COPLE

Source unknown - probably 1975

The village is pleasantly situated away from any main roads and has escaped the worst effects of over -building and development. Only along the south side of the road to Cardington is there any feeling of suburbia, and this is well countered by the robust and well spaced Bedford Estate housing opposite.

The church of All Saints suffers from the loss of its gravestones to the south and east, sacrificed as is becoming all too disastrously popular for ease of mowing. The churchyard as a nature reserve with a mown strip along paths is not yet generally considered seemly, and a "short back and sides"finish is preferred. As at Cople the church loses its aspect of historical continuity as a result, to say nothing of the artistic loss. All Saints is justly famous for its brasses of the Roland, Launceleyn, and Grey families, but is in itself a very attractive building of the later 15th and early 16th centuries. To the north stands the Bier House an unusual survival of 19th century funeral practices, the recipient recently of a preservation notice from the new Local Authority and certainly worthy of retention if only for rarity value.

An excellent meal and refreshment can be obtained at the Five Bells, a competent restoration and rehabilitation of a very important building in the village as it closes the view from the Cardington road, yet is set off-centre to disclose tantalizing views of open country beyond.