Battlesden Park Bedfordshire

Images are sourced within 2km of 51.950152/-0.60797149 or Grid Reference SP9528. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

B5704 London Road towards Woburn

Robin Webster

Farmland, Potsgrove

A bridleway through oats climbs towards the B5704.

Andrew Smith

Leighton Buzzard: Double Arches quarry

Sand despatching silos at the Double Arches quarry site on Eastern Way, managed by WBB Minerals.

Nigel Cox

Ford Spinney

Taken from the A4012 near Battlesden

Rob Farrow

Hill Farm Sheep

These sheep belong to Hill Farm which can be seen in the background. The lane abruptly ends just after this point with a private road continuing to the farm and a track leading to Battlesden.

Rob Farrow

Hockliffe Grange

Peeping over the trees which surround it, this is about the best view you can get of Hockliffe Grange, taken from the lane that approaches it from the church.

Rob Farrow

Ground Farm, Hockliffe

The road from the church out to this farm gradually deteriorates until it becomes a muddy track with grass in the middle. It then improves a little just before you reach this farm. The area the farm is in is called "Hockliffe Grounds" hence the name of the farm.

Rob Farrow

Fields near Battlesden

Looking across fields to the church and manor at Battlesden (which are in the adjacent square, see SP9529 : St Peter and All Saints, Battlesden). I think the crop is wheat, but as it has not yet produced its ears I'm by no means certain.

Rob Farrow

Lane to Battlesden

This is the lane to Battlesden having left the main A4012 and travelled a few hundred yards. There is a footpath off to the right (North) at this point which leads towards Milton Bryan.

Rob Farrow

Approaching Battlesden Church

This lane runs up to the church at Battlesden (see SP9529 : St Peter and All Saints, Battlesden) then comes to an abrupt halt as a road but continues as a footpath past the church and Battlesden House. The precariously leaning tree on the right looks like a Scots Pine to me. The manor here was once owned by the remarkably-named Sir Gregory Page-Turner who should have been a novelist really !

Rob Farrow

Centre Farm, Battlesden

These buildings belong to Centre Farm in Battlesden. The track continues to Hill Farm (see SP9728 : Hill Farm Sheep) and according to my old 1:50000 is marked as a yellow (drivable) lane - but having seen the other end of it I think it would be a little cruel to an ordinary saloon car !

Rob Farrow

Battlesden

Taken at the hairpin (see map) in Battlesden where the main drivable lane doubles back to get to Battlesden church. In addition to this lane and the track next to SP9628 : Centre Farm, Battlesden there is a more direct footpath here to Hill Farm and a bridleway which heads towards Hockliffe. There are very few properties in this parish which is a very quiet little oasis. It has a church which I think means that it is a village, but there are many hamlets bigger than this !

Rob Farrow

St Peter and All Saints, Battlesden

Tiny Battlesden's rather splendid church. Although not particularly large I would think that this church could hold the entire population of Battlesden five times over ! Read more about Battlesden and its church here Link

Rob Farrow

House and churchyard, Battlesden

The western part of the churchyard at Battlesden is very overgrown with tall grass and cow parsley in abundance. I would guess that the house here - one of very few in Battlesden - was the rectory. As most of the properties here were built on the instructions of the Duke of Bedford, I would think that this one certainly was.

Rob Farrow

Milton Lodge

Most of the lodgehouses around here are to the enormous Woburn Abbey estate, but this one near Milton Bryan is an exception. This lodge marks the start of Battlesden Avenue which leads (after about a mile) to Battlesden House next to Battlesden Church. There is some information about this manor house here Link

Rob Farrow

Milton Lodge near Milton Bryan

A closer view of the lodge in SP9630 : Milton Lodge Most of the lodgehouses around here are to the enormous Woburn Abbey estate, but this one near Milton Bryan is an exception. This lodge marks the start of Battlesden Avenue which leads (after about a mile) to Battlesden House next to Battlesden Church. There is some information about this manor house here Link

Rob Farrow

Hockliffe Grounds

Looking back down the track to Grounds Farm, Hockliffe. Just beyond this bend was a quite deep, very muddy puddle straddling the whole track.

Rob Farrow

Track to Grange Farm, Hockliffe

This track leads to Grange Farm, Hockliffe. It strikes off at 90º from a 90º bend in the main lane, therefore effectively being a straight continuation of one limb of that lane.

Rob Farrow

Battlesden Park is located at Grid Ref: SP9528 (Lat: 51.950152, Lng: -0.60797149)