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Leagrave
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Leagrave
Leagrave is a former village and now a suburb of Luton, in the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire, England; it lies in the north-west of the town. The current council ward is roughly bounded by Vincent Road, Torquay Drive and High Street to the north, Roman Road and Stoneygate Road to the south, the M1 to the west, and Marsh Road and Leagrave Park to the east.
The village of Leagrave was recorded in 1224 as Littegraue, intimating that its name means 'Light-coloured, or lightly wooded, grove'. However, another source suggests its name originates from Lygegrove: "Lyge" being an old name for the River Lea. A place spelt as Lythtegrave (which may refer to Leagrave, since the prior of Dunstaple also features, and the county margination is Bedfordshire) appears in 1396.
The first settlement in the area was Waulud's Bank which is a Neolithic D-shaped enclosure in Leagrave Park at the source of the River Lea and is now a protected monument. Waulud's bank consists of a bank and external ditch of around 7 hectares with a turf revetted chalk and gravel bank (built from the excavated ditch material). The ditch itself is about 9 m wide and 2 m deep. Finds at the site have included neolithic Grooved Ware and flint arrow heads. It is a similar site to Durrington Walls and Marden and the site was later re-used in the Iron Age and during the Roman occupation.
The Icknield Way, a pre Roman road, passes through Leagrave. Local road names give away its location, 'Roman Road' runs from Oakley Road to Marsh Road. On the other side of Marsh Road as the road enters Limbury it continues as 'Icknield Road' where there is a gap before the road continues as Icknield Way.
The River Lea which flows through the area once formed one boundary of the Danelaw. Leagrave Marsh used to be a popular place for the Luton hatters on their (rare) days off and was, consequently, known as "Blockers' Seaside". The hatmaking industry originally relied on straw plaits, made by farmers' wives, bought and collected by a "plaitman" and brought into the Luton hat factories to be made into straw hats. A new artwork has been unveiled in the area, reflecting on this former activity.
The manor of Leagrave was held by the Lucy family from 1305 to 1455. The Lucys gave their name to the neighbouring suburbs of Lewsey, Lewsey Farm, and Lewsey Park.
Leagrave station was built by the Midland Railway company in 1868 on its extension to St Pancras. The original Midland station buildings still exist, having been carefully restored in the 1980s.
In 1866, the villages of Leagrave and Limbury were formed into the ecclesiastical parish of 'Holy Trinity, (Biscot)'. Thirty years later, on 1 April 1896 Leagrave civil parish was formed from Luton Rural under the provisions of the 'Local Government Act 1894', in the ecclesiastical parish of Limbury-cum-Biscot.
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Leagrave
Leagrave is a former village and now a suburb of Luton, in the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire, England; it lies in the north-west of the town. The current council ward is roughly bounded by Vincent Road, Torquay Drive and High Street to the north, Roman Road and Stoneygate Road to the south, the M1 to the west, and Marsh Road and Leagrave Park to the east.
The village of Leagrave was recorded in 1224 as Littegraue, intimating that its name means 'Light-coloured, or lightly wooded, grove'. However, another source suggests its name originates from Lygegrove: "Lyge" being an old name for the River Lea. A place spelt as Lythtegrave (which may refer to Leagrave, since the prior of Dunstaple also features, and the county margination is Bedfordshire) appears in 1396.
The first settlement in the area was Waulud's Bank which is a Neolithic D-shaped enclosure in Leagrave Park at the source of the River Lea and is now a protected monument. Waulud's bank consists of a bank and external ditch of around 7 hectares with a turf revetted chalk and gravel bank (built from the excavated ditch material). The ditch itself is about 9 m wide and 2 m deep. Finds at the site have included neolithic Grooved Ware and flint arrow heads. It is a similar site to Durrington Walls and Marden and the site was later re-used in the Iron Age and during the Roman occupation.
The Icknield Way, a pre Roman road, passes through Leagrave. Local road names give away its location, 'Roman Road' runs from Oakley Road to Marsh Road. On the other side of Marsh Road as the road enters Limbury it continues as 'Icknield Road' where there is a gap before the road continues as Icknield Way.
The River Lea which flows through the area once formed one boundary of the Danelaw. Leagrave Marsh used to be a popular place for the Luton hatters on their (rare) days off and was, consequently, known as "Blockers' Seaside". The hatmaking industry originally relied on straw plaits, made by farmers' wives, bought and collected by a "plaitman" and brought into the Luton hat factories to be made into straw hats. A new artwork has been unveiled in the area, reflecting on this former activity.
The manor of Leagrave was held by the Lucy family from 1305 to 1455. The Lucys gave their name to the neighbouring suburbs of Lewsey, Lewsey Farm, and Lewsey Park.
Leagrave station was built by the Midland Railway company in 1868 on its extension to St Pancras. The original Midland station buildings still exist, having been carefully restored in the 1980s.
In 1866, the villages of Leagrave and Limbury were formed into the ecclesiastical parish of 'Holy Trinity, (Biscot)'. Thirty years later, on 1 April 1896 Leagrave civil parish was formed from Luton Rural under the provisions of the 'Local Government Act 1894', in the ecclesiastical parish of Limbury-cum-Biscot.
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