A history of Cranfield in 400 words

I'm working on an intro to the new village directory. I've come up with the following so far:

Cranfield is a large village with a population of around 5,500 set halfway between Milton Keynes and Bedford. The parish includes Wharley End, the home of Cranfield University.

Historic roots go back to the Domesday book, reflected in the part-Norman Church. Like any community with such a long history, there have been many phases in its development. Ecclesiastical ownership of the Cranfield estate passed to local gentry after the reformation. There was small-scale brick making and a strong conconformist presence, including Quakers, in the 18th century. Ancient methods of land-use and tillage came to an end in the 1840s with formal enclosure of agricultural land. Later in the 19th century, the village’s historic, listed schoolhouse was built by the Church of England and the village hall was opened in 1911.

In the 1920s the growing Marston Vale brickworks offered significant new employment and gradually Cranfield became less remote from the surrounding area as transport links improved. The RAF base in 1937 and the successor College of Aeronautics in 1946, were dominant landmarks in the 20th century and remain so today as the airfield and Cranfield University.

In the 21st century the village is set in a busy, economically active region criss-crossed by major transport routes. That marks it out as classic commuter territory. Yet Cranfield sits on a distinctive plateau, surrounded by beautiful countryside and picturesque lanes. Culturally too, it retains its own unique identity with strong local opinion about decisions taken elsewhere that affect its quality of life. The Parish Council is at the heart of that continuous public discussion and there is vigorous community life.

If you are reading this as a newcomer to Cranfield we want to welcome you to the village and introduce you to local activities and services – sport, recreation, churches, civic affairs and education, for instance. If you are a long-standing resident this guide aims to offer up-to-date information on every aspect of local living and help you to enhance your life and, hopefully, make a contribution to general wellbeing.

The guide itself is a reflection of the Parish Council’s aim of making sure that everyone who lives in Cranfield and Wharley End feels at home here and can take full advantage of everything we have to offer.