Marston Vale
Forest of Marston Vale
The aesthetic and environmental condition of the Vale is being restored by a community forest project called the Forest of Marston Vale.
Settlements
Villages in Marston Vale include Stewartby, Kempston Hardwick, Houghton Conquest, Marston Moretaine, Lidlington, Brogborough, Ridgmont and Wootton, and in 2007 construction work began on the new town of Wixams.
Wootton Pillinge was renamed Stewartby in 1937 in recognition of the Stewart family who had been instrumental in developing the brickworks.
Brick making
At the height of the industry’s production there were 162 brick chimneys in the Marston Vale.
In the 1970s Bedfordshire produced 20% of England’s bricks. Prior to closure, production totalled 135 million bricks a year. In Feb 2008, Hanson closed brickmaking operations at Stewartby owing to problems meeting UK sulphur emission regulations, even though it met the EU regulations. In 2008, the 2 surviving Hoffman kilns (CK1 and CK3) and 4 chimneys at the brickworks were given Grade 2 listed status.
The factories used Oxford Clay, which is made up of 5% seaweed, formed 150 million years ago when it was on the sea bed. This reduced the amount of coal needed to fire the kilns, as the organic material burned.
Transport
Rail transport in the district is served by the Marston Vale Line.
The primary road through the area is the A421.