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Towns and Villages
Bedfordshire and Herfordshire is an area of farms, villages and market towns between London, the Midlands and the Fen Country…
Bedford is an ancient market town on the edge of the fen country. It was the home of John Bunyan, the author of "Pilgrim's Progress", and it is possible to follow the landmarks of the story in the town and the villages around. Now the county town of Bedfordshire, it is a bustling and busy town.
Luton has for years been associated with the the hat trade and the motor industry, though now the airport seems set to eclipse both of these. Another ancient market town, dating back to Saxon times, it is set just below the chalk escarpment of the Downs. It is a University town with a good museum.
St Albans was once the capital of Roman Brittania, and the ruins of the Roman town of Verulamium can still be seen just outside the modern town, the centre of which is dominated by its fine cathedral.
Once out of the main towns, explore the smaller market towns, of which there are plenty…
Ampthill is once such small market town in the centre of Bedfordshire, with a fine Geogian main street and over 200 listed buildings. The town is associated with Pilgrim's Progress - the steep hill to the north of the town is said to be Bunyan's 'Hill of Difficulty' and nearby Houghton House is said to be 'House Beautiful' from the story.
…and from the market towns, go down another size to the villages, which are the jewels of this region…
Woburn is close to the border with Buckinghamshire. The name is Saxon - it means crooked stream - and in the Middle Ages it was the site of a great abbey. After the dissolution of the monasteries the land passed into the hands of the Dukes of Bedford, who constructed many fine buildings in the village - as well as the great house of Woburn Abbey.
Like many small villages, Sutton has something special - in this case a packhorse bridge many hundreds of years old.
Apsley Guise was once a health resort where rich folk built fine houses out in the country. The houses and country remain, but the village is now popular with all sorts of visitors.
Village greens were once common and in this area many remain. You may find yourself watching a cricket match on the green between two village teams, as here at Ickwell.
Or visit the 'Swiss Village' at Old Warden, near Bedford, where the Ongley family built a whole village in the Swiss style, complete with Swiss Gardens, now open to the public.
…or just explore the many, many other villages of the area…