Podington Castle

Church of St Mary, or St Mary the Virgin, is a Grade I listed church in Podington, Bedfordshire, England. It became a listed building on 13 July 1964, (List Entry Number: 1321514). The National Grid Reference is SP 942 627.Surviving architectural elements date back at least to the early 13th century. A 1912 report about the church indicated that it had a chancel, nave, north aisle, south aisle, south porch and west tower. The south arcade of the nave, the north arcade the chancel and tower were all dated to the 13th century. There were four bells in 1912, dating from 1609 to 1618. The leaning spire was built in the 14th century but was modified in the 14th and 15th century. It was in danger of collapse but was restored in the 19th century.During the reign of Henry II, the church was part of the endowment to the Canons Ashby Priory by Stephen la Leye. During the Dissolution it became Crown property. In 1545, the advowson was granted to Daniel Payne. The church is the final resting place of Richard Orlebar the High Sheriff of Bedfordshire (died 1733) and his wife the culinary writer Diana Astry (died 1716), who had owned Hinwick House.The pipe organ was restored by the 92nd Bomb Group Memorial Association. The 92nd group had been stationed at the RAF Podington airfield during WW II and flew nearly 300 operational missions from that base.

Podington is a village and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England, United Kingdom. The village is within the electoral ward of Harrold in the Borough of Bedford. Podington lies around 16 km (9.9 mi) northwest of Bedford and is about 2 km (1.2 mi) east of the county border with Northamptonshire. Nearby there is paintballing. Podington Garden Centre, founded by village residents Colin & Norma Read in 1976 can be found in the High Street. Podington is a small picturesque rural village; many of its buildings are stone cottages dating from the 18th century, and some even earlier. Podington was included in the Domesday Book 1086, with a population of 29 households; prominent landowners included Walter of Flanders, Hugh of Flanders and William Peverer.The community was recorded as "Podintone" and "Potintone" from the 13th century and later as "Puddington". Today it is sometimes spelt (or misspelt) "Poddington". Located around 3 km (1.9 mi) southeast of the village are RAF Podington and Santa Pod Raceway. Hinwick House is found at a crossroads under 1 km (0.62 mi) south of the village. Church of St Mary is a Grade I listed church in Podington. It became a listed building on 13 July 1964. Some surviving architectural elements date back at least to the early 13th century. A 1912 report about the church indicated that it had a chancel, nave, north aisle, south aisle, south porch and west tower. The south arcade of the nave, the north arcade the chancel and tower were all dated to the 13th century.Mary I of England gave the manor to one of her servants George Brediman in 1557. Richard Orlebar, the High Sheriff for Bedfordshire and his wife, the culinary writer Diana Astry, were both buried at this church in the 1700s. They had been the owners of Hinwick House.The church's pipe organ was restored by the 92nd Bomb Group Memorial Association. The 92nd group had been stationed at the RAF Podington airfield during WW II and flew nearly 300 operational missions from that base.

Hinwick House is a Grade I-listed Queen Anne country house located about 90 minutes from Central London, near Podington in North Bedfordshire. The estate consists of the Queen Anne main house, the Victorian wing, the Victorian wing extension, garage block, stables, three cottages attached to a clock tower, a walled garden and a period dovecote. The house and estate has a total of 50 rooms. Hinwick House underwent a two-year restoration programme that concluded in 2016. The house stands in its own park of about 38 acres (150,000 m2) on the west side of the road from Podington and to the south of the Wollaston Road, from which the house is approached along a drive. At the end of which are wrought-iron gates with stone piers surmounted by collared eagles' heads with wings displayed, the crest of the Orlebar family by whom the house was built. At some time in the past, four soldiers were murdered; some say the house is haunted by their ghosts, since the soldiers were buried under the structure.

Hinwick ( HIN-ik) is a hamlet in northwest Bedfordshire, England, United Kingdom; it is around nine miles north west of Bedford and is about 1 km (0.62 mi) east of the county border with Northamptonshire which is also the postal county. The hamlet is in the parish of Podington, which is sometimes called "Podington and Hinwick" and this parish was within the Hundred of Willey. Hinwick was recorded in the Domesday Book in 1086 as Haneuuich, also spelt Heneuuiche or Henewich and has also been recorded as Henewic and Hynewyk from the 13th century. In 1086, the population consisted of 19 households under six owners.The area had been inhabited for centuries by that time. Paleoliths (stone tools) have been found and there is an indication that Bronze Age cinerary urn was also found. Some evidence of Roman habitation was also discovered including pottery, building materials and animal bones. Today Hinwick is within the electoral ward of Harrold which is in the Borough of Bedford. Located around two miles south east of Hinwick are RAF Podington and Santa Pod Raceway. At the cross roads, to the north side of the hamlet is Hinwick House, a manor house in its own 36 acres of grounds, built in 1709–14; its Victorian wing was added in 1860. The house is Grade I listed; it was extensively restored in 2014–2016.Hinwick Numbers 1 and 2 (two houses) are Grade II listed, (Entry Number: 1114355). They were built around 1682 but modified since that time.According to the 2015/2016 Hinwick Conservation report, the community has changed significantly over the centuries, from primarily agricultural "to a predominantly residential commuter village". Some historically significant buildings remain however, including Park Farm House, West Farm House, the barn at West Farm, the Old Wheatsheaf and the Keepers Cottage.Less than one mile north north east along the main road is the village of Podington. Other nearby villages include, Farndish to the north and Wollaston to the north west, both just within two miles and also Bozeat around two and a half miles south west. The centre of the larger town, Rushden, is around three and a half miles north north east.

The Parish Church of Saint Lawrence, Wymington is a Grade I listed church in Wymington, Bedfordshire, England. It became a listed building on 13 July 1964. The church was built in 1377 with funds bequeathed by John Curteys, the mayor of the wool staple at Calais, though there are records of a previous church on the site dating back to at least 1235. The church is noted for its 15th century doom painting depicting Christ in glory with scenes of the judgement as well as its funerary brasses and monuments.

Wymington Meadow is a nature reserve south of Wymington in Bedfordshire. It is approximately one hectare, and is managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire.The site is a triangular meadow in the corner where two railway lines merge. It was cut off when the railways were constructed in the 1850s, and at the northern end there are traces of the ancient ridge and furrow method of ploughing. The site has a wide range of flowers, such as cowslip, salad burnet and quaking grass. A small stream and hedgerows provide additional habitats for wildlife.There is access by a footpath from South Grove. Cross the railway by a footbridge, cross to the other side of the field and turn left. Pass (but do not cross) a second footbridge. The path can be very muddy. The site is close to Sharnbrook Summit, but there no direct access between the reserves as they are separated by the railway lines.

Wymington is a small village and civil parish in the borough of Bedford in northern Bedfordshire, England. It is located around a mile and a half south of Rushden, in the neighbouring county of Northamptonshire, and about 10 miles (16 km) north-northwest of Bedford.As of 2011, the parish of Wymington had a population of 876. The village is home to a 14th century parish church, a Wesleyan chapel, a school, and a pub. One bus line stops in the village and provides service to Rushden and Bedford. A small brook runs through the village that drains into the River Nene about 3 miles north.Throughout its history Wymington has been referred to by various names, including Wimmington, Winnington, Wimentone, Wimuntun, Widmintun, and Wymingas, among others. The name is possibly derived from Old English and refers to a 'tun' held by a person named Wigmund or Wimund, though other older sources indicate it could possibly be a reference to the site of an ancient, possibly Roman, battle. Wymington is home to numerous listed buildings in the village, including the Grade 1 listed parish church.

Farndish is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Podington, in the Bedford district, in northwest Bedfordshire, England, located about 500 metres (yards) east of the county border with Northamptonshire. The village is near the Northamptonshire villages of Irchester and Wollaston and the Bedfordshire village of Wymington. In 1881 the parish had a population of 72.It is in the electoral ward of Harrold. Much property in the area is owned by the Saxby family – once famous locally for their pork pies and pastry.

Santa Pod Raceway is Europe's first permanent drag racing venue for 1⁄4 mile (1,320 ft; 402 m) and 1⁄8 mile (660 ft; 201 m) racing. Located in Podington, Bedfordshire, England, the drag strip was built on a disused Second World War Royal Air Force (RAF) airbase, known as RAF Podington; once used by the USAAF's 92nd Bomb Group. The drag racing venue opened at Easter in 1966, and it is now the home of European drag racing and hosts both the first and last round of the FIA and FIM / UEM European Drag Racing Championship, along with the British National Drag Racing Championships. It has also been the venue for the annual Volkswagen Beetle Bug Jam weekend since 1987.

Irchester railway station was built by the Midland Railway in 1857 on its extension from Leicester to Bedford and Hitchin in England. The station building was built on an overbridge. It closed for passenger traffic in 1960, and for goods in 1965. The Irchester Bank is one of the steepest of five summit levels between Leicester and Bedford. The surrounding country provided important traffic to the line in the form of ironstone for the smelters in Derbyshire.In the early twentyfirst century local campaigners argued for the station to be reopened to serve as a 'park and ride' station for the nearby town of Rushden.

Rushden Parkway railway station is a proposed new railway station to serve the village of Irchester in Northamptonshire, England. It would also serve the nearby towns of Higham Ferrers and Rushden. The village has not had an active railway station since 1959. The former station building at Rushden has been preserved and now houses Rushden Station Railway Museum. Rushden Parkway would be built on the Midland Main Line (which runs about a mile to the west of Rushden) on the site of the former Irchester railway station. In June 2009, the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) commissioned a new report advocating a park and ride station, at the Irchester station site, for Rushden.

Dungee Corner Meadow is a 5.1-hectare (13-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest east of Bozeat in Northamptonshire.This well drained hay meadow on boulder clay is traditionally managed, and no artificial fertilisers or herbicides have been used, so it has a diverse flora. More than twenty grass species have been recorded, including sweet vernal, Yorkshire fog, sheep's fescue, quaking grass and crested dog's-tail. There is also a population of the locally rare green-winged orchid.The site is private land with no public access.