Leighton Buzzard (/ˈleɪtən ˈbʌzərd/ LAY-tən BUZ-ərd) is a market town in Bedfordshire, England, in the southwest of the county and close to the Buckinghamshire border. It lies between Aylesbury, Tring, Luton/Dunstable and Milton Keynes, near the Chiltern Hills.

It is 36 miles (58 km) northwest of Central London and linked to the capital by the Grand Union Canal and the West Coast Main Line. The built-up area extends on either side of the River Ouzel (here about 2 metres wide) to include its historically separate neighbour Linslade, and is administered by Leighton-Linslade Town Council.

History

Foundation and development

It is unclear when the town was initially founded, although some historians believe that there may have been settlement in the area from as early as 571. There are a number of theories concerning the derivation of the town's name: ‘Leighton’ came from Old English Lēah-tūn, meaning 'farm in a clearing in the woods', and one version of the addition of ‘Buzzard’ was that it was added by the Dean of Lincoln, in whose diocese the town lay in the 12th century, from Beau-desert. Another version is that having two communities called ‘Leighton’ and seeking some means of differentiating them the Dean added the name of his local Prebendary or representative to that of the town. At that time it was Theobald de Busar and so over the years the town became known as Leighton Buzzard. The other Leighton became Leighton Bromswold. In the Domesday Book of 1086, Leighton Buzzard and Linslade were both called Leestone. A further variation may be seen in a legal record of 1424, where "William Dagenale of Leytun Busherd, Beds" appears as a defendant. Leighton Buzzard developed into a thriving market town supported by good road, canal and, later, rail links to the agricultural hinterland and London. The town's market charter was granted in 1086 and is still active today. The town's high street is home to numerous historical buildings, more than 70 of which are listed. They include the notable Bank Building on the Market Square (now home to Barclays Bank), designed by the eminent architect Alfred Waterhouse, designer of London's Natural History Museum, London. They also include the Old Town Hall, later used as a fire station and now as a restaurant.

Rothschild family

The town has had a long association with the Rothschild family, since Lionel de Rothschild bought neighbouring farmlands to the west of the town in 1873. Over time the farm developed into the Ascott House estate located less than 2 miles (3 km) from the town. In the late 19th century, Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild used the now demolished Leighton House and its stabling, on the High Street, as a hunting box. The family still maintain links with the town through their ownership of Southcourt Stud in Southcote.

Non-conformism

The town has a strong history of dissenters and is home to one of the oldest Friends meeting houses in the region. Established in the 18th century, local Quakers continue to meet in the Meeting House on North Street.

Poor law union

After the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 Leighton Buzzard became the centre of a poor law union that consisted of 15 surrounding parishes with the union workhouse (still standing) being sited in Grovebury Road.

Leighton Buzzard Isolation Hospital

In 1847, additional land was obtained adjacent to the workhouse on which to build an isolation hospital. It had twenty beds over three wards, one each for patients with Diphtheria, Scarlet Fever and Typhoid. Jane Sarah Downer was appointed Nurse-Matron of the Isolation Hospital in 1899, and worked there until at least 1911. Downer had trained under Eva Luckes at The London Hospital between 1895 and 1897, and then worked on the Private Nursing Staff for one year, before her appointment as Matron in Leighton Buzzard.

World War II

During World War II, RAF Leighton Buzzard, a secret communications facility described as "the largest telephone exchange in the world", was located to the south of Stanbridge Road. Also the headquarters of No. 60 Group RAF, which controlled the air defence radar network across Britain, operated from Oxenden House (now demolished) off Plantation Road.

The Great Train Robbery

The Great Train Robbery took place in 1963 at Bridego Bridge just outside Leighton Buzzard. The robbers were held at the Old Police Station on Wing Road Linslade while waiting to be seen by the local magistrate after being captured a month after the robbery.

Leighton Buzzard station was the location for part of the film Robbery, which is based on the ‘Great Train Robbery’.

Telephone exchange

The UK's first and only TXE1 electronic telephone exchange went into service here in 1968. The large building, built on the site of the former Lake House, that housed this and later exchanges, can be found in Lake Street.

Expansion

The population of Leighton-Linslade was originally recorded in the 2001 census as 32,417. Part of Billington parish was transferred in 2003 to Leighton-Linslade, and the revised census result including this area was 32,753. At the 2011 census, the population of the Leighton-Linslade built-up area was recorded by the Office for National Statistics as 37,469, and was estimated to have reached 43,203 in 2020.

The town is expanding southwards, with the development of sites in southern Leighton Buzzard through the Southern Leighton Buzzard Development Brief. It is also expanding eastwards, with several developments forming the Eastern Leighton Linslade Urban Extension Scheme.

Places of interest

The town is home to the Leighton Buzzard Light Railway, a narrow gauge heritage railway, one of England's longest at just under 3 miles (4.8 km) long and oldest narrow-gauge lines, with an extensive collection of locomotives and rolling stock.

The Grand Union Canal runs through the town, alongside the River Ouzel.

All Saints' Church, an Early English parish church dating from 1277. The church is the starting point for the annual Wilkes Walk, described as "a curious procession of the church choir, clergy, and churchwardens across town to the alms houses in North Street." The church was damaged by fire in the 1980s, but has since undergone restoration.

The town has a combined library and theatre (called the Library Theatre) where both live events and film screenings are regularly held.

Rushmere Country Park and Stockgrove Country Park are in nearby Heath and Reach. The National Trust-operated country home Ascott House is located 2 miles (3 km) from the town in neighbouring Buckinghamshire.

Transport

Leighton Buzzard is close to the M1 motorway and A5 road, and is served by London Northwestern Railway services on the West Coast Main Line railway at Leighton Buzzard railway station (in Linslade). The railway operates non-stop commuting services to Euston railway station, with the fastest journey times less than 30 minutes.

The majority of Leighton Buzzard's bus services are operated by Arriva Shires & Essex. Services F70 and F77 provide a direct bus rapid transit service to Milton Keynes and Luton via the Luton to Dunstable Busway, with an onward connection to Luton Airport Arriva also operate the X4 service through the town between Aylesbury and Milton Keynes, as well as several local town services. Z&S and Red Rose also operate bus services into Leighton Buzzard which serve local estates and surrounding villages.

Economy

Leighton Buzzard is now home to several UK head offices for national and international firms. Connells Group, the estate agents' chains, have their head offices in the town, as do the UK operations of Tupperware and Grundfos. FTSE 250 company Rightmove had their first ever office in the town, which at the time consisted of just 25 employees. Leighton Buzzard is also home to the Vinci SA Technology Centre, where technology for London's new Crossrail stations was tested. Since 2014, the town has had its own brewery.

The town has a sizeable sand quarrying industry, with good enough quality 'building' sand to export to Egypt. The town is, or has at one time been, the home to various other industries including B/E Aerospace (Aircraft Interiors), Polyformes, Lipton Tea which has now closed down, Gossard clothing, and Lancer Boss (forklifts, etc.).

Governance

Leighton Buzzard is in the civil parish of Leighton-Linslade, in the Central Bedfordshire district. Historically, Leighton Buzzard was a civil parish in its own right: in 1961, its parish had a population of 11,745. On 1 April 1965 the parish was merged with Linslade to form "Leighton Linslade".

Sport

Leighton Buzzard is represented by the sporting teams of Leighton Town F.C. who play football in the Spartan South Midlands Football League. Also at the Bell Close Site are Leighton Buzzard Tennis Club who have been a part of the town since the 1930s. Leighton Buzzard Hockey Club established in 1901, play field hockey and run 4 Men's and 4 Ladies teams of all ability. The Men's teams play in the South Hockey League and the Ladies teams play in the 5 Counties Hockey League. Leighton Buzzard Hockey Club also have junior sides; starting age of 5. Leighton Buzzard R.F.C. play rugby union in South West 1 East and the Ladies rugby team play in NC South East North 2.

Leighton Buzzard Golf Club was established in 1925 and there is also an active running club, Leighton Buzzard Athletics Club. Established in 2011 Leighton Buzzard Road Cycling Club is a cycling club for riders of all abilities. Their race team LBRCC-Solgar compete in local, as well as national, cycling events. Established in 2000, Leighton Linslade Croquet Club, a member of the Croquet Association, have three croquet lawns in Pages Park next to the pavilion.

A greyhound racing track was opened by the Leighton Buzzard Greyhound Racing Association. The track which was located on Bridge Meadows, a flood plain and wharfage between the Grand Union Canal and the River Ouze, south of Bridge Street and is believed to have opened during 1931. The racing was independent (not affiliated to the sports governing body the National Greyhound Racing Club) known as a flapping track, which was the nickname given to independent tracks. The date of closure is not known.

Media

Local news and television programmes are provided by BBC East and ITV Anglia.

Local radio stations are BBC Three Counties Radio on 103.8 FM, Heart East on 97.6 FM, Greatest Hits Radio Bucks, Beds and Herts (formerly Mix 96) on 96.2 FM.

The Leighton Buzzard Observer is the town's local newspaper.

Education

Lower schools

• Beaudesert Lower School – Apennine Way
• Clipstone Brook Lower School – Brooklands Drive
• Greenleas School – Derwent Road
• Greenleas School, Sandhills – Kestrel Way
• Dovery Down Lower School – Heath Road
• Heathwood Lower School – Heath Road
• Leedon Lower School – Highfield Road
• Linslade Lower School – Leopold Road
• Mary Bassett Lower School – Bassett Road
• Pulford VA C of E Lower School – Pulford Road
• The Rushmere Park Academy – East Street
• St Leonard's (Heath & Reach) V A Lower School – Thrift Road
• Southcott Lower School – Bideford Green

Middle schools

• Brooklands Middle School – a school near the south east edge of the town.
• Gilbert Inglefield Academy – next door to Vandyke Upper School.
• Leighton Middle School – in the centre of the town, Mary Norton, who wrote 'The Borrowers' books, lived there in her childhood.
• Linslade School (Middle) – Situated over the road from Cedars.

Upper schools

• Cedars Upper School – Located on the west edge of town, in Linslade, adjoined to Tiddenfoot Leisure Centre. Cedars was once a grammar school.
• Vandyke Upper School – Situated on the east edge of town, on Vandyke Road.

Other schools

• Oak Bank School – located on Sandy Lane.

Further education

• Central Bedfordshire College has a campus near the town centre of Leighton Buzzard.

Twin towns

Leighton Buzzard was twinned with Coulommiers in France in 1958. The twinning was renewed in 1982. It was also twinned with Titisee-Neustadt in Germany in 1991.

Notable people

• William Sclater (1575–1626), an English clergyman and controversialist.
• George Felt (1601–ca.1693), a founder of Charlestown, Massachusetts
• Edward Backwell (ca.1618–1683), a goldsmith-banker and politician.
• Samuel Claridge (1828–1919), early settler of the Muddy River Valley in Nevada and Thatcher, Arizona.
• Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild (1839–1898), lived in Leighton House in the High Street before building and moving to Waddesdon Manor.
• Christian Tindall CIE (1878–1951), officer in the Indian Civil Service and first-class cricketer.
• Jim Kempster (1900–1945), an international speedway rider.
• Mary Norton (1903–1992), children's writer, famous for The Borrowers series, was brought up in The Cedars on the High Street now Leighton Middle School. The building now hosts a blue plaque in commemoration.
• Fred Hartley (1905–1980), Scottish pianist and composer of light music, died at his home, 3 Pulford Road in April 1980.
• Philip O'Connor (1916–1998), writer and surrealist poet, was born in the town.
• Sir Nicholas Cosmo Bonsor, 4th Baronet, DL (1942–2023), a Conservative politician.
• Rusty Goffe (born 1948), actor, lives in the town.
• The Barron Knights (formed 1959) a humorous pop rock group were formed in the town.
• Louise Dearman (born 1979), who played Glinda in the West End production of Wicked, was brought up in Leighton Buzzard, attending Linslade Middle School and Cedars Upper School.
• Kajagoogoo (founded 1978), a new wave band, were formed in the town.
• Charlotte Dujardin CBE (born 1985), triple Olympic gold medallist was brought up in the town and attended Vandyke Upper School.
• Martin O'Donnell (born 1986), internationally ranked professional snooker player lives in the town with his family.

Nearby places

Climate

Leighton Buzzard experiences an oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb) similar to almost all of the United Kingdom.

See also

• Operation Netwing, a long-running investigation of forced labour and human trafficking in Bedfordshire, by Irish Travellers.