Roxton, Bedfordshire
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| Roxton | |
|---|---|
  Roxton Location within Bedfordshire | |
| Population | 348 (2011 Census) |
| OS grid reference | TL154995 |
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BEDFORD |
| Postcode district | MK44 |
| Dialling code | 01234 |
| Police | Bedfordshire |
| Fire | Bedfordshire and Luton |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| UK Parliament | |
Roxton is a small village and civil parish in the Borough of Bedford, Bedfordshire, England about 7 miles (11 km) north-east of the county town of Bedford.
The 2011 census gives the population of Roxton as 348.[1]
Geography
Roxton is 4 miles (6 km) southwest of St Neots, 18.5 miles (30 km) west of Cambridge and 47 miles (76 km) north of Central London.
Area
The civil parish covers an area of 294 hectares (726 acres).[2]
The River Great Ouse forms the parish's eastern and most of its southern boundary, and the A421 road its western.
Landscape
The village lies within the Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire Claylands as designated by Natural England.[3] Bedford Borough Council classifies the local landscape as the Great Ouse Clay Valley. The surrounding area is mostly arable farmland. Roxton Park is an area of grassland dotted with mature trees. There are lakes formed from old sand and gravel pits in the southeast corner of the parish by the Ouse.
Elevation
The village centre is 25 metres (82 ft) above sea level. The whole parish is low lying and flat.
Geology and soil type
The village lies mainly on third terrace river gravel. Boulder clay is to the south and west, and first and second terrace river gravel to the east. Alluvium borders the Great Ouse. Underlying these superficial deposits is Oxford clay and Kellaways beds.[4]
Around the village the soil has low fertility, is freely draining and slightly acid with a loamy texture. The southwestern part of the parish has highly fertile, lime-rich loamy and clayey soils with impeded drainage. By the Great Ouse are loamy and clayey floodplain soils with naturally high groundwater.[5]
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. Roxton in band 5 and 6 is adversely affected by lighting along the A1/A421 Black Cat Roundabout. The night sky is darker looking northwest.[6][7]
A1 road bridges
The A1 northbound carriageway is carried over the Ouse by a sandstone bridge built in October 1820. Listing particulars state the bridge to be about 50 metres (164 ft) long and 10 metres (33 ft) wide. There are three broad, low arches built with blocks of Bramley Fall stone from a quarry near Leeds. A rounded towpath archway passes through the east abutment. A sandstone parapet rests on a projecting stone string course. Except where replaced by concrete, Bramley Fall stone copings run the length of the bridge. Inscriptions of masons can be seen on the inside face of the copings over the crown of the centre arch. Flood bridges to the east and west have seven smaller and lower segmental brick arches.[8][9] A separate bridge was built for the southbound carriageway when the road was dualled in the early 1960s.
Public footpaths
The Ouse Valley Way pases through the village and runs alongside the Ouse to the south and east.
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History
Roxton is mentioned in the Domesday Book. The entry reads: Rochesdone/stone: Rhiwallon from Hugh de Beauchamp; William Speke. Mill (260 eels).
The village has two churches, the Royal Oak public house and a garden centre. There is a post office to the rear of the public house. Roxton Church of England Lower School is also located in the village.
The parish used to include Wyboston, Chawston and Colesden, but in May 2007 they became independent of Roxton.
Notable people
- Wayne Larkins, a former Northamptonshire and England cricketer
References
- ^ "Roxton Local Area Report". nomis. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
- ^ "Roxton Parish Profile" (PDF). Bedford Borough Council. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
- ^ "National Character Areas". Natural England. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
- ^ "Sheet 204. Geological Survey of England & Wales". British Geological Survey. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
- ^ "Soilscapes Viewer". LandIS - Land Information System. Cranfield University. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
- ^ "Night Blight 2016: Mapping England's Light Pollution and Dark Skies". Campaign to Protect Rural England. CPRE. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
- ^ "Map". nightblight. Campaign for the Protection of Rural England. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
- ^ Angela Simco & Peter McKeague (1997). Bridges of Bedfordshire (PDF). Bedfordshire County Council, Bedfordshire Archaeological Council, Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England. pp. 21–26. ISBN 0 9531531 0 X. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
- ^ Historic England. "TEMPSFORD BRIDGE AND FLANKING FLOOD BRIDGES (Grade II) (1321633)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
External links
Media related to Roxton, Bedfordshire at Wikimedia Commons
- Roxton Parish Council
- Royal Oak Pub, Roxton
- Roxton Garden Centre
- Roxton V.A. Church of England Lower School
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