A new retirement living community in Baldock will be named in recognition of one of Britain's oldest roads.
Developers McCarthy Stone enlisted the help of Baldock Museum and Local History Society to come up with a name for its new retirement community, which is currently under construction on Icknield Way in the town.
The development has been named 'Norton Place', because of where it stands in Icknield Way - which dates back to late Roman times.
When the town of Baldock was founded by the Knights Templar in the mid-12th century, the road was used as the northern boundary of the town.
Until the 1880s the land on the north side of the road, where the McCarthy Stone development stands, was partly in the parish of Norton and part in Bygrave.
At that time the site was in an area of the town known as Norton End. This covered both sides of the road and the courts and yards around the northern end of Church Street, formerly Norton Street.
Julia Ward, national sales director at McCarthy Stone, said: “We felt it was incredibly important to choose a name for our new development in Baldock that would have a local significance and would therefore resonate with future McCarthy Stone homeowners, while also linking the market town’s rich heritage with the new retirement community which will play a key part in its future.
“Norton Place is the perfect name, and we were very pleased to have the support of Baldock Museum and Local History Society on this."
As a gesture of thanks for its work in researching a suitable name, McCarthy Stone donated £250 to the Baldock Museum and Local History Society.
Julia added: "Not only is it an authority on the town’s history, its volunteers work hard to honour and preserve this for all. We hope the donation from McCarthy Stone goes some way to helping the group continue its excellent work.”
The new retirement living development will include a collection of 56 retirement properties for the over-70s. Construction at the development is currently under way and apartments will be available for sale in spring 2022, with the first occupants expected to be welcomed in summer 2022.
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