Slip End

Slip End is a village and civil parish in South Bedfordshire, near Luton. As well as the village of Slip End, the parish contains the hamlets of Lower Woodside, Woodside and Pepperstock; its estimated population is 2010. [ [http://www.bedscc.gov.uk/BedsCC/SDimr2.nsf/Web/Thepage/Population+Estimates+and+Forecasts+2005 Bedfordshire County Council: Population Estimates and Forecasts 2005] .]

The name of Slip End possibly has a connection with the brickworks, "Slip" is an old English word for clay and "End" is quite common in Bedfordshire and not unknown in other counties. "End" refers to small settlements outside larger villages.

So possibly Slip End got its name in the early 1800s because of the small number of houses built near the new brickworks in an area not previously built on with the older settlements of Woodside and Pepperstock to either side. Incidentally, Markyate has a "Slype Lane" which may or not also be connected.

History

The school in Slip End was located towards the Pepperstock end of Front Street and Summer Street, which is now the site of a small development of flats and houses called "Old School Walk". It was a "Board School" established as a consequence of the infamous Education Act 1870 providing education to all.

The school catered for the whole age range in two sections – Juniors and Infants – and in 1947 it was extended to 15 year olds. A century after its foundation, the school moved to its present site (on Rossway) which previously had been clay pits for local brick production.

The School is now a Lower School, part of the Three-tier education system in Bedfordshire, and caters for ages 3½ to 9 years.

The parish was created in 2001 by splitting that of Caddington and Slip End.

The M1 motorway runs adjacent to the Village and was officially inaugurated from Slip End, this is celebrated by a large concrete slab ^{[http://www.slipend.co.uk/Info/Local%20History/images/The%20Slab.jpg]} on the bridge next to the village with inscription "London-Yorkshire Motorway, This slab was sealed by the Rt Hon Harold Watkinson M.P. Minister of transport inauguration day, 24th March 1958"

Local Amenities

The Village Hall, built circa 1901, is situated at the heart of the community and with parking for 40 cars and an entertainment licence for 100 to dance or up to 200 for a meeting.

The Peter Edwards Hall and Playing fields is situated at the Luton end of the village of Slip End, next to the Church, it has a huge playing Fields with Tennis Courts and Football Pitch.

External links

* [http://www.slipend.co.uk Slip End Village Website and Discussion Forum]
* [http://www.bedfordshire.gov.uk/CommunityAndLiving/ArchivesAndRecordOffice/CommunityArchives/SlipEnd/SlipEndIndexOfPages.aspx Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service: Slip End pages]

References

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