band 1 being the darkest i.e. with the lowest level of light pollution and band 9 the brightest and most polluted. Everton is in band 4. The built environment The earliest houses are thatched cottages dating from the 18th century. Most houses are 20th century including some council built houses along Potton and Sandy Roads. The East Coast Main Line railway passes through the western part of the parish. Public footpaths A public footpath runs west then north to Tempsford Station Road. A stretch of the Greensand Ridge Walk runs right through the village; north-east to its start/finish near Tetworth and south-west to Sandy and beyond. History The name Everton comes from Old English and means farmstead where wild boars are seen. St Mary's Church is substantially 12th century although the tower, nave clerestory and south porch are 15th century. It is built of coursed ironstone and cobblestones with ashlar dressings. In 1974, the tower was damaged by lightning and reduced to two stages from three. Corner pinnacles topped with weather vanes were added. Everton was enclosed by Act of Parliament in 1802. The village is close to the WWII airfield RAF Tempsford. Governance Everton Parish Council has seven elected members and meets bi-monthly at the village hall. Everton is part of Potton ward for elections to the Central Bedfordshire Unitary Authority. Prior to 1894, Everton was administered as part of the Hundred of Biggleswade. From 1894 until 1974 the village was in Biggleswade Rural District and from 1974 to 2009 in Mid Bedfordshire District. Community Everton no longer has a shop (it having closed c. 1995) but is home to a pub, local church, and a primary school. There is a large recreation ground which contains both full-sized and five-a-side football pitches, a basketball net, and a fenced-in children's play area. Licensing records for the Thornton Arms public house go back to 1822. Public services Everton is in the Potton Public Water Supply Zone (RW50). The water supplied by Anglian Water comes from groundwater boreholes and is chloraminated and classed as hard. The Eastern Power Area of UK Power Networks is the distribution network operator for electricity. Cadent Gas owns and operates the area's gas distribution network. The two nearest general hospitals are Bedford (Bedford Hospital NHS Trust) and Lister Hospital, Stevenage (East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust). Ambulance services are provided by the East of England Ambulance Service