Stagsden Village Sign - High Street, Stagsden, Bedfordshire, UK
Posted by: 
Dragontree
N 52° 07.879 W 000° 33.920
30U E 666639 N 5778439
This ornate wooden sign shows an artistic impression of the village of Stagsden, Bedfordshire.
Waymark Code: WMA2B2
Location: Eastern England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 11/05/2010
Views: 4
The sign shows the village both old and new and there is an extraordinary amount of detail included. The carving depicts horse-riders and animals, a crown and various emblems associated with the village and the year 1086 - the Domesday Book year.
On the sign the name Stagsden is spelt in its modern form and in its historic form as Stachedene. Bedford Borough Council describe the history of the name of the village:
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'Stagsden is first recorded, as Stacheden in the Domesday Book of 1086. Other variant spelling through the following years include: Stachdene (1086-1494); Staggeden (1183); Stachesden (1196-1388); Stachenden (1220-1242); Staggesden (1228); Stakeden (1235-1276); Stachedon (1247); Stakesden (1276-1346); Stageden (1276-1526); Stachden (1535); and Stackedene (1553). The first occurrence of the modern spelling was in 1766. The name appears to mean "stake valley", although for many years it was thought to mean "stag valley"; the name presumably refers to a boundary marker of some kind, perhaps that between Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire as Stagsden is a border parish.'
It is situated on a small piece of green at the triangular junction of High Street, Bedford Road and Church Lane. The roads become narrow and have tight bends so please be careful when driving or walking round here. The sign is next to the church and very popular farm shop selling local produce including veg, meat, dairy, fish and conserves.