Description of our village

Cranfield is about 50 miles north of London, between the M1 motorway and the town of Bedford, in the County of Bedfordshire.

Bedford is 9 miles to the east of Cranfield and Milton Keynes is 6 miles to the west. The north of the village joins on to Cranfield University and airfield. The village is built on a flat hill about 350ft above sea level.

The surrounding area is farmland and now includes a large area of woodland and nature trails under development by the Marston Vale Forest Project.

The population is around 5,000 (in 2006) and most employment is found in the neighbouring areas. About 1,500 students live on the University campus or in lodgings in the village (about 2 miles apart by road).

There are a good selection of shops and services in the main village including supermarkets (one including a post office), garages, filling station, car dealerships, hairdressers, wine shop, pet shop, hardware shop, pubs, dentist, chemist, newsagents, estate agents, financial companies, solicitors (part-time), chartered accountants, cattery, fast food take-aways and coal merchant. See our Maps page for locations.

Cranfield is currently in the Mid Beds District Council's administration area. This authority will become part of the new Central Bedfordshire Council in April 2009. Click on the links above to go to their web sites for more details.

These cottages in the High Street have beautiful front gardens. You'll have to look closely at the houses to see what's been removed from this photograph!

The little green opposite the Swan