Leagrave
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Leagrave | ||
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| Statistics | ||
| Population: | 11,580 (est.)[1] | |
| Ordnance Survey | ||
| OS grid reference: | TL0523 | |
| Administration | ||
| Unitary authority: | Luton | |
| Region: | East of England | |
| Constituent country: | England | |
| Sovereign state: | United Kingdom | |
| Other | ||
| Ceremonial county: | Bedfordshire | |
| Historic county: | Bedfordshire | |
| Services | ||
| Police force: | Bedfordshire Police | |
| Ambulance service: | East of England | |
| Post office and telephone | ||
| Post town: | LUTON | |
| Postal district: | LU4 | |
| Dialling code: | 01582 | |
| Politics | ||
| UK Parliament: | Luton North | |
| European Parliament: | East of England | |
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For other uses see Leagrave (disambiguation)
Leagrave is now a suburb of Luton in Bedfordshire. Connected by train from Leagrave station into London and Bedford by First Capital Connect. The M1 is close at hand as well as Luton Airport.
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[edit] History
The first settlement in the area was Waulud's Bank which is a Neolithic D-shaped enclosure located at the source of the River Lea and is now a protected monument in Leagrave Park. Waulud's bank consists of a bank and external ditch of around 7 hectares with a turf reveted chalk & gravel bank (built from the excavated ditch material). The ditch itself is approximately 9m wide and 2m deep. Finds at the site have included neolithic Grooved Ware & flint arrow heads. It is a similar site to Durringtom Walls & Marden and the site was later re-used in the Iron Age and during the Roman occupation.
The Icknield Way, a Roman road passes though Leagrave. Local road names give away its location, 'Roman Road' runs from Oakley Road to Marsh Road. On the other side of Marsh Road it continues on as Icknield Road as it enters Limbury where there is a gap before the road continues as Icknield Way.
The River Lea/(Lee) starts in Leagrave before making its way eventually to the Thames, joining in London. The River once formed one boundary of the Danelaw. Leagrave Marsh used to be a popular place for the Luton hatmakers on their (rare) days off and was, consequently, known as "Blockers' Seaside". The hatmaking industry originally relied on straw plaits, made by farmer's wives, bought and collected by a "plaitman" and brought into the Luton hat factories to be made into straw hats.
Leagrave station was built by the Midland Railway company in 1868 on its extension to St. Pancras. The old Midland station buildings still exist, having been carefully restored in the 1980s.
Leagrave as a civil parish was formed in 1896, in the ecclesiastical parish of Limbury-cum-Biscot. The area grew significantly in between the wars and in 1928 the parish was abolished when the boundaries of Luton were extended to include Leagrave, as well as, Limbury, and Stopsley.
Significant expansion of the area took place during the 1930's, much of the housing stock of the area dates from the 1920's and 1930's. Further large scale construction continued post-war with the construction of the Hockwell Ring estate and nearby Marsh Farm.
Until recently Electrolux was one of the larger employers in the area, however much of the old factory site was sold off over the last ten years or so for re-development into housing. The most recent develpoment on the site was Saxon-Gate. Leagrave is increasingly a commuter area with many people taking advantage of the train and motorway connections into London and to the North.
[edit] Etymology
How does Leagrave get its name. The first part relates to the River Lea which starts in Leagrave, close to Waulads Bank. Grave could refer to the source or to the earthworks associated with the bank itself. Grave may also come from the Old English 'graf', the modern ‘grove’ so Leagrave could also mean Lea Grove, refering to trees or a wood located in the area.
[edit] Trivia
The current site of the McDonald's restaurant on Marsh Road was the site of the Three Horseshoes pub, which was demolished in 1995. The round-about next to McDonalds takes its name from the old pub, and you can still see the old pub sign in the planting scheme.
[edit] Local Schools and Education
- Leagrave Primary School, Strangers Way
- Beechwood Primary School, Linden Road
- Moorlands School, Leagrave Hall
- Lealands High School, Sundon Park Road
- Leagrave Library, Marsh Road
[edit] Churches
The largest church in the parish is St Lukes on Leagrave High Street.
Also Leagrave Methodist Church is also on Leagrave High Street.
[edit] Politics
Leagrave ward is represented by Cllr Derrick Patten (Labour), Cllr Sheila Roden (Labour) and Cllr Desline Stewart (Labour).
The ward forms part of the parliamentary constituency of Luton North, and the MP is Kelvin Hopkins (Labour). Leagrave is within the East of England (European Parliament constituency).
[edit] Local Attractions
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National Trust |
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English Heritage |
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Forestry Commission |
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Country Park |
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Accessible open space |
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Museums (free/not free) |
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Heritage railway |
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Historic House |
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[edit] Local Newspapers
Two weekly newspapers are delivered free to all the houses in Leagrave. However they are not specific to Leagrave. They are:
- Herald and Post - Delivered every Thursday
- Luton on Sunday- Delivered every Sunday
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Luton Borough Council
- Leagrave Primary School
- Lealands High School
- Moorlands School
- Leagrave Library
- Kelvin Hopkins homepage
- St Lukes Church
| Luton • Bedfordshire • England |  |
| Places within Luton Barnfield | Biscot | Bramingham | Bury Park | Bushmead | Challney | Crawley Green | Farley Hill | Dallow | High Town | Hockwell Ring | Leagrave | Lewsey | Limbury-cum-Biscot | Marsh Farm | New Town | Putteridge | Round Green | Stopsley | Sundon Park | Warden Hills | Wigmore |
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| Ammenities Kenilworth Road | Luton Museum | Stockwood Park | Wardown Park | Waulud's Bank |
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| Education Barnfield College | Denbigh High School | University of Bedfordshire | Luton Sixth Form College | South Luton High School |
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