Ickleford
Ickleford | ||
---|---|---|
Shire county | ||
Region | ||
Country | England | |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom | |
Post town | Hitchin | |
Postcode district | SG5 | |
Dialling code | 01462 | |
Police | Hertfordshire | |
Fire | Hertfordshire | |
Ambulance | East of England | |
Hitchin and Harpenden | ||
Ickleford is a large village situated on the northern outskirts of
Etymology
Its name is derived from it being a ford, that is a way to cross a river, along the Icknield Way. Thus Ick + Ford. Another village, Ickford, shares the same etymology.
Governance
The modern parish of Ickleford includes areas that were historically detached parts of Shillington and Holwell, both of which were in Bedfordshire. The Shillington exclave was transferred to Hertfordshire by the Counties (Detached Parts) Act 1844. The Holwell exclave was transferred to Hertfordshire in 1897.
Ickleford Parish Council was established under the Local Government Act 1894.
Notable buildings
St Katharine's church, set amid cedar trees, has a 12th-century Norman nave and blocked north doorway with beautifully carved zigzag arches, and a south aisle and chapel added by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in 1859. The east window has some fine stained glass of 1860. It is the burial-place of Henry Boswell, "King of the Gypsies", who died in 1760, at the advanced age of 90; the remains of his wife and granddaughter are likewise interred here.
Transport
The
Facilities
Ickleford has a primary school (Ickleford Primary School), village hall, general store and a unisex hairdresser
There are two
The large Sports and Recreation ground also contains a playground and a licensed bar. The Sports and Recreation Ground caters for several sports, including cricket, football, squash and pétanque, and is home to the Ickleford Cricket Club, whose symbol represents two crossed farmers pitchforks. The club was founded in 1947 and in 2006 won promotion to Division 3 of the Saracens Herts League, and was promoted to Division 2 in 2010. Since 2006, the cricket club's first team has used the nickname "The Tigers". Outside the Recreation Ground towards the school there is a newly built cemetery.
Ickleford also has a Scout troop (the 1st Ickleford (9th Hitchin)) with active sections of Beavers, Cubs and Scouts for both boys and girls.
References
- ^ a b "Ickleford Parish". NOMIS. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
External links