Great Bentley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Great Bentley |
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 The village sign |
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 Great Bentley
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| Population | 2,253 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | TM110215 |
| District |
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| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Colchester |
| Postcode district | CO7 |
| Dialling code | 01206 |
| Police | Essex |
| Fire | Essex |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
| UK Parliament |
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| Website | greatbentleyparishcouncil.co.uk |
Great Bentley is a village in north Essex, England. It is part of the Tendring area. The village is about seven miles east of Colchester. It includes smaller areas called Aingers Green and South Heath.
Great Bentley is famous for its large village green. This green covers about 43 acres (170,000 m2). It is the second biggest village green in England. The village has won awards like 'Essex Village of the Year'.
The population of Great Bentley was 2,253 in 2011. It is the second largest village in the Tendring district. The village has good connections by road, bus, and train. Great Bentley railway station offers regular train services. You can travel to London Liverpool Street, Clacton-on-Sea, Colchester, and Walton-on-the-Naze.
Contents
History of Great Bentley Village
Great Bentley is mentioned in the Domesday Book. This book was a survey of England from 1086. At that time, the village was surrounded by large forests. People started clearing these woods in 1135.
The village has had different names over time. It was first called Benetlea, then Much Bentley. Later, it became Great Bentley. The name "Bent" might come from a type of grass. "Lea" or "ley" means land covered with grass. This suggests the name refers to the village green.
Great Bentley once had a small port at Flag Creek. This port was used to bring in and send out goods. In 1557, four people from the village were arrested. They were Protestants during a time of religious conflict. Three of them died in Colchester. A monument near the Green remembers their story. Their story is also in Foxe's Book of Martyrs.
Queen Elizabeth I visited nearby St Osyth Priory. It is thought she might have traveled through Great Bentley Green. The village grew a lot when the railway arrived in 1866. The train station was first called Bentley Green. Its name changed to Great Bentley in 1877.
In the 1960s, two new housing areas were built. They were on either side of the Village Green. A business area also grew near the railway station. This is now called the Plough Road Business Centre. At that time, Great Bentley had many shops and services. It had five pubs, a post office, a garage, and a doctor's office. Most of these are still there today.
The Great Bentley Parish Council bought the rights to the Common Land. This land is about 42.5 acres (172,000 m2). They bought it to protect the Green for the future. The Village Green and nearby buildings are now a special Conservation Area. The Parish Council helps keep the Green safe.
Great Bentley Primary School
Great Bentley School was built in 1896. Its front looks like a typical school from the late Victorian era. The school still has many of its original features. These include wooden floors and high ceilings.
Over the years, new parts have been added to the school. The newest part was finished in 2003. In the year 2000, a clock was added to the main building. This was to celebrate the new millennium. The school currently has 210 students. They are aged between 4 and 11 years old.
The school is now called Great Bentley County Primary School. It is managed by Essex County Council. Children from nearby villages also attend this school. These villages include Thorrington, Frating, Aingers Green, and Little Bentley. In 2015, the school received an 'Outstanding' rating from Ofsted. This report praised the school's improvements.
Great Bentley Football Club
Great Bentley Football Club started between 1895 and 1896. Its first meeting place was the Victory Inn pub. This building is now a hair salon. The club now has its own clubhouse and changing rooms. These were built in 1959 on the site of an old World War II building.
In 2009, new changing rooms and a bar were completed. This cost £220,000. Lord John Bassam of Brighton officially opened the new facilities. He used to play for the club. The club has three senior teams. Two teams play in the Essex and Suffolk Border Football League. The third team plays in the Colchester and East Essex Football League.
On August 8, 2009, a friendly match was played. It was against Colchester United on the Village Green. This game was part of the opening of the new club facilities.
Exploring the Village Green
The village green is very large, covering about 43 acres (170,000 m2). It is thought to be one of the biggest in England. A steam mill was built on the green in 1886. The mill's chimney was taken down in 1925. What is left of the mill has been turned into apartments.
Next to the mill was a large pond, but it is no longer there. A few willow trees now mark its spot. To the north of the mill is a children's play area. There is also a small nature reserve. This reserve has different kinds of grasses found only in the local area. An old mill house is to the east. A windmill once stood in its walled gardens. This windmill was also taken down in the late 1800s.
The green has always been used for fun activities and sports. In Edwardian times, it was a golf course. Today, local cricket and football teams play matches there. Since 1974, the Great Bentley Village Carnival and Fete has been held on the green. This event takes place every year during the last weekend of August.
In recent years, the Green has become popular with motorcyclists. During the summer, a small motorcycle gathering happens there. This takes place on Wednesday evenings.
Notable People from Great Bentley
- Lord Bassam grew up in the village. He went to the local primary school. He was once a leader in the House of Lords.
- John Sydenham Furnivall was born in Great Bentley. He was a scholar at Cambridge University. He later worked as a British administrator in Burma.
- Maud de Ufford, Countess of Essex was arrested in 1404. She was accused of planning against King Henry IV of England. She was later forgiven.
- Dominic Barrett is a professional tenpin bowler. He won the PBA World Champion title in 2013. He now lives in the village.
Public Houses
Until the 1980s, Great Bentley had five public houses (pubs). These were the Red Lion (now offices) and the Victory Inn (now a hair salon). There was also Dusty's Wine Bar (now a pharmacy). The Plough Inn is still open today. The Royal Fusilier in Aingers Green reopened in August 2019.
Transport in Great Bentley
Great Bentley has good transport links.
Road Connections
- The A133 road goes through the north of the village. It connects to Colchester and Clacton-on-Sea. From there, you can reach Chelmsford and London using the A120 and A12.
- The B1027 road links the village to Colchester and Clacton-on-Sea through St Osyth.
- The B1029 road connects Great Bentley to Brightlingsea and Dedham.
Bus Services
Bus services connect Great Bentley to Colchester and nearby areas. These services are provided by Arriva Colchester.
Train Services
Great Bentley railway station is on the Sunshine Coast Line. This line is part of the Great Eastern Main Line. Local trains go to Colchester and Walton-on-the-Naze. Express trains go to London Liverpool Street and Clacton-on-Sea during busy times. All train services are run by Abellio Greater Anglia.
The Sunshine Coast Line reached Great Bentley in 1866. It has helped the village grow a lot. Great Bentley became a place where people live and travel to work. For a long time, trains were the only public transport in the village. A new bus service to Colchester started in 2010. Many people still use the train station. Commuters from nearby towns also use it. These include Brightlingsea, Frating, St Osyth, and Thorrington.
Saint Mary's Church
The church of St Mary the Virgin was built in the 11th century. It was built by the Normans. The church tower was added about 200 years later. In 2011, the tower had a big restoration project. This cost £100,000.
The church is made of stone and flint. It still has its original door. This is the oldest church door still existing in the country. However, it is not used anymore.
Aingers Green Hamlet
Aingers Green is a small area south of Great Bentley village. In Plough Lane, you can find Tom Swallow Cottage. This is a 17th-century building. It is listed as a Grade II building, meaning it is historically important.
Nikolaus Pevsner, a famous historian, noted the Old School House from 1887. It was designed by E. Geldart and J.R. Vining. In 2010, archaeologists dug in St. Mary's Road. They found that the land had been used since the 13th century. However, people did not live there all the time.
Images for kids
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View of the village green
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Another view of the village green
See also
In Spanish: Great Bentley para niños
