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Contents & photos © copyright Kevin Quick |
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1903 Kelly's Trade Directory - HEATH & REACH HEATH AND REACH form a civil parish, on the borders of Bucks and the road from Leighton Buzzard to Woburn, 2.5 miles north from Leighton Buzzard station on the main line of the London and North Western railway, in the Southern division of the county, hundred of Manshead, petty sessional division, union and county court district of Leighton Buzzard, rural deanery of Dunstable, archdeaconry of Bedford, and diocese of Ely. The village is remarkable and picturesque, covering several hills and valleys, with pleasant landscapes stretching away into the distance with beautiful woods and plantations. The church of St. Leonard, rebuilt, with the exception of the tower, in 1815, is a plain building in the Gothic style, consisting of chancel, nave, south porch and a low embattled western tower containing one bell: the chancel was added, and the whole church newly seated in 1866. The earlier register is included in that of Leighton Buzzard, which dated from 1562: there is a separate register from the year 1813. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £270, with residence, built in 1852, and enlarged in 1869, in the gift of the vicar of Leighton Buzzard, and held since 1900 by the Rev. William Wallis Richards M.A. of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. There is a Baptist chapel, built in 1842, with 180 sittings, and a Wesleyan chapel, built in 1877. The cemetery of about 1 acre, was laid out in 1850, the land being the gift of Mrs. Knight, of Mursley, and is under the control of the vicar. The Poor's land produces £13 yearly for fuel. J.T. Mills esq. of Husbands Bosworth, Leics. who is lord of the manor, and Messrs. Britten, Claridge, Bushell, Garside and Arnold, are the principal landowners. The chief crops are wheat, barley and roots. The land comprises arable, woodland and meadow. A white sand is dug here at a depth of many feet from the surface, and is used for making glass. The area is 2,390 acres; rateable value £4,492; the population in 1900 was 1,062. Parish Clerk, James J Rayner. Post & M.O.O., S.B. & A. & I.O. - Mrs Louisa Hart, sub-postmistress. Letters through Leighton Buzzard delivered at 7.25 & 11.55 a.m. & 4.40 p.m.; sundays, 7.25 a.m. Box cleared at 9.15 & 11.50 a.m. & 6.45 p.m. & sundays
at 10.30 a.m. The nearest telegraph office is at Leighton Buzzard, 3 miles
distant. National School (mixed), rebuilt, with house for mistress, in 1863-4 & again enlarged in 1902 for 172 children; average attendance, 136; John Haybittle, master; (infants') added in 1876, for 84 children; average attendance, 66; Miss Jane Jellow, infants@ mistress. CARRIER to Leighton Buzzard. - Stone, daily PRIVATE RESIDENTS Blewitt Miss, Heath house COMMERCIAL Ashby Henry, farmer |