Loughton, Milton Keynes

This article is about the village in Buckinghamshire, England. For other places, and people with the surname 'Loughton', see Loughton (disambiguation).

Loughton (/ˈlaʊtən/) is a village dating back to ancient times and modern district in the civil parish of Loughton and Great Holm in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England.^[1] The village spreads between Watling Street and the modern A5 road, to the west of, and about 1 mile from, Central Milton Keynes.

Loughton
All Saints Church
Loughton Mapping © OpenStreetMap Show map of Milton Keynes Loughton Location within Buckinghamshire Show map of Buckinghamshire
OS grid reference	SP836379
Civil parish	Loughton and Great Holm
Unitary authority	Milton Keynes
Ceremonial county	Buckinghamshire
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	MILTON KEYNES
Postcode district	MK5
Dialling code	01908
Police	Thames Valley
Fire	Buckinghamshire
Ambulance	South Central
UK Parliament	Milton Keynes South
List of places UK England Buckinghamshire 52.033°N 0.78°W / 52.033; -0.78

Although Loughton is now largely residential, much of the character of the original village remains. To the north-east of Bradwell Road, the area bounded by School Lane and Church Lane contains All Saints Church and remnants of the original parish of Great Loughton. To the south-west of Bradwell Road, around The Green, there is a cluster of sixteenth-century buildings, including Manor Farm, Manor Farm Cottages, and Cell Farm, which represent the remains of the original parish of Little Loughton.

Today, Loughton is home to a large equestrian centre, within whose grounds the medieval field pattern and fish pond are still visible. The district is bounded by the A5 to the east, H5 Portway to the north, V4 Watling Street to the west, and H6 Childs Way to the south.

Natural features and green spaces

Loughton is bordered by the Loughton Valley Park, a linear park that follows the course of Loughton Brook through the district. The park is part of Milton Keynes's green infrastructure and provides traffic-free walking and cycling routes connecting to nearby areas such as Bradwell and Shenley Church End. The park includes woodland, open meadows, and wetlands that support local biodiversity. ^[2]

Education

Local education is served by Loughton School, which caters to junior-aged pupils, and Loughton Manor First School, which serves early years and Key Stage 1 students. Both schools are situated within the district and have strong links with community organisations. ^[3] For secondary education, most children attend nearby institutions such as Shenley Brook End School or Denbigh School in Shenley Church End.

Demographics and housing

Loughton features a blend of historical and modern housing stock. The area closest to The Green contains several listed buildings dating from the 16th and 17th centuries, while the rest of the district includes mid- to late-20th century developments and newer infill housing. The population is diverse, comprising long-term residents, families, and professionals who commute to nearby employment centres including Central Milton Keynes. ^{[4][failed verification]}

Transport and accessibility

Loughton enjoys good transport connectivity due to its location just west of Milton Keynes Central railway station. The station offers frequent services to London Euston, Birmingham, and Northampton. Several local bus routes also pass through or near the area, linking it with Central Milton Keynes and the wider urban area. Additionally, the district is served by the Milton Keynes Redway system, a network of dedicated pedestrian and cycle paths. ^[5]

Community and local life

Loughton maintains a strong community identity, with events and initiatives led by the Loughton and Great Holm Parish Council.^{[6][better source needed]} The historic All Saints Church, a Grade II listed building, remains active as a religious and social centre. The district also features a local equestrian centre, which preserves aspects of the medieval field pattern including ridge-and-furrow earthworks and an ancient fish pond.

Historic Loughton

The village name is an Old English language word, and means 'Luhha's estate'. In the Domesday Book of 1086 the village was recorded as Lochintone.^[7] All Saints Church is the oldest surviving building in Loughton – the chancel and nave probably date from the first years of the 13th century, though all the original details have been removed during subsequent alterations.^[7]

Modern Loughton district

The original village has now been incorporated into the modern 'grid square' of Loughton. However much of the character of the old village remains; to the north-east of Bradwell Road the area bounded by School Lane and Church Lane contains the Church and remnants of the original parish of Great Loughton. To the south-west of Bradwell Road, around The Green there is a cluster of several sixteenth century buildings (Manor Farm, Manor Farm Cottages and Cell Farm) which constitute the remains of the original parish of Little Loughton.^{[citation needed]}

Today Loughton is a mainly residential area but is also home to a large Equestrian Centre, in the grounds of which the medieval field pattern and fish pond can still be seen.^[8]

The district is bounded by the A5 to the east, H5 Portway to the north, V4 Watling Street to the west and H6 Childs Way to the south.

Pronunciation

The Received Pronunciation of Loughton is /ˈlaʊtən/ (the "ou" rhymes with "ouch", the "gh" is silent), in contrast to the similarly-spelt neighbouring areas of Broughton /ˈbrɔːtən/ and Woughton /ˈwʊftən/.

Notable people

• John Athawes (born 1837), cricketer