Putnoe

Coordinates: 52°09′05″N 0°26′11″W / 52.15134°N 0.43628°W / 52.15134; -0.43628

Putnoe is an electoral ward and area on the northern side of the town of Bedford, Bedfordshire, England.

The boundaries of Putnoe are approximately Mowsbury Park and golf course to the north, Church Lane and Haylands Way to the east, Polhill Avenue to the south, with Kimbolton Road to the west. Part of the area is also known as Woodside.

History

Putnoe was listed in the Domesday Book: Putenehou: Hugh de Beauchamp. Mill.

The name in its present form has been around since the 16th Century, but was formerly known as 'Puttenhoe' and 'Putenho' indicating the spur or 'hoh' of land belonging to an unknown Anglo-Saxon settler Putta. The original farmstead may have been on the same site as Putnoe Farm which is now occupied by Puttenhoe Elderly Person's Home, next to Putnoe Street.

The area remained undeveloped farmland until after World War II . At this time momentum grew in Bedford to plan the re-development of the town from its population of 58,000 to 75,000. This required the provision of a substantial area of land for housing development. The decision to develop the Putnoe area was taken in 1950, and the first phase of construction of the Putnoe estate occurred between 1953 and 1957.