Ickwell: May Day Traditions and Historic Heritage

Ickwell combines a long May Day tradition with historic houses and a distinctive connection to the landscape. The Ickwell May Day Festival is a festive occasion; architectural history and geology offer different perspectives. The distinction is also reflected in the subject matter: the festival focuses on a custom and its procession, while the houses are considered in terms of their construction dates, materials and alterations. Depending on your interests, the focus may be on the event, local history or landscape.

May Day Traditions and Festival

The custom of Ickwell May Day was already established in Ickwell by 1563. The Ickwell May Day Festival includes a procession of about 800 metres from the church in Northill to Ickwell Green; it still takes place today. The year refers to the historical establishment of the custom, while the procession is part of the continuing festival. Parking and toilets are available at the May Day arena; there is also a disabled parking space near the arena. These event arrangements may change. Check the latest festival information before visiting.

Historic Houses and Building Periods

The historic houses can be compared by their construction dates and materials. The Old Smithy is a Grade II listed building dating from the 19th century. It is made of brick with coloured limewashed roughcast and has a slate roof. 1 Ickwell Green is a Grade II listed timber-framed house dating from the 18th century; it has a plaster finish and a thatched roof. The Old House on Ickwell Green has medieval origins and was altered in the 16th, 18th and 19th centuries. Ickwell Bury was built by John Harvey in 1683. The former enclosure of Ickwell Pound is now planted with trees and forms part of the Bury estate.

For an architectural comparison, consider the construction dates and development: for both the Old Smithy and 1 Ickwell Green, a single century is the main reference point for their construction date; The Old House combines medieval origins with alterations in three later centuries. Ickwell Bury adds a specific year of construction and a named builder to these points in time. The former enclosure of Ickwell Pound also tells of a change to the site: it is now planted with trees and forms part of the Bury estate.

Geology and Landscape

The land by the Ickwell maypole lies low, at about 110 feet above sea level. Ickwell’s geological foundation is the Oxford Clay Formation, a claystone formation deposited 154 to 164 million years ago in the warm, shallow seas of the Jurassic period. Two different scales meet here: the elevation describes a specific site, while the geological dating places the formation of the underlying ground over millions of years.

The Old Warden Circular Walk

The Old Warden Circular Walk explores the landscape around Ickwell Green, Northill and Old Warden. It therefore has a different focus from the architectural history of the houses or the May Day tradition. The procession and the circular walk should also be distinguished for orientation: the procession runs from the church in Northill to Ickwell Green; the circular walk explores the landscape around three places. Check the path conditions before setting out.

Discover more destinations: Stotfold, Clapham, Bedford, Barton-le-Clay, Toddington, Wyboston, Leighton Buzzard, Marston Moretaine.

For the broader travel overview: Bedfordshire.