Area Guide: The busy Bedfordshire village of Caddington

The village boasts a busy parade of shops, including a Post Office, a sandwich shop, an estate agents, a hairdressers and a supermarket.

Caddington also has a pub, several churches and a public hall.

To foster a strong sense of community within the village, many regular events take place which are designed to bring people together.

These include an annual village show, which takes place in September and incorporates a produce show, dog show and craft fair.

The village is near to Dunstable Downs and Whipsnade Zoo, as well as the excellent Stockwood Discovery Centre.

Caddington also has several picturesque historic churches. These include the Anglican All Saints Church in the middle of the village, St Thomas Apostle Roman Catholic Church in Manor Road and Caddington Baptist Church on Luton Road.

Property 

According to Rightmove, properties in Caddington had an overall average price of £392,303 over the last year.

Homes currently on the market in the village include a four-bedroom detached on Kestrel Grove for £825,000 and a two-bedroom apartment at Millfield Lane for £595,000.

History 

The village was first mentioned in 1000 AD - in a list of the manors of St Paul's Cathedral in the Parker Library of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.

It also appeared as 'Cadendone' in the Domesday Book of 1086. The name Caddington means 'Cada's down or hill'.

Until 1897 the parish of Caddington was partly in Hertfordshire and partly in Bedfordshire.

The village has its very own brick, called the Caddington Blue (an engineering brick). However some people doubt the credibility of this.

Caddington was once the centre of a thriving brick industry, built around the rich source of clay.

The Luton Grey brick, which was commonly found in Caddington, was referenced in a special book about the history of bricks, Brickmaking: A History and Gazetteer, which was produced in the 1970s by Bedfordshire County Council in conjunction with the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments.

The Luton Grey was a brick produced from flinty brick earths excavated from around the Kensworth/Caddington/Stopsley area. 

Transport 

Caddington's nearest train station is Luton, and there are also bus services from the village.

For drivers, the M1 is close at hand, and Luton Airport is on your doorstep.

Schools 

Primary school-aged children are served by Caddington Village School. The two-form entry school has about 360 pupils aged from three to 11, and received a 'good' rating from Ofsted at its latest inspection.

Secondary school options include Stockwood Park Academy (rated 'requires improvement' by Ofsted) and Chalk Hills Academy (rated 'good'), which are both in neighbouring Luton. 

Manshead CE Academy is a mixed Church of England secondary school located on the outskirts of Caddington and Dunstable, and was rated 'good' at its last inspection.

Food and drink 

Popular places to eat and drink in Caddington include The Chequers pub, which is situated opposite the village green, and Spice of Caddington Indian and Bangladeshi restaurant.  

There's also the excellently named Nice Baps sandwich shop, a fish and chip shop and a Chinese takeaway. 

Sport and leisure 

The village has many options for sports enthusiasts, with several football teams and a thriving cricket club.

Caddington Sports and Social Club serves as a base for many local teams, including football, cricket, darts and pool.

It also offers big screen sports and a range of events including live acts, quiz and race nights and discos.

Caddington Golf Club has a huge 27-hole complex in the Chiltern Hills, offering two courses.

This area guide is sponsored by Frost's, who have offices in St Albans, Marshalswick, Wheathampstead and Harpenden (Image: Frost's)