Archived News
February 2005
St Mary's Church, Eaton Bray
The church was begun about AD 1200 under the patronage of the local baron of Eitone (Eaton), William de Cantelou, using stone from nearby Totternhoe.
For more information about the parish church, please see the St Mary's Eaton Bray Community Web.
St Mary's Village Carnival
The St Mary's Village Carnival is held each year on the first Saturday in July, for the residents of Eaton Bray, Edlesborough, Northall and Dagnall.
All monies raised are split between the church fabric fund and various local charities.
The St Mary's Village Carnival website has lots of details about this and previous year's Carnivals.
Eaton Bray History
The village name 'Eaton' is a common one in England, meaning 'farm by a river'. It was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Eitone. The suffix 'Bray' refers to the family that once owned the manor in this village.
Eaton Bray once had a moated castle. The moat, today all that remains, is open to the public for fishing at 'Park Farm'. In Victorian times Arthur Macnamara (the 'Mad Squire' of Billington) planned to build a mansion on the site of the castle, but ran out of money after completing the lodge at the entrance to Park Farm.
One of the more distinctive Victorian buildings near the church, is the 'Coffee Tavern' built by a tea-total vicar of the parish to encourage the villagers out of the local public houses.
More information can be found via the Eaton Bray home page.
Where is Eaton Bray?
Eaton Bray is a village that crosses the parishes of Edlesborough in Buckinghamshire, and Dunstable in Bedfordshire, in England. It is located on the border between the two counties, though modernly it is considered to be mainly in Bedfordshire.
For further information, please see the Eaton Bray home page.
Village so proud of its super school
Outstanding – that's the verdict from Ofsted chief David Bell on Eaton Bray Lower School in his annual report for 2003-04.
That meant it was celebration time at the friendly village school, which was among just FOUR Bedfordshire schools to win that high praise in the report.
Nationally, he highlighted 393 schools and colleges which had received an outstanding report in 2003-04 and provide a high standard of education for their pupils.
The Ofsted chief said: "I heartily congratulate the headteacher, staff, governors and pupils or students of all the successful schools and colleges named in my annual report on their success and hard work in delivering such a high standard of education."
Eaton Bray Lower's head, Sue Hounslow, said: "We have a great team – teachers, non-teaching staff, governors, parents, Home School Association and not forgetting the children!
"Everyone works so hard, I'm delighted that this has been recognised in some way."
Source: Dunstable Gazette, 9 February 2005
Eaton Bray Poppy Appeal, 2004
Village donations to the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal this year raised the magnificent total of £1454.83. On behalf of the Legion, we would like to thank everyone who contributed so generously to the appeal, all the local traders and the village community oranisations who kindly displayed poppies and collecting boxes, and our small and ever cheerful army of street collectors who gave their time so willingly to this deserving cause.
Every year the Legion offers a wide range of welfare assistance, provides grants, counselling and retraining for ex-service people and their families, arranges home and hospital visits and when needed, full nursing care.
The money you have so freely donated will be well used helping ex-service people in real need of support.
Thank you, everyone
Keith and Jean Stanley
Hon. Organisers
Source: Focus, February 2005