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The foundation of Luton is usually dated to the 6th century when a Saxon outpost was founded on the River Lea, Lea tun. [4] Luton is recorded in the Domesday Book as Loitone and also as Lintone, [5] when the town's population was around 700–800. Agriculture dominated the local economy at this time.
- 2,985
- 1801
Luton is believed to have been founded by the Anglo-Saxons sometime in the 6th century. [26] Its name first appears in the 8th century as Lygetun, meaning "town on the River Lea". [27] The Domesday Book records Luton as Loitone and as Lintone. [11]
Sep 21, 2024 · Luton, town and unitary authority, geographic and historic county of Bedfordshire, England. It lies along England’s chief superhighway (M1), 30 miles (48 km) northwest of London, and has an international airport. Long famous for the manufacture of straw hats, Luton developed into an industrial town.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Saxon Luton
- Luton in The Middle Ages
- Luton 1500-1800
- Luton in The 19th Century
- Luton in The 20th Century
- Luton in The 21st Century
Luton began when the Saxons conquered Bedfordshire in the 6th century. They created a farm or settlement called a tun by the river Lea. (Lea may be a Celtic word meaning bright river). By the 10th century, the little settlement of Lea tun had grown into a town. Luton would seem very small to us with a population of only several hundred. Many of the...
In the Middle Ages Luton had 6 watermills. One mill gave its name to Mill Street. In 1137 the Lord of the Manor built a new church. In 1139 he built a castle. This castle was demolished in 1154 but it gave its name to Castle Street. In the late 12th century a ‘hospital’ where poor travelers could stay was built in Farley Hill. There was another hos...
For centuries Luton continued to be a quiet market town serving the surrounding countryside. In the 16th century, a brick-making industry grew up in Luton. Until then most houses were of wood but in the 16th century, many people rebuilt their houses in brick. In the 17th century, a straw hat-making industry began. In the 18th century, it came to do...
Luton grew rapidly in the 19th century. In 1801 the population was 3,095. By the standards of the time, Luton was a fair-sized market town. By 1851 the population of Luton had exceeded 10,000 and it continued to boom. By 1901 it had reached 38,926 more than 10 times the 1801 level. The straw hat-making industry continued to dominate Luton although ...
During the 20th century the hat-making industry, which had dominated Luton for so long went into decline but new industries came to Luton. One of these was engineering. Vauxhall came to the town in 1905. Soon Luton became known for car manufacturing. In the early 20th century gas cookers and meters were also made in Luton as well as ball bearings. ...
Car production ended in Luton in 2002. It was the end of an era for Luton although the town continues to prosper. In 2007 St Georges Square was redeveloped. In 2023 the population of Luton was 224,000.
The foundation of Luton is usually dated to the 6th century when a Saxon outpost was founded on the River Lea, Lea tun. [4] Luton is recorded in the Domesday Book as Loitone and also as Lintone, [5] when the town's population was around 700–800. Agriculture dominated the local economy at this time.
- 2,985
- 1801
Chapter 1. – A Chronology showing the salient events in two hundred years of Luton’s Past. At the beginning of the nineteenth century Luton stood on the threshold of expansion and change beyond the wildest dreams of its 3000 inhabitants.
Earliest settlements in the Luton area can be traced back over 250,000 years, but the town’s foundation dates to the sixth century as a Saxon outpost on the River Lea, from which Luton derives its name.
