Bletchley

Bletchley is a town in Buckinghamshire, England. It forms part of the Milton Keynes urban area and lies to the south-east of central Milton Keynes, near Wolverton and Fenny Stratford. The town is situated along major transport routes, including the West Coast Main Line railway and the Grand Union Canal.

Historically a village in Buckinghamshire, Bletchley was incorporated into the new town of Milton Keynes in 1967. Today it is part of the City of Milton Keynes, a unitary authority within the ceremonial county of Buckinghamshire.

Bletchley is best known for Bletchley Park, the principal site of British codebreaking during World War II. At the park, teams of cryptanalysts and support staff worked to decipher German ciphers, including Enigma and the Lorenz machine. The operation employed thousands and contributed to Allied war efforts. After the war, the site was preserved and later opened to the public as a museum. The grounds include historic huts and, notably, Colossus, an early programmable computer used in Lorenz decryption.

Today, Bletchley contains residential areas, schools, and shopping facilities. Bletchley railway station provides regular services to London and other destinations on the West Coast Main Line, while the Grand Union Canal remains a feature for leisure use. The town maintains its historical connection to Bletchley Park while functioning as a residential and commercial hub within Milton Keynes.