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Castlethorpe is a village with a population of around 1,100 set in rolling countryside seven miles north of Milton Keynes city centre and close to the boundary with Northamptonshire. It lies on the northern edge of the Tove River Valley, which is designated as being landscape of Special Character.
The surrounding area is thought to have first been inhabited in the Bronze Age but the village itself started out in life as a Norman castle belonging to the lord of the manor of nearby Hanslope which was destroyed in 1215 during the Barons' Revolt against King John.

The parish church is dedicated to St Simon and St Jude, and dates back to Anglo-Saxon times, though the present church is of mainly Norman design.
There are a number of other listed buildings in the village, some dating back to the 15th Century, with fine examples of homes from the 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st centuries as well.
Click here to find more information about the village's history, including pictures and a video, and there's even more on the Milton Keynes Heritage Association website at www.mkheritage.org.uk/cv.

£25,000 campaign to finish The Pavilion

A crowdfunding campaign to raise the final £25,000 needed to equip and furnish The Pavilion, the new community cafe and bar at the Sports Ground, before it can open has been launched at crowdfunder.co.uk/p/castlethorpe-pavilion.
This is something our residents have wanted ever since the Carrington Arms was bought by developers and closed down in 2008. And now, at long last, they will have somewhere local to bring people together both socially and for work throughout the week.

A survey for our 2017 Neighbourhood Plan found that having a drop-in place to meet was one of the things most wanted by the village.
But when it became apparent that the pub would be too costly to ever renovate we held a Parish Advisory Poll in 2023, asking: "Should Castlethorpe Parish Council build a clubhouse at the sports ground?"
The response was overwhelmingly positive, with an impressive 337 votes in favour and only 56 against in a 47% turnout from the 843-strong electorate.
We listened to our residents and took action and the old cricket club changing rooms were revamped and extended to include space for the new purpose-built café and bar.
We also formed the not-for-profit Community Interest Company to manage the project

The 2017 survey also highlighted isolation and loneliness as major concerns among our residents.
This is particularly significant as Castlethorpe has a higher proportion of older individuals compared to Milton Keynes – 21.1% of our residents are aged 65 or older, compared to 13.1%. We are also keen to attract younger members of the village, particularly those with young families who can at times also feel isolated in the more rural location.
The Pavilion will serve as a warm and inviting space for everyone, both young and old, to meet up with friends, providing much-needed company.It will also be a welcoming workspace for home workers seeking a change of scenery, and users of the outdoor gym and other sports facilities.
You can find more information at: castlethorpecs.org.uk/.

Milton Keynes City Council has received funding from the Department for Transport’s Rural Transport Catapult to trial a new sustainable drainage product for rural cycle paths subject to flooding, such as the one between Castlethorpe and Wolverton, particularly the section alongside the railway line down towards Ouse Valley Park, and they are asking for help from regular users.

Last winter the route was particularly badly affected by flooding, so this new product could make the route more accessible in the winter months and be a significant step towards a full upgrade. However, just making the route usable after heavy rain would be a significant improvement over

how it is now. MKCC is are working with the contractor who has developed the new product to start the installation of the product in the autumn, so it is in place for evaluation over the winter. The path will remain open during the works.

One of the key requirements of the Catapult programme is monitoring and evaluation of the research programme. MKCC’s highways and drainage teams will monitor and evaluate the technical performance of the product (such as flow rate etc) and its durability, maintenance requirements, ease of installation etc. and that is a key part of the programme.

However, in addition, they would really like to get the views of regular path users on the

improvements, and if the path has improved from their perspectiveand have asked the Parish Council to help identify a group of regular path users that they can engage with about the drainage improvements.

There is not a need for a huge group of people to be found, but a small group of regular users, including those who use it for commuting and leisure would be very helpful as a focus group to help gauge the effectiveness of the product and whether it is worth rolling it out elsewhere – as they have a lot of rural paths and an increasing amount of flooding!

So if you would like to help please email clerk@castlethorpe-pc.gov.uk and we will pass your details on.

The village's weekly refuse collection day is normally Friday, even after Bank Holidays. The only change is over the Christmas and New Year period. The black (general waste) and green bins (garden waste and food) are collected every week and the red (cardboard and paper) and blue (plastic, metal and glass) bins on alternate weeks, as shown in the schedule above. You can find out more information on what goes in each bin here.

* All three household recycling centres in Milton Keynes are open seven days a week, except for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day, but entry is by appointment only (same day appointments are available) and anyone without an appointment will be turned away. To book your slot phone 01908 252811 or apply online here.

* Under their contract the new waste contractor Suez is obliged to return bins properly and there are penalty payments payable to Milton Keynes City Council if they don't. If your bin goes missing you should complete a form at https://mycouncil.milton-keynes.gov. uk /service/Non_Return_of_Bins

Labour's Chris Curtis is the new MP for Milton Keynes North, with a majority of 5,430 following the General Election on 4 July. The result was:
Chris Curtis (Labour) 19,318
Ben Everitt (Conservative) 13,888
Jane Anne Duckworth (Reform UK) 6,164
Clare Tevlin (Liberal Democrats) 3,365
Alan Francis (Green) 3,242

Eligible Electorate: 70,709
Turnout: 46,161 (65.28%)
Rejected Papers: 184

For detailed information on the latest developments in the COVID-19 pandemic and how to keep yourself safe go to the COVID-19 page on this website, the Government website or milton-keynes.gov.uk/coronavirus

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Castlethorpe statistics

Population 1,112 (2021 Census)
OS grid reference SP795445
Latitude/longitude 52.093°N 0.840°W
Civil parish Castlethorpe
Unitary authority Milton Keynes
Ceremonial county Buckinghamshire
Region        South East
Post town                     Milton Keynes
Postcode district MK19
Dialling code 01908
Police        Thames Valley
Fire        Buckinghamshire
Ambulance               South Central
UK Parliament Milton Keynes North

Calling all cyclists ... MK needs your help!

Castlethorpe gets a new MP

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