Great Billington
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The name 'Great' Billington has only recently (in the last decade) been reinstated after a campaign by villagers. Historically always referred to as 'Great' to differentiate from Little Billington, the local authority had decreed it simply Billington.
The centre of the Great Billington is Billington Hill, on top of which is the small parish church. An iron age fort and settlement once occupied this site. The church was originally a small mediaeval chapel, however in the late 1860s it was enlarged to a church, and a rectory built next to it to house the first incumbent. This was when Billington was first recorded as a parish in its own right. The bell turret of the church (it has no tower) came to the church second hand, from the church at nearby Linslade, which too was being enlarged at the time. The interior of the church is very simple, a small stained glass window, in the west wall commemorates Edward Bradshaw the first rector.
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The village once had a common, where the peasants cultivated their own strips of land, the name 'common' still survives as a field name. It was enclosed at the time of the enclosures, and is today part of a local farm
The village contains some half timbered thatched cottages, in the area around the summit of the hill, and also some old farmhouses and cottages. One of the thatched cottages on top of the hill, has the dubious honour of having featured on countless chocolate boxes and biscuit tins. One of the most attractive houses in the village is 'Walkers Farm', a brick and timber house dating from the 16th century. Its once thatched roof is now tiled.
During the late 1870s and early 1880 large areas of the village were bought by Arthur Macnamara who built at this time the manor house, and transformed the village into a typical Victorian estate village. The village school, halfway up the hill was built at this time also. It closed as a school in the 1950s.
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In the early 20th century a point-to-point course was built on the estate, people came from all over England to attend the race meeting held there. Edward VIII when Prince of Wales was a frequent competitor at the races, on one occasion breaking his collar bone in a fall from a horse. The races discontinued after World War II.
At one time Great Billington had two public houses and a post office, however, today all are closed and converted to houses. In spite of this lack of amenities the village has a thriving community based on the church, and the village hall with its adjacent green and tennis courts.