Arlesey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Arlesey |
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 Parish Church of St Peter - Church End, Arlesey |
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 Arlesey
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| Population | 5,584 (2011 Census) |
| OS grid reference | TL190357 |
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ARLESEY |
| Postcode district | SG15 |
| Dialling code | 01462 |
| Police | Bedfordshire |
| Fire | Bedfordshire and Luton |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
| UK Parliament |
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Arlesey ( ARL-zee) is a town and civil parish in Bedfordshire. It is near the border with Hertfordshire, about three miles north-west of Letchworth Garden City, four miles north of Hitchin and six miles south of Biggleswade. Arlesey railway station provides services to London, Stevenage and Peterborough. The Domesday Book mentions Arlesey. The town's name means the 'island of a man/woman named Aelfric'.
Contents
Demography
The population of Arlesey was 5,584 in 2,344 households in the 2011 census. In the census of 2011, 94.0% of people described themselves as white, 2.2% as having mixed or multiple ethnic groups, 2.9% as being Asian or British Asian, and less than 1.0% as having another ethnicity. In the same census, 55.8% described themselves as Christian, 34.6% described themselves as having no religion, 6.8% did not specify a religion, 1.2% described themselves as Sikh, and 1.7% described themselves as having a different religion.
Culture and community
Arlesey Old Moat and Glebe Meadows, adjacent to Arlesey railway station, is a nature reserve managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire, together with Arlesey Conservation for Nature.
The Arlesey Bomb fishing weight was developed by angler Dick Walker to catch specimen perch from the local chalk pits.
Religious sites
St Peter's Church in Church End was built in the 12th century by the monks of Waltham Abbey. Arlesey was also the site of Etonbury Castle, of which little trace remains.
Arlesey at war, 1939-1945
Halifax Bomber crash
On 19 December 1943 a Handley Page Halifax belonging to 138 Squadron was in a collision with a chimney at Arlesey Brickworks.
The aircraft BB364 (NF-R) had left its base at RAF Tempsford on a training mission.
The crew of nine perished in the subsequent crash.
Hudson crash
On 28 March 1944 a Lockheed Hudson belonging to 161 Squadron RAF crashed on the Arlesey to Stotfold road killing the crew.
The aircraft FK767 had left its base at RAF Tempsford on a training flight.
Sport
The town's football team is Arlesey Town, who play at Hitchin Road. The town also has a Basketball team called North Herts Knights
Notable residents
- Bill Kitchener - former professional footballer - West Ham United F.C., Torquay United F.C.
- Pat Kruse - former professional footballer - Leicester City F.C., Torquay United F.C., Brentford F.C.
- Scott Houghton - former professional footballer - Tottenham Hotspur, Luton Town, Walsall F.C., Peterborough United
- Stanley Brown (1907-1978) - Cricketer who was active in the late 1930s.
See also
In Spanish: Arlesey para niños
