Description

Arlesey or Arlsey, a village and a parish in Bedfordshire. The village stands on the river Hiz, 4 miles S of Biggleswade. The G.N.R. passes through the parish, and has two stations, Arlesey and “Three Counties." There is a post and telegraph office under Hitchin. It was formerly a market-town. The parish comprises 2344 acres; population of the civil parish, 2108; of the ecclesiastical, 2162. There are extensive cement works, and a large brick and tile manufactory here, and the making of strawplait is also carried on to a considerable extent. An ancient castle stood at Etonbury, near the road to Baldock; and appears, from an entrenchment which still remains, to have been a place of considerable strength. The living is a vicarage, united with Astwick rectory, in the diocese of Ely; joint yearly value, £300. The church is a plain stone building in the Early English, Decorated, and Perpendicular styles. There are also Primitive Methodist and Wesleyan chapels.