Southcote, Bedfordshire
Southcote is a hamlet in the parish of Linslade, in Bedfordshire, England. It is in the civil parish of Leighton-Linslade. The hamlet name is Anglo Saxon in origin and means 'southern cottage'.
The hamlet, little more than one road of cottages, is located to the south of the small town of Linslade, to which it has become joined as Linslade has grown. Linslade has itself joined to the larger town of Leighton Buzzard and hence Southcote appears to be a small suburb of Leighton Buzzard.
The Rothschild family who reside at nearby Ascott House maintain a stud farm at Southcote, and own the remaining agricultural land in the hamlet. The stud farm and its adjoining former manager's house are known as "Southcourt Stud". This leads to confusion as to the hamlet's true name, especially as in the immediate vicinity is a Southcourt Avenue.
Southcourt Cottage, a large Victorian house, close to the stud, was from 1922 to 1951 let by the Rothschild family to Sir Basil Henriques the philanthropist and social reformer, known for his work with Jewish youth in the east end of London. Southcourt Cottage became a holiday home for these children. He also wrote several books on reforming juvenile law, and founded educational youth clubs in the Whitechapel area of the city.
Southcote was transferred from Buckinghamshire to Bedfordshire in 1974.
Southcott Lower School in Linslade is names after the parish.
