Overview of Buntingford

Buntingford is a small market town and civil parish in the district of East Hertfordshire and county of Hertfordshire in England. It lies on the River Rib and on the Roman road Ermine Street. As a result of its location, it grew mainly as a staging post with many coaching inns and has an 18th century one cell prison known as 'The Cage' by the ford at the end of Church Street. It has a population of 4,820. The town also has a annual firework display at The Bury, the Buntingford Cougars HQ and also a sainsburys depot. It is Hertfordshire's smallest town. The Prime Meridian passes to the east of Buntingford. The Mayor of Buntingford is Stan Bull. The town has a large number of Georgian and mediaeval buildings, such as Buntingford almshouses, Buntingford Manor House and the Red House. Buntingford was a stop-over on what was the main route between London and Cambridge, now the A10. Due to its desirability as a commuter town in recent years, the town has grown considerably in the past few decades, the most noticeable recent addition being the 'Bovis Estate' (circa 1990), informally named after the housing firm that constructed there; its main road is Luynes Rise, named due to the town's twinning with Luynes (near Tours) in France. Other housing estates are: Freman Drive, Vicarage Road, Snells Mead, Downhall Ley, Monks Walk, and Kingfisher Park, currently under construction (2010). Buntingford was traditionally located within the parish of Layston - St Bartholemew's Church (Layston) is now derelict and lies about a half a mile to the north-east of the town. St Peter's Church, formerly a relief chapel, is the Anglican church in Buntingford and is an almost unique brick building from the age of the 17th-century Puritans. St Richard's serves the Roman Catholic community. There is also a United Reformed Church in Baldock Road. Market day is Monday, and early closing Wednesday. The Buntingford Carnival is held every other year. There is also a classic car event held in the town each year, usually in the early autumn Buntingford railway station, opened in 1863, was closed in 1964 under the Beeching cuts. This was located as the terminus for the Buntingford Branch Line. Recently it has been redeveloped into housing. Apparently Queen Elizabeth I stayed at Buntingford in a building now called the Bell House Gallery, on a coach journey to Cambridge. Just up the High Street, The Angel Inn (Now a Dental surgery) was a staging post catering for coaches travelling from London to Cambridge. The town has a number of public houses ('pubs') - The Brambles (formerly The Chequers) The Fox and Duck, The Black Bull, The Crown and The Jolly Sailors. Buntingford is home to supermarket chain Sainsbury's Anglia Distribution Centre, however this is now vacant and awaiting lease. The site was previously used as a Royal Army Ordnance Corps munitions factory, known locally as "the dump. " Buntingford uses a three-tier school system. There are four schools in Buntingford: Freman College (an Upper School and Sixth Form), Bowling Green Lane, Buntingford, SG9 9BT. Formerly known as Ward Freman Upper School. Edwinstree C of E Middle School, has around 450 pupils, four year-groups and 16 classes, Norfolk Road, Buntingford, SG9 9AW. Layston First School, has around 150 pupils,five year-groups. Also has a small nursery. Milfield First School, has around 150 pupils,five year-groups. Also has a small nursery. The name of the town is believed to originate from the Saxon chieftain or tribe Bunta; it does not refer to the bird Bunting, or the festive flag-like decorations.