Potton
| Potton | |
|---|---|
 Market House Clock Tower |
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 Potton
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| Potton shown within Bedfordshire | |
| Population | 7,789 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | TL2249 |
| Civil parish |
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| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | SANDY |
| Postcode district | SG19 |
| Dialling code | 01767 |
| Police | Bedfordshire |
| Fire | Bedfordshire and Luton |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
| UK Parliament | |
Potton is a town and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England. It is 10 miles (17 kilometres) from Bedford and the population in 2011 was 7,789 people. In 1783 the 'Great Fire of Potton' destroyed a large part of the town. The parish church dates from the 13th Century and is dedicated to St Mary. Potton's horse fairs were some of the largest in the country.
The village's name was spelled Pottun in 960 AD and Potone in the 1086 Domesday book. It is derived from the Old English for 'farmstead where pots are made'.
The 'Great Fire of Potton' started in a stack of clover in a field in the area of what is now Spencer Close, in 1783. King Street, half the Market Square and some of the Brook End area were destroyed. It was reported to have burned for a day. Local people raised £6,000 to help those most in need. Providing temporary accommodation in nearby fields for the townsfolk alone cost £25,000. The 13th Century parish church, St Mary's, survived, however. Rebuilding after the fire has left the town with a number of Georgian buildings.
King William II granted a market in 1094; it may have been held in the churchyard before moving to the site of the modern Market Square in the 13th Century. Potton's market was one of the largest in Bedfordshire in the Tudor and Stuart periods, but it declined after the Great Fire. Corn and straw plait were the principal goods in 1831.
The fair was granted by Henry II in 1227; as of 1831, fairs were held on the third Tuesday in January, the last Tuesday in April, first Tuesday in July and the Tuesday before 29 October. The horse fairs were some of the largest in the country, but ended in 1932.
'The Shambles' provided folding market stalls in the town square before brick buildings were put in place by Samuel Whitbread, the Lord of the Manor, in 1797. They became dilapidated in the 1930s and were demolished after the Second World War, with a modern library built in their place. The Clock House was opened on 23 July 1956 and used The Shambles' clock, illuminated dials and bell. In spring 2006 the mechanism was replaced with an automatic winding system costing £3,000.
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Wikipedia