Harlington, Bedfordshire

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude=51.963355
longitude= -0.495006
official_name= Harlington
static_

population = 2,260 "(2004)"
shire_district= Mid Bedfordshire
region= East of England
constituency_westminster= Mid Bedfordshire
shire_county= Bedfordshire
post_town= DUNSTABLE
postcode_district = LU5 6
postcode_area= LU
dial_code= 01582
dial_code1=01525
os_grid_reference= TL035305

Harlington is a village in Bedfordshire, near the M1 motorway. Many residents commute from the village to work in London.

Transport links

The village is about 1.5 miles from junction 12 of the M1, convert|7|mi|km|0 north of Luton, convert|10|mi|km|0 south of Bedford and 40 miles NNW of London.

Harlington has a railway station, located in the west of the village. The station is served by Thameslink trains. From Harlington station, you can travel north to Flitwick and Bedford, or south to Luton, Luton Airport Parkway, St Albans, London, Gatwick Airport and Brighton.

Amenities

Harlington has two pubs, the "Carpenters Arms" and "The Old Sun".cite web|title=Places to Drink in Bedfordshire|work=informationBritain|url=http://www.information-britain.co.uk/typeslist.cfm?county=39&type=Pub%20and%20Bar|accessdate=2006-08-19] There are several churches, including the Church of St Mary the Virgin, Harlington Methodist Church and Life Church (part of the Pioneer network of churches). There is a small parade of shops, consisting of a Newsagent, an Off licence, a post office, a hairdresser, a beauty salon and a butcher.

chools

The village is home to Harlington Lower and Upper Schools which serve students up to A-level. Many students from the surrounding Luton and Bedfordshire area travel to Harlington for its schools. Harlington Upper School recently became a specialist science college, thanks to funding raised by its Parent-Teacher Association, HUSA.cite web|title=Harlington Upper School|url=http://www.harlington.beds.sch.uk/|year=2006|accessdate=2006-08-19]

The village also has Harlington Lower School – a smaller than average school from reception class through to age 9, which received a "Good" rating in its ofsted report of November 2006. As Bedfordshire is a three tier schools system, most children in the middle age bracket spend their middle years at Arnold Middle School Barton Le Clay and Parkfields in nearby Toddington.

Crime

Harlington has low levels of crime, although Harlington Manor Health Club has had a number of incidents over the last year.

History

*1086: The Domesday book calls the village "Herlingdone"cite web|title=A brief history of St Mary's|url=http://www.harlingtonchurch.org.uk/history.htm|year=2006|author=Harlington Church|accessdate=2006-08-19] and lists Nigel D'Albini as Lord of the Manor; he took over from four Saxon thegns who lost their lands at the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.cite web|title=Harlington Timeline|url=http://www.galaxy.bedfordshire.gov.uk/webingres/bedfordshire/vlib/0.digitised_resources/harlington_digitisation_timeline.htm
year=2005|work=Besfordshire Libraries|accessdate=2006-08-19]
*1300-1350: The Church of St Mary the Virgin was built, replacing what was probably a wooden church with a thatched roof. The church tower was not added until the fifteenth century.
*1349: Over a quarter of the village died of the Black Death.
*1660: John Bunyan led an unauthorised religious meeting at a farmhouse near Harlington, for which he was arrested and taken to Harlington House. After being questioned he was imprisoned for twelve years in Bedford county gaol. While serving his sentence he began writing his most famous work, "The Pilgrim's Progress".cite web|title=Harlington Tourist Information|work=AboutBritain.com|year=2006|url=http://www.aboutbritain.com/towns/harlington.asp|accessdate=2006-08-19]
*1859: the first village school was built.
*1868: Harlington railway station opened.
*1920: Harlington War Memorial dedicated to the memory of 27 Harlington men killed in the First World War.

References

ee also

* Harlington railway station

External links

* [http://www.geocities.com/harlingtonheritage/ Harlington Heritage Trust]
* Harlington on [http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/BDF/Harlington/index.html Genuki]
* [http://www.harlingtonchurch.org.uk/ Harlington Church]
* [http://www.theoldsunharlington.co.uk/ The Old Sun]
* [http://www.harlington.net/ Harlington.net (village diary)]