Kempston Hardwick is a small hamlet on the edge of the town of Kempston in Bedfordshire, England. Historically it was one of the hamlets or "ends" scattered across the parish of Kempston. It is served by Kempston Hardwick railway station on the Marston Vale Line, which was one of the least-used stations in the UK railway network.[1]

Kempston Hardwick
Railway bridge and cottages at the south-east end of the village
Kempston Hardwick is located in Bedfordshire
Kempston Hardwick
Kempston Hardwick
Location within Bedfordshire
OS grid referenceTL030484
Civil parish
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townBEDFORD
Postcode districtMK43
Dialling code01234
PoliceBedfordshire
FireBedfordshire and Luton
AmbulanceEast of England
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Bedfordshire
52°05′18″N 0°29′45″W / 52.0883°N 0.4958°W / 52.0883; -0.4958

Kempston Hardwick is the proposed location of Universals newest theme park, which would be their first in Europe. Universal have purchased 480 acres on the west side of the hamlet, on the site of the old Kempston Hardwick brickworks, and neighbouring fields between Interchange Retail Park and Stewartby Village. There has been much confusion on whether they brought the Stewartby Brickworks, with Councillors and MPs mis-announcing this, but this is incorrect.

History

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Hardwick Preceptory was a priory of the Knights Hospitaller from 1279 to 1489. The first mention of this property occurs in 1279. In 1287, and 1330, the Prior claimed to hold a view of frankpledge from four tenants in Kempston. In 1338, this estate comprised a messuage with a garden worth 4s. per annum, a dovehouse valued at 3s. 4d., a water-mill 26s. 8d., 370 acres of land worth £6 3s. 4d., 32 acres meadow worth 44s., 8 acres of pasture worth 8s., and pasture for 200 oxen worth 20s. After the Dissolution, the property, called the manor of Hardwick, was bestowed upon Sir Richard Longe in 1540.[2]

Kempston Hardwick was part of the ancient parish of Kempston. In 1894 the parish became part of Bedford Rural District. In 1896 the parish was divided, with the town of Kempston forming Kempston Urban District and the rest of the parish becoming a new parish called Kempston Rural. In 1937 a new parish of Stewartby was created that included Kempston Hardwick.[3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ The Guardian, "Platform soul", 21 May 2003
  2. ^ "Parishes: Kempston | British History Online".
  3. ^ "The Creation of The Parish of Stewartby". bedsarchives.bedford.gov.uk. 22 June 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
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