Cotton End

Cotton End is a small village and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England. It became a parish as of 1 April 2019, having previously been part of the parish of Eastcotts. It is within the Borough of Bedford. Ordnance Survey maps from the 1880s show its name as 'Cardington Cotton End'. The village is set along the A600, Bedford - Hitchin road, 3.5 miles (5.6 km) south-east of Bedford town centre. Cotton End Forest School is a primary school established in 2019 catering for children from age 2 to 11, with an outdoor approach to education. It was designed by Nottingham-based Lungfish Architects and built by Wilmott Dixon largely of timber and has a capacity of 630. It replaced Cotton End Lower School, which was in school buildings dating back to 1875. A Baptist meeting house was founded here in 1777. It was replaced by the current chapel, which was formerly opened on 12 April 1837. A census return carried out in 1851 reported the chapel had three galleries and 76 pews allowing up to 600 worshippers. Over the preceding year an average of 150 attended Sunday school in the morning and afternoon, 500 attended the morning service, 400 the afternoon and 150 in the evening. New Sunday Schools and a village room were opened in 1895. In the early 2000s the pews were removed and replaced by chairs, and the church floor was carpeted. In 1912, Cotton End is described as a scattered hamlet. Manor Farmhouse is the former manor house of Cotton End manor and dates from the late 16th century. It is of brick with stone dressings under a clay tile roof and listed Grade II*. An "elaborate" early 17th century plaster work ceiling features panels and borders depicting a coat of arms, birds, animals, foliage, grotesque figures and scriptural images. In 1752 the farm extended to 130 acres (53 ha), but by 1840 this had reduced to 95 acres (38 ha). An 18th-century dovecote stands in the grounds. The Bell public house is Grade II listed. Documentary evidence held by Bedfordshire Archives dates the…