Bradwell Abbey

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Bradwell Abbey is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, urban studies site, district and civil parish in Milton Keynes, England. The site was once the location of a Benedictine priory, founded in 1155.

1 Historic Bradwell Abbey
2 Modern Bradwell Abbey
3 Civil Parish
4 See also
5 External link

[edit] Historic Bradwell Abbey

The Priory ("Abbey") grew during the Middle Ages to became an important local centre, but declined during the Black Death and was disbanded during the Dissolution of the Monasteries. All that remains today is a small chapel and a farmhouse that has become a centre for cultural activities and an Urban Studies centre in the new city. The medieval trackways converging on the abbey can still be seen in the rights of way and bridleways that have become "redways" (leisure routes for cycling and walking).

The arrival of the West Coast Main Line railway split the Abbey lands, with Bradwell village to the east of the line and the Abbey to the west. Today, Bradwell Abbey is a parkland and industrial district in its own right, and gives its name to the larger civil parish that includes it.

[edit] Modern Bradwell Abbey

The modern Bradwell Abbey district is a relatively small one, sandwiched as it is between the West Coast Main Line to the east, the A5 to the west, Monksway (A422) to the north and Dansteed Way to the south. It includes a small industrial estate, the Milton Keynes City Discovery Centre [1] (an Urban Studies centre) in the old farm buildings, the abbey grounds and (Grade 1 listed medieval chapel), and the Loughton Valley flood plain "linear park". The Swans Way long distance path and the Sustrans route 51 follow the valley.

Formally, it is in the Bradwell grid-square, but this square is split into three parts by the railway line (on an embankment) and the A5 (in a cutting).

[edit] Civil Parish

Bradwell Abbey gives its name to its civil parish, between the railway line to the east and V4 Watling Street to the west, H3 Monks Way to the north and H4 Dansteed Way to the south. This had a population of 6,544 according to the 2001 census, and includes the modern Bradwell Abbey district, Two Mile Ash, Stacey Bushes, Wymbush and Kiln Farm areas.