Ickleford

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Ickleford
Ickleford shown within Hertfordshire
Population	1,848
OS grid reference	TL180316
District	North Hertfordshire
Shire county	Hertfordshire
Region	East
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	HITCHIN
Postcode district	SG5
Dialling code	01462
Police	Hertfordshire
Fire	Hertfordshire
Ambulance	East of England
European Parliament	East of England
List of places: UK • England • Hertfordshire

Coordinates: 51°58′13″N 0°17′01″W / 51.97036, -0.28368

Ickleford is a large village situated on the northern outskirts of Hitchin in North Hertfordshire in England. It lies on the west bank of the River Hiz.

Elsewhere, St Katharine's church, set amid cedar trees, has a 12th century Norman nave and blocked north doorway with beautifully carved zigzag arches, and a south aisle and chapel added by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in 1859. The east window has some fine stained glass of 1860. The Icknield Way, an ancient pathway passes through the village. The Hitchin to Bedford railway used to pass through the village, remnants of which can still be seen in places such as Gerry's Hole where parts of the old bridge and embankment are still present. The local Parish Council attempted to raise public awareness of the village through its lavish Parish Plan in 2006-07. Ickleford is less a village and more an annex to Hitchin and suffers from its proximity to the less desribale areas of the town, resulting in a high percentage of juvenile crime, anti-social behaviour and traffic problems.

[edit] Facilities

Ickleford has a primary school (Ickleford Junior Mixed Infants School), a general store, four pubs (The Plume of Feathers, The Olde George, The Green Man and The Cricketers), A Floral shop (Pixies which took over the old derelict Tony's News) and a village hall. The Cricketers offers a small amount of reasonably priced B&B accommodation and the George & Plume of Feathers offer good quality meals throughout the day. The Cricketers is the first pub on the right as you enter Ickleford from Arlesey and the Plume of Feathers is a little off the main road through the village, turn right before reaching The George. The large Sports and Recreation ground which also contains a playground and pub. The Sports and Recreation Ground caters for a number of sports, including cricket, football, squash and petanque. Home to the Ickleford Cricket Club whose symbol represents two crossed farmers pitchforks. The club was founded in 1947 and in 2006 won promotion to Division 3 of the Saracens Herts League. Since 2006, the cricket club's first team has used the nickname "The Tigers".

Ickleford also has a Scout Troop (the 1st Ickleford (9th Hitchin)) with active groups for Beavers, Cubs and Scouts. Meetings are held on Tuesday evenings in the Village Hall during term time.