A new road sign appeared in around 2001. “New Water End”. It’s the row of 8 Bedford Estate style cottages on the main road from Woburn to Steppingley, the romantically-named C100, between New England and Water End Farm. The remainder of the houses in Water End might possibly be in “Old Water End”.
The Post Office database doesn’t recognise “New Water End” or “Old Water End”. It thinks all the houses are just in Water End. Google Maps, however, does recognise the name, although it doesn’t recognise “Old Water End”.
Where does this name come from?
There are just two references to it in the British Newspaper Archive (2017 search). Click for a bigger version.
This from the Bedfordshire Times and Independent of 11 October 1935.
In there is a dedication, “In loving memory of Ernest Oakley, from all the neighbours of New Water End and New England”.
The only other mention is from the Bedfordshire Times and Standard of 27 February 1953.
The Bedfordian’s Diary columnist is trying to maximise the number of Ends, and counts Old Water End and New Water End as separate roads.