# Civil parishes in Bedfordshire

A civil parish is a country subdivision, forming the lowest unit of local government in England. There are 125 civil parishes in the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire, most of the county being parished: Luton is completely unparished; Central Bedfordshire is entirely parished. At the 2001 census, there were 312,301 people living in the 125 parishes, which accounted for 55.2 per cent of the county's population.

## History

Parishes arose from Church of England divisions, and were originally purely ecclesiastical divisions. Over time they acquired civil administration powers.
The Highways Act 1555 made parishes responsible for the upkeep of roads. Every adult inhabitant of the parish was obliged to work four days a year on the roads, providing their own tools, carts and horses; the work was overseen by an unpaid local appointee, the Surveyor of Highways.
The poor were looked after by the monasteries, until their dissolution. In 1572, magistrates were given power to 'survey the poor' and impose taxes for their relief. This system was made more formal by the Poor Law Act 1601, which made parishes responsible for administering the Poor Law; overseers were appointed to charge a rate to support the poor of the parish. The 19th century saw an increase in the responsibility of parishes, although the Poor Law powers were transferred to Poor Law Unions. The Public Health Act 1872 grouped parishes into Rural Sanitary Districts, based on the Poor Law Unions; these subsequently formed the basis for Rural Districts.
Parishes were run by vestries, meeting annually to appoint officials, and were generally identical to ecclesiastical parishes, although some townships in large parishes administered the Poor Law themselves; under the Divided Parishes and Poor Law Amendment Act 1882, all extra-parochial areas and townships that levied a separate rate became independent civil parishes.
Civil parishes in their modern sense date from the Local Government Act 1894, which abolished vestries; established elected parish councils in all rural parishes with more than 300 electors; grouped rural parishes into Rural Districts; and aligned parish boundaries with county and borough boundaries. Urban civil parishes continued to exist, and were generally coterminous with the Urban District, Municipal Borough or County Borough in which they were situated; many large towns contained a number of parishes, and these were usually merged into one. Parish councils were not formed in urban areas, and the only function of the parish was to elect guardians to Poor Law Unions; with the abolition of the Poor Law system in 1930 the parishes had only a nominal existence.
The Local Government Act 1972 retained civil parishes in rural areas, and many former Urban Districts and Municipal Boroughs that were being abolished, were replaced by new successor parishes; urban areas that were considered too large to be single parishes became unparished areas.

## The current position

Recent governments have encouraged the formation of town and parish councils in unparished areas, and the Local Government and Rating Act 1997 gave local residents the right to demand the creation of a new civil parish.
A parish council can become a town council unilaterally, simply by resolution; and a civil parish can also gain city status, but only if that is granted by the Crown. The chairman of a town or city council is called a mayor. The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 introduced alternative names: a parish council can now choose to be called a community; village; or neighbourhood council.

## List of civil parishes and unparished areas

| Name | Status | Population (2001 census) | District | Former local authority | Refs |
| Bedford | Unparished area | 69,271 | Bedford | Bedford Municipal Borough | [13] [14] |
| Biddenham | Civil parish | 1,640 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [16] |
| Bletsoe | Civil parish | 281 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Bolnhurst and Keysoe | Civil parish | 734 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Brickhill | Civil parish | 8,678 | Bedford | Bedford Municipal Borough | [13] [18] [19] |
| Bromham | Civil parish | 4,768 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Cardington | Civil parish | 316 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Carlton and Chellington | Civil parish | 827 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Clapham | Civil parish | 3,643 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Colmworth | Civil parish | 367 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Cople | Civil parish | 736 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Cotton End | Civil parish | | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Dean and Shelton | Civil parish | 386 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Elstow | Civil parish | 2,049 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Felmersham | Civil parish | 737 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Great Barford | Civil parish | 1,864 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Great Denham | Civil parish | 980 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [20] [21] |
| Harrold | Civil parish | 1,235 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Kempston | Town | 19,375 | Bedford | Kempston Urban District | [22] [17] |
| Kempston Rural | Civil parish | 1,286 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Knotting and Souldrop | Civil parish | 269 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Little Barford | Civil parish | 44 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Little Staughton | Civil parish | 421 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Melchbourne and Yielden | Civil parish | 391 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Milton Ernest | Civil parish | 754 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Oakley | Civil parish | 2,438 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Odell | Civil parish | 260 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Pavenham | Civil parish | 593 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Pertenhall | Civil parish | 231 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Podington | Civil parish | 417 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Ravensden | Civil parish | 706 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Renhold | Civil parish | 1,448 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Riseley | Civil parish | 1,284 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Roxton | Civil parish | 322 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [23] [21] |
| Sharnbrook | Civil parish | 1,940 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Shortstown | Civil parish | | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Stagsden | Civil parish | 354 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Staploe | Civil parish | 347 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Stevington | Civil parish | 581 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Stewartby | Civil parish | 1,212 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Swineshead | Civil parish | 150 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Thurleigh | Civil parish | 696 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Turvey | Civil parish | 1,192 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Wilden | Civil parish | 412 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Willington | Civil parish | 782 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Wilshamstead | Civil parish | 2,263 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Wixams | Civil parish | | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | |
| Wootton | Civil parish | 4,230 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Wyboston, Chawston and Colesden | Civil parish | 946 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [23] [21] |
| Wymington | Civil parish | 868 | Bedford | Bedford Rural District | [15] [17] |
| Ampthill | Town | 6,767 | Central Bedfordshire | Ampthill Urban District | [25] [26] |
| Arlesey | Town | 4,741 | Central Bedfordshire | Biggleswade Rural District | [27] [26] |
| Aspley Guise | Civil parish | 2,185 | Central Bedfordshire | Ampthill Rural District | [28] [26] |
| Aspley Heath | Civil parish | 573 | Central Bedfordshire | Ampthill Rural District | [28] [26] |
| Astwick | Civil parish | 24 | Central Bedfordshire | Biggleswade Rural District | [27] [26] |
| Barton-le-Clay | Civil parish | 4,793 | Central Bedfordshire | Luton Rural District | [29] [30] |
| Battlesden | Civil parish | 37 | Central Bedfordshire | Ampthill Rural District | [28] [26] |
| Biggleswade | Town | 15,383 | Central Bedfordshire | Biggleswade Urban District | [31] [26] |
| Billington | Civil parish | 632 | Central Bedfordshire | Luton Rural District | [29] [30] |
| Blunham | Civil parish | 926 | Central Bedfordshire | Biggleswade Rural District | [27] [26] |
| Brogborough | Civil parish | 343 | Central Bedfordshire | Ampthill Rural District | [28] [26] |
| Caddington | Civil parish | 3,673 | Central Bedfordshire | Luton Rural District | [29] [30] |
| Campton and Chicksands | Civil parish | 1,388 | Central Bedfordshire | Biggleswade Rural District | [27] [26] |
| Chalgrave | Civil parish | 480 | Central Bedfordshire | Luton Rural District | [29] [30] |
| Chalton | Civil parish | 549 | Central Bedfordshire | Luton Rural District | [29] [30] |
| Clifton | Civil parish | 2,730 | Central Bedfordshire | Biggleswade Rural District | [27] [26] |
| Clophill | Civil parish | 1,702 | Central Bedfordshire | Ampthill Rural District | [28] [26] |
| Cranfield | Civil parish | 4,909 | Central Bedfordshire | Ampthill Rural District | [28] [26] |
| Dunstable | Town | 33,805 | Central Bedfordshire | Dunstable Municipal Borough | [33] [30] |
| Dunton | Civil parish | 653 | Central Bedfordshire | Biggleswade Rural District | [27] [26] |
| Eaton Bray | Civil parish | 2,591 | Central Bedfordshire | Luton Rural District | [29] [30] |
| Edworth | Civil parish | 69 | Central Bedfordshire | Biggleswade Rural District | [27] [26] |
| Eggington | Civil parish | 288 | Central Bedfordshire | Luton Rural District | [29] [30] |
| Eversholt | Civil parish | 387 | Central Bedfordshire | Ampthill Rural District | [28] [26] |
| Everton | Civil parish | 525 | Central Bedfordshire | Biggleswade Rural District | [27] [26] |
| Eyeworth | Civil parish | 86 | Central Bedfordshire | Biggleswade Rural District | [27] [26] |
| Fairfield | Civil parish | | Central Bedfordshire | Biggleswade Rural District | |
| Flitton and Greenfield | Civil parish | 1,212 | Central Bedfordshire | Ampthill Rural District | [28] [26] |
| Flitwick | Town | 12,700 | Central Bedfordshire | Ampthill Rural District | [28] [26] |
| Gravenhurst | Civil parish | 581 | Central Bedfordshire | Ampthill Rural District | [28] [26] |
| Harlington | Civil parish | 2,322 | Central Bedfordshire | Ampthill Rural District | [28] [26] |
| Haynes | Civil parish | 1,122 | Central Bedfordshire | Ampthill Rural District | [28] [26] |
| Heath and Reach | Civil parish | 1,285 | Central Bedfordshire | Luton Rural District | [29] [30] |
| Henlow | Civil parish | 3,084 | Central Bedfordshire | Biggleswade Rural District | [27] [26] |
| Hockliffe | Civil parish | 730 | Central Bedfordshire | Luton Rural District | [29] [30] |
| Houghton Conquest | Civil parish | 1,299 | Central Bedfordshire | Ampthill Rural District | [28] [26] |
| Houghton Regis | Town | 16,970 | Central Bedfordshire | Luton Rural District | [29] [30] |
| Hulcote and Salford | Civil parish | 186 | Central Bedfordshire | Ampthill Rural District | [28] [26] |
| Husborne Crawley | Civil parish | 217 | Central Bedfordshire | Ampthill Rural District | [28] [26] |
| Hyde | Civil parish | 402 | Central Bedfordshire | Luton Rural District | [29] [30] |
| Kensworth | Civil parish | 1,504 | Central Bedfordshire | Luton Rural District | [29] [30] |
| Langford | Civil parish | 2,882 | Central Bedfordshire | Biggleswade Rural District | [27] [26] |
| Leighton–Linslade | Town | 32,417 | Central Bedfordshire | Leighton–Linslade Urban District | [35] [30] |
| Lidlington | Civil parish | 1,145 | Central Bedfordshire | Ampthill Rural District | [28] [26] |
| Marston Moreteyne | Civil parish | 3,684 | Central Bedfordshire | Ampthill Rural District | [28] [26] |
| Maulden | Civil parish | 2,900 | Central Bedfordshire | Ampthill Rural District | [28] [26] |
| Meppershall | Civil parish | 1,549 | Central Bedfordshire | Biggleswade Rural District | [27] [26] |
| Millbrook | Civil parish | 130 | Central Bedfordshire | Ampthill Rural District | [28] [26] |
| Milton Bryan | Civil parish | 144 | Central Bedfordshire | Ampthill Rural District | [28] [26] |
| Moggerhanger | Civil parish | 636 | Central Bedfordshire | Biggleswade Rural District | [27] [26] |
| Northill | Civil parish | 2,288 | Central Bedfordshire | Biggleswade Rural District | [27] [26] |
| Old Warden | Civil parish | 275 | Central Bedfordshire | Biggleswade Rural District | [27] [26] |
| Potsgrove | Civil parish | 44 | Central Bedfordshire | Ampthill Rural District | [28] [26] |
| Potton | Town | 4,473 | Central Bedfordshire | Biggleswade Rural District | [27] [26] |
| Pulloxhill | Civil parish | 850 | Central Bedfordshire | Ampthill Rural District | [28] [26] |
| Ridgmont | Civil parish | 418 | Central Bedfordshire | Ampthill Rural District | [28] [26] |
| Sandy | Town | 10,887 | Central Bedfordshire | Sandy Urban District | [36] [26] |
| Shefford | Town | 4,928 | Central Bedfordshire | Biggleswade Rural District | [27] [26] |
| Shillington | Civil parish | 1,831 | Central Bedfordshire | Ampthill Rural District | [28] [26] |
| Silsoe | Civil parish | 1,729 | Central Bedfordshire | Ampthill Rural District | [28] [26] |
| Slip End | Civil parish | 1,976 | Central Bedfordshire | Luton Rural District | [29] [30] |
| Southill | Civil parish | 1,141 | Central Bedfordshire | Biggleswade Rural District | [27] [26] |
| Stanbridge | Civil parish | 747 | Central Bedfordshire | Luton Rural District | [29] [30] |
| Steppingley | Civil parish | 233 | Central Bedfordshire | Ampthill Rural District | [28] [26] |
| Stondon | Civil parish | 1,821 | Central Bedfordshire | Biggleswade Rural District | [27] [26] |
| Stotfold | Town | 6,190 | Central Bedfordshire | Biggleswade Rural District | [27] [26] |
| Streatley | Civil parish | 1,707 | Central Bedfordshire | Luton Rural District | [29] [30] |
| Studham | Civil parish | 1,125 | Central Bedfordshire | Luton Rural District | [29] [30] |
| Sundon | Civil parish | 507 | Central Bedfordshire | Luton Rural District | [29] [30] |
| Sutton | Civil parish | 299 | Central Bedfordshire | Biggleswade Rural District | [27] [26] |
| Tempsford | Civil parish | 564 | Central Bedfordshire | Biggleswade Rural District | [27] [26] |
| Tilsworth | Civil parish | 360 | Central Bedfordshire | Luton Rural District | [29] [30] |
| Tingrith | Civil parish | 149 | Central Bedfordshire | Ampthill Rural District | [28] [26] |
| Toddington | Civil parish | 4,459 | Central Bedfordshire | Luton Rural District | [29] [30] |
| Totternhoe | Civil parish | 1,180 | Central Bedfordshire | Luton Rural District | [29] [30] |
| Westoning | Civil parish | 2,001 | Central Bedfordshire | Ampthill Rural District | [28] [26] |
| Whipsnade | Civil parish | 457 | Central Bedfordshire | Luton Rural District | [29] [30] |
| Woburn | Civil parish | 945 | Central Bedfordshire | Ampthill Rural District | [28] [26] |
| Wrestlingworth and Cockayne Hatley | Civil parish | 737 | Central Bedfordshire | Biggleswade Rural District | [27] [26] |
| Luton | Unparished area | 184,371 | Luton | Luton County Borough | [37] [38] |