| Biggleswade | |
|---|---|
 Town council logo and unofficial town arms | |
 Biggleswade town centre | |
  Biggleswade Location within Bedfordshire | |
| Population | 22,541 (2021 Census)[1] |
| OS grid reference | TL1944 |
| Civil parish |
|
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BIGGLESWADE |
| Postcode district | SG18 |
| Dialling code | 01767 |
| Police | Bedfordshire |
| Fire | Bedfordshire and Luton |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| UK Parliament | |
Biggleswade (/ˈbɪɡəlzweɪd/ BIG-əlz-wayd) is a market town and civil parish in Central Bedfordshire in Bedfordshire, England. It lies on the River Ivel, 11 miles (18 km) south-east of Bedford. Its population was 16,551 in the 2011 United Kingdom census,[2] This figure increased by 36% to 22,541 at the time of the 2021 United Kingdom census.[1]
Evidence of settlement in the area goes back to the Neolithic period, but it is likely that the town as such was founded by Anglo-Saxons. A gold Anglo-Saxon coin was found on a footpath beside the River Ivel in 2001. The British Museum bought the coin in February 2006 and at the time, it was the most expensive British coin purchased.[3] A charter to hold a market was granted by King John in the 13th-century. In 1785 a great fire devastated the town. The Great North Road passed through until a bypass was completed in 1961. A railway station was opened in 1850. From the 1930s to the late 1990s, manufacturing provided a significant amount of employment. The town centre is designated a conservation area.[4][5]
- ^ a b ONS, Census 2021 Parish Profiles
- ^ UK Census (2011). "Local Area Report – Biggleswade Parish (E04011931)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics.
- ^ "Museum's £350,000 deal for coin". BBC News. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
- ^ "Plan of Biggleswade Conservation Area 2005" (PDF). Central Bedfordshire. Mid Beds District Council. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
- ^ "Biggleswade Conservation Area 2005" (PDF). Central Bedfordshire. Mid Beds District Council. Retrieved 25 July 2019.