Welcome to Leighton Buzzard
There is no definite answer as to the reason behind this unusual name. It’s postulated that ‘Leighton’ is from the Old English that meant ‘farm clearing in the woods’. The ‘Buzzard’ can be said to have come from ‘Beau-desert’, added by the Dean of Lincoln back in the 12th century.
The Rothschild family have owned land here since 1873 and now own Southcourt Stud in Southcote. The architect who designed the Natural History Museum in London, Alfred Waterhouse, also designed the Bank Building on the Market Square, which now houses Barclays. A secret communications and codebreaking facility existed here in WW2, employing 500 people and described as “the largest telephone exchange in the world.” The building itself has since been demolished.
The Grand Union Canal, alongside the River Ouzel, runs through the town. There is a narrow-gauge heritage railway, one of England’s longest and oldest lines. The Library Theatre combines the two community centres, as the name suggests. Live events and screenings happen there regularly. The Leighton Buzzard Brewery Company has been brewing local beer since 2014 and puts on bands at the brewery too.
The town has a football team, Leighton Town FC, Leighton Buzzard Tennis Club, Leighton Buzzard Hockey Club, and the Leighton Buzzard rugby union team too. There is also a golf club, athletics club, road cycling club, and a croquet club.
There are 12 different lower schools to choose from. There are also four middle school, one of which was attended by the author of ‘The Borrowers’, Mary Norton. There are two upper schools and Central Bedfordshire College has a campus near the town centre for further education.
Images of Leighton Buzzard
