=62&g=6403262&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=0&s=1478615710915&enc=1|title=Civil Parish population 2011|access-date = 8 November 2016|publisher=Office for National Statistics |work=Neighbourhood Statistics}}</ref> |unitary_england= [[Borough of Bedford|Bedford]] |lieutenancy_england = [[Bedfordshire]] |region= East of England |constituency_westminster= [[Mid Bedfordshire (UK Parliament constituency)|Mid Bedfordshire]] |post_town= BEDFORD |postcode_district = MK45 |postcode_area= MK |dial_code= 01234 |os_grid_reference= TL073794 }}

[[File:Wilstead All Saints Church, 2010.jpg|thumb|left|Wilstead All Saints Church]]

'''Wilstead''' is a village and [[civil parishes in England|civil parish]] in [[Bedfordshire]], England, just off the [[A6 road (Great Britain)|A6]] Bedford to [[Luton]] road, about five miles south of [[Bedford]] town centre, and within the [[Borough of Bedford]]. The name of the village has been spelled in many different ways, including Wilshamstead and Wylhamstead. Wilstead is now the usual name of the village, but the civil parish is named '''Wilshamstead'''. The council estimated the population of the parish at 2,550 in 2005. Most of the inhabitants live in the main village, but some live in other hamlets and isolated houses.

[[File:Wilstead Shops, 2010.jpg|thumb|left|Wilstead shops - a convenience store & pharmacy, [[Indian cuisine|Indian takeaway]] and Chinese takeaway. Two pubs - The Woolpack and The Red Lion are close by]]

Near the centre of the village are a small shop that incorporates a [[Post Office Ltd.|sub post office]] with a sorting office, two pubs, a pharmacy/convenience store, an Indian takeaway, a Chinese takeaway and a small used car sales outlet. Wilstead Primary School is located in Cotton End Road,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wilsteadschool.co.uk/|title=Wilstead Primary School|access-date=7 September 2020}}</ref> as is the village hall, a modern building. The village also has a pre-school and two churches. Many [[Allotment (gardening)|allotments]] are close to the village playing fields. Playgrounds are located next to the primary school, off Long Meadow Drive. The Wilstead Jubilee Centre and Multi Use Games Area are in Jubilee Way, and a lawn bowls club is nearby.

On the eastern edge of the village towards the A600 road is the Herrings Green Activity Farm & Bird of Prey Centre.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://birdsofpreycentre.co.uk/|title=Herrings Green Farm|access-date=7 September 2020}}</ref>

[[File:Wilstead Thatched Cottage.jpg|thumb|left|A thatched cottage in Wilstead, with the tower of All Saints Church visible in the background]]

Housing types include traditional farms, older houses (including [[Thatching|thatched]] cottages and several [[Listed Building]]s) and more modern, estate-type housing. Dwellings on the estate are generally of a more spacious character than the most modern developments. There is also a mobile home park called '''Briar Bank Park''' on the southern end of the village.

On the other (Western) side of the [[A6 road (Great Britain)|A6]] is a large development of new, high density housing called [[Wixams]]. The [[new town]] is being developed in phases, with the first phase (Lakeview) originally located in the Wilshamstead civil parish, however a new Wixams civil parish was created for the area in 2015.

The yearly "Wilstead Ball" takes place the first Saturday of July and is a formal black tie and ball gown event. Taking place in a marquee in the grounds of one of the larger houses in the village, the money made from the event is normally allocated to a charity of the organisers preference. In recent years the event has sold out within days of the tickets sales being announced.

==References== {{commons category}} {{Reflist}}

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