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This article is about the English county town. For other uses see Bedford (disambiguation)
Bedford
Bedford (Bedfordshire)
Bedford

Bedford shown within Bedfordshire
Population 79,190
OS grid reference TL055495
 - London 57. Bedfordshire (abbreviated Beds) is a County in England that forms part of the East of England region. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using Latitude and Longitude London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. 4m
District Bedford
Shire county Bedfordshire
Region East
Constituent country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town BEDFORD
Postcode district MK40, MK41, MK42
Dialling code 01234
Police Bedfordshire
Fire Bedfordshire and Luton
Ambulance East of England
European Parliament East of England
UK Parliament Bedford
List of places: UK • England • Bedfordshire

Coordinates: 52°08′01″N 0°27′28″W / 52.1337, -0.4577

Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, England. The districts of England are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government Bedford is a local government district with the status of a Borough in the East of England. Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties are one of the four levels of Subdivisions of England used for the purposes of Local government outside Greater London Bedfordshire (abbreviated Beds) is a County in England that forms part of the East of England region. The region, also known as the government office region, is currently the highest tier of local government sub-national entity of England, with only one The East of England is one of the nine official Regions of England. Constituent country is a phrase used often by official institutions in contexts in which a country makes up a part of a larger entity or grouping England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland This list of sovereign states, alphabetically arranged gives an overview of States around the world with information on the extent of their Sovereignty. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located A post town is a required part of all postal addresses in the United Kingdom, and a basic unit of the postal delivery system UK Postal codes are known as postcodes. UK postcodes are Alphanumeric. The MK postcode area, also known as the Milton Keynes postcode area, is a group of postal districts around Bedford, Buckingham, Milton Keynes The UK Telephone numbering plan, also known as the National Telephone Numbering Plan, is the system used for assigning Telephone numbers in the United There are a number of law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom. Bedfordshire Police, is the Home Office Police force responsible for policing the Ceremonial county of Bedfordshire in England, which The fire service in the United Kingdom operates under separate legislative and administrative arrangements in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Bedfordshire and Luton Fire and Rescue Service is the statutory Fire and Rescue Service or FRS for the county of Bedfordshire The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust is the authority responsible for providing NHS Ambulance services in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, East of England is a Constituency of the European Parliament. This is a list of the 646 constituencies currently represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, as at the 2005 general election Bedford is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. A Gazetteer of place names in the United Kingdom showing each place's County, Unitary authority or council area and its geographical coordinates List of places --> List of cities in the United Kingdom List of towns in England Lists of places This is a list of all the Towns and Villages in the County of Bedfordshire. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. A county town is the 'capital' of a County in the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland. Bedfordshire (abbreviated Beds) is a County in England that forms part of the East of England region. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland It is a large town and the administrative centre for the Bedford borough. Bedford is a local government district with the status of a Borough in the East of England. According to Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town of Kempston. Kempston (pronounced "Kemstun" is a town in Bedfordshire, England. The wider borough, including a rural area, had a population of 153,000.

Contents

History

Bedford was a market town for the surrounding agricultural region from the early Middle Ages. In 886 it became a boundary town separating Wessex and Danelaw. For the processors see 80886 - 8th generation x86 like Opteron and Core 2. West Saxon redirects here For other meanings of Wessex or West Saxon see Wessex (disambiguation. The Danelaw, as recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (also known as the Danelagh; Old English: Dena lagu; Danish: [1][2] It was the seat of the Barony of Bedford. Barony of England, Bedford England First creation Created for Paine de Beauchamp, by William Rufus William In 919 Edward the Elder built the town's first known fortress, on the south side of the River Ouse and there received the area's submission. Edward the Elder ( Old English: Ēadweard se Ieldra) (c 870 &ndash 17 July 924) was King of England (899 &ndash This fortress was destroyed by the Danes. William II gave the barony of Bedford to Paine de Beauchamp who built a new, strong castle. William II (c 1056 &ndash 2 August 1100) the third son of William I of England (William the Conqueror was King of England from 1087 The new Bedford Castle was razed in 1224 and today only a mound remains. Bedford Castle Mound, is the remnant of a castle in Bedford England ( [3]

Bedford traces its borough charter in 1166 by Henry II[4] and elected two members to the unreformed House of Commons. The unreformed House of Commons is the name generally given to the British House of Commons as it existed before the Reform Act of 1832.

Bedford remained a small agricultural town, with wool being an important industry in the area for much of the Middle Ages. From the 1560s Bedford and much of Bedfordshire became one of the main centres of England's Lace industry, with skilled lace-makers such as the Flemings, and then later the Huguenots emigrating from Europe to settle in the town and surrounding county. The terms Fleming and Flemings ( Vlaming and Vlamingen in Dutch) denote respectively a person and people and the Flemings or The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France (or French Calvinists) from the sixteenth to the eighteenth A county is a Land area of Regional Government within a larger State. [5] Lace continued to be an important industry in Bedford up until the early 20th century. [6]

The River Ouse became navigable as far as Bedford in 1689. Wool declined in importance with brewing becoming a major industry in the town.

In 1660 John Bunyan was imprisoned for 12 years in Bedford Gaol, it was here that he wrote The Pilgrim's Progress. John Bunyan (28 November 1628 &ndash 31 August 1688 a Christian writer and Preacher, was born at Harrowden (one mile south-east of Bedford HMP Bedford is a local prison in the Harpur area of Bedford, Bedfordshire, England. The Pilgrim's Progress from This World to That Which Is to Come by John Bunyan (published February 1678) is a Christian Allegory [7]

The 19th Century saw Bedford transform into an important engineering hub. Engineering is the Discipline and Profession of applying technical and scientific Knowledge and In 1832 Gas lighting was introduced, and the railway reached Bedford in 1846. Year 1832 ( MDCCCXXXII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian For the game see 1846 (board game. Year 1846 ( MDCCCXLVI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display The first Corn Exchange was built 1849,[8] and the first drains and sewers were dug in 1864. Bedford Corn Exchange is located on St Paul's Square in the Castle area of Bedford, Bedfordshire, England. Year 1849 ( MDCCCXLIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1864 ( MDCCCLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year [9]

Bedford in 1611

Bedford Bridge in 1783. This version of the bridge was replaced in 1813.

Bedford in 1806

Bedford Castle mound

Features and events

River Great Ouse in Bedford from Town Bridge,looking downstream. The old Coaching Inn, the Swan Hotel is on the left behind the tree. Bedford Rowing Club and the multistorey Bedford Park Inn are on the right.
River Great Ouse in Bedford from Town Bridge,looking downstream. The old Coaching Inn, the Swan Hotel is on the left behind the tree. Bedford Rowing Club and the multistorey Bedford Park Inn are on the right.
Bedford War Memorial
Bedford War Memorial

The River Great Ouse passes through the town centre (see also ford (crossing)), and is lined with attractive gardens known as The Embankment. The River Great Ouse is a River in the east of England. It is 150 miles (240 km long which makes it the major navigation in East Anglia, and the fourth- A ford is a place in a Watercourse (most commonly a stream or River) that is shallow enough to be crossed by wading on Horseback or in a wheeled Within these gardens stands a war memorial to the fallen of the First World War, opposite Rothsay Gardens[10]. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The memorial was designed in 1921 by the sculptor Charles Sargeant Jagger and depicts a Knight vanquishing a dragon. Charles Sargeant Jagger MC (1885-1934 was a British Sculptor who following active service in the First World War, sculpted many works on the theme [11]. The inscription reads

“ 1914 † 1919
TO BEDFORDIANS WHO DIED, MANY IN EARLY YOUTH, SOME FULL OF YEARS AND HONOUR, BUT WHO ALL ALIKE GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY. 		”
St Paul's Church
St Paul's Church

Bedford's principal church is St Paul's Church, Bedford, in the square of the same name at the historic centre of the town. St Paul's Church is a Church of England Parish church located on St Paul's Square in the Town centre of Bedford, Bedfordshire, It has a tall spire which is one of the main features of the town. There was a church on the site by 1066 and work on the present structure began in the early 13th century, but little remains from that period. John Bunyan and John Wesley both preached in the church. John Bunyan (28 November 1628 &ndash 31 August 1688 a Christian writer and Preacher, was born at Harrowden (one mile south-east of Bedford John Wesley (ˈwɛslɪ ( – March 2, 1791) was an Anglican cleric and Christian theologian who was the founder of the (Evangelical In 1865-1868 the tower and spire were completely rebuilt and the two transepts added and lesser alterations have been made since. From 1941 to the end of the Second World War the BBC's daily service was broadcast from St. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Paul's. Another church of note is St. Peter's Church, Bedford (Situated on St Peter's Street) which contains some of the oldest architectural remains in Bedford, the most ancient being the two monoliths. The Parish Church of St Peter de Merton with St Cuthbert is an Anglican church based on St Peter's Street in the De Parys area of Bedford, A monolith is a geological feature such as a Mountain, consisting of a single massive stone or rock or a single piece of rock placed as or within a monument

The Cecil Higgins Gallery, housed in the recreated Victorian home of the Higgins family of Victorian brewers and in a modern extension, has notable collections of watercolours, prints and drawings, ceramics, glass and lace. Cecil Higgins Gallery is the principle Art gallery in Bedford, Bedfordshire, England. Culture The Victorian fascination with novelty resulted in a deep interest in the relationship between modernity and cultural continuities Adjacent to the Cecil Higgins Gallery is Bedford Museum, which has local history collections. Bedford Museum is the principle Museum in Bedford, Bedfordshire, England.

Bedford Hospital is a district general hospital that operates from two sites in the town, providing a wide range of services, although patients requiring highly advanced treatment are referred to specialist units, elsewhere, principally in Cambridge and London. Bedford Hospital is a District General Hospital located in the English town of Bedford, serving north and mid Bedfordshire. Its catchment area is based on the Borough of Bedford and Mid Bedfordshire. Mid Bedfordshire is a local government district in Bedfordshire, England. In 2006 there was controversy in the local media about alleged plans to downgrade Bedford Hospital's provision of acute care, as the government's current policy is that full service hospitals require a catchment area population of 300,000. Bedford Hospital's catchment population was less than that at that time, but it is expected to exceed it in the medium term as the area is experiencing above average population growth. Health secretary Patricia Hewitt visited the town and made assurances about the future of the hospital, but failed to fully satisfy local concerns as to the government's intentions. Patricia Hope Hewitt (born 2 December 1948) is a British Politician.

Every two years, an event called "The River Festival" is held near the river in Bedford during early July. The Bedford River Festival is held biannually in Bedford, United Kingdom, on the banks of the River Great Ouse. The event lasts for two days and regularly attracts about 250,000 visitors. The event includes sports, funfairs and live music. It is the second largest regular outdoor event in the UK beaten in numbers only by the Notting Hill Carnival. [12] The Bedford Regatta each May is Britain's largest one-day river rowing regatta.

Other annual events include 'Bedford By The Sea' (when large quantities of sand are deposited in the town centre) and the 'Bedford Kite Festival' in June. 'Proms In The Park', held in early August, is a popular musical event.

Bedford town centre
Bedford town centre

The Bedford Corn Exchange is the largest entertainment venue in the town and plays host to a variety of performances, meetings, conferences, concerts and private functions. Bedford Corn Exchange is located on St Paul's Square in the Castle area of Bedford, Bedfordshire, England. The Corn Exchange also operates the Harpur Suite exhibition hall and the Bedford Civic Theatre which plays host to the 'Bedfringe festival', a pre-Edinburgh Fringe festival. The Bedford Civic Theatre is a Theatre located on Horne Lane in the Town centre of Bedford, Bedfordshire, England. The University of Bedfordshire Theatre is the largest theatre in Bedford and hosts many larger productions as well as projects from the university. The University of Bedfordshire Theatre is a Theatre situated in the De Parys area of Bedford, Bedfordshire, England. Theatre (or theater, see spelling differences) is the branch of the Performing arts defined by Bernard Beckerman as what "occurs when one There is an active amdram (community theatre) scene, with groups such as the Swan Theatre Company, Bedford Dramatic Club (BDC), Bedford Marianettes and ShowCo Bedford producing plays and musicals in venues like the Civic Theatre and the Corn Exchange. WikiProject {{{1}}} The definition of Community Theatre differs in the US from the UK The Bedford Pantomime Company produces a traditional pantomime at the Civic Theatre each Christmas. Esquires (one of the town's premier live music venues) regularly plays host to many notable bands and acts from all over the UK as well as showcasing local live music. Bedford Esquires is a Pub, Nightclub and live music venue located in the town of Bedford, Bedfordshire, England.

Bedford has two rugby union teams called Bedford Blues and Bedford Athletic. Overview See also Playing rugby union A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (plus stoppage time with a short Bedford Blues is a rugby club in the town of Bedford, England, currently playing in National Division One, which is the second tier of English rugby Bedford Blues are currently in the second tier of English rugby, but has previously been in the top division. Bedford Blues is a rugby club in the town of Bedford, England, currently playing in National Division One, which is the second tier of English rugby National Division One is the second tier of the English Rugby union leagues Taking into account the size of its overall urban area, it is one of the largest towns in England without a fully professional football team. Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered Bedford Town F.C. currently plays at the seventh level of the English football league system and Bedford Valerio United F.C. play at the 11th level. Bedford Town are the main football club of the town of Bedford, England. The English football league system, also known as the football pyramid, is a series of interconnected leagues for club football in England (although Bedford FC are a football club based in Bedford, England. Bedford United FC was formed in 1957 as the works team of printers Diemer & Reynolds

Film and TV links

Transport

Trains

Bedford has two railway stations:

Roads

Bedford lies on the A6 trunk road, and two of the most important north-south routes in Great Britain, the A1 and the M1 motorway pass a few miles to the east and west respectively. Two road improvement schemes are currently in process to link the town to the M1[13] and A1[14] via dual carriageway. This will significantly improve access to the town, which currently requires the use of frequently congested single carriageway roads. Bedford has a southern bypass along the A421 and in September 2007, work started on the long awaited western bypass. The A421 is an important road for east/west journeys across the southern midlands of England. [15]

Bedford also has its own Park and ride operation situated to the south of the town near Elstow. Park and ride (or incentive parking) facilities are Public transport stations that allow commuters and other people wishing to travel into Elstow is a Village and Civil parish in the English county of Bedfordshire. Currently this is the only site which has been completed, but there are plans to develop more sites around the town. [16]

Buses

Prior to bus deregulation in 1986, bus services in and around Bedford were run by the United Counties subsidiary of the National Bus Company. The National Bus Company was a Bus company in England and Wales. The United Counties business was bought by the Stagecoach Group in the late 1980s [17] and has since been branded Stagecoach in Bedford. Stagecoach Group plc ( is a leading international transport group operating Bus, Train, Tram, express coach and Ferry operations Stagecoach in Bedford is the sector of the Stagecoach Group that operates buses in Bedford, Bedfordshire and is the trading name of the United Counties

The town's bus services and major bus routes run to Northampton, Milton Keynes, Cambridge, Oxford and other towns in the region. This article is about Northampton in England for other places of the same name see Northampton (disambiguation Northampton ( is a large Market Milton Keynes ( ˌmɪltənˈkiːnz often abbreviated to MK, is a large town The city of Cambridge (ˈkeɪmbrɪdʒ is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England Oxford is currently bidding for the 2010 Wikimania Conference Oxford () is a city, and the County town of Oxfordshire, Most of these services depart from the main bus station in the town. The bus station itself is due for major redevelopment as part of a scheme to renovate the town centre. [18]

Local transport company, Cedar Coaches also runs services from Bedford to surrounding areas. [19]

Demographics

Bedford is home to one of the largest concentration of Italian immigrants in the UK. The' Italian people' are a Southern European Ethnic group located primarily in Italy, Switzerland, France and by virtue of a wide-ranging According to a 2001 census, 2 in 7 (1 in 3. 5 or almost 30% of the town's population) of Bedford's population are of at least partial Italian descent. This is mainly as a result of labour recruitment in the early 1950s by the London Brick Company in the southern Italian regions of Puglia, Campania, Calabria, Molise, Abruzzo and Sicily. The London Brick Company is a leading British Brickmaker. It is owned by Hanson plc. Apulia ( Italian: Puglia) is a region in southeastern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east the Ionian Sea Campania is a region of Southern Italy in Europe. The region has a population of around 5 Calabria ( Latin: Brutium) is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of Molise is a region of Southern Italy, the second smallest of the regions Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. [20] Bedford's Little Italy feel is enhanced by a wide variety of Italian bars, restaurants and social clubs throughout the town. as well as a large number of delis and grocery shops selling Italian and continental produce - and by the large Italian mission church run by the Scalabrini Fathers order. The Missionaries of St Charles Borromeo or Scalabrinian Missionaries are a Roman Catholic religious order of brothers and priests founded by Giovanni Battista Bedford has, since 1954, had its own Italian vice-consulate. [21]

A map of Bedford and Kempston
A map of Bedford and Kempston

In addition to Italian immigrants, Bedford has also been the recipient of significant immigration from South Asia (8. 1% of Bedford's population[22]), Eastern Europe (particularly in the last few years), Greece, Cyprus, the Middle East and Africa (3% of Bradford's population is of Sub-Saharan descent [23]), making it one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse towns in Britain and the world, particularly in proportion to its size. Eastern Europe is a general term that refers to the Geopolitical region encompassing the easternmost part of the European continent. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Cyprus (Κύπρος transliterated: Kýpros,; Kıbrıs officially the Republic of Cyprus (Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located "The world " is a proper noun for the planet Earth envisioned from an Anthropocentric or Human Worldview, as a place Bedford is home to over one hundred immigrant languages, including Italian, Punjabi, Turkish, Polish, Portuguese and both Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese.

Bedford also has a high number of Christian churches including four from the Newfrontiers network, several Polish and Italian Roman Catholic churches, and various independent churches that cater to the different ethnic and language groups. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth A church building is a Building or Structure whose primary purpose is to facilitate the meeting of a church. New Frontiers redirects here New Frontiers program is a NASA space program to explore the solar system Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest There are also Sikh, Muslim, Wiccan, Jewish and Jehovah's Witness communities. Sikhism ( IPA: or; ਸਿੱਖੀ sikkhī, IPA:) founded on the teachings of Nanak and nine successive gurus in fifteenth century For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut Jehovah's Witnesses is a restorationist, millenialist Christian denomination There is no longer a synagogue in Bedford, but Bedfordshire Progressive Synagogue[3], based in Luton, meets in Bedford once a month. A synagogue (from Greek: grc συναγωγή transliterated synagogē, "assembly" he בית כנסת beit knesset, "house of Luton ( is a large town in the east of England, 32 miles (51 kilometres north of London. The nearest Orthodox synagogue is the Luton Hebrew Congregation, a Lubavitch synagogue in Luton. Orthodox Judaism is the formulation of Judaism that adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics first canonized Chabad-Lubavitch is one of the largest Hasidic movements in Orthodox Judaism, and is based in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn

Education

Bedford is home to five public schools run by the Harpur Trust charity, endowed by Bedfordian Sir William Harpur in the sixteenth century. The Bedford Charity (The Harpur Trust is a charity in Bedford, England which is principally concerned with the operation of Private schools. The definition of charitable organization, and of charity varies according to the country and in some instances the region of the country in which the charitable organization operates Sir William Harpur (c1496 &ndash 27 February 1574) was a Merchant from Bedford who moved to London, amassed a large fortune and These are:

Smaller private institutions include Rushmoor School (boys aged 3-16, girls 3-11) St. Andrew's School (girls aged 3-16, boys 3-9), and Polam School, none of which are part of the Harpur Trust. Rushmoor School is an independent day school in the Harpur area of Bedford, England. St Andrew's School is a public school in the De Parys area of Bedford, England. Polam School is a pre-preparatory Independent school, situated in the Harpur area of Bedford, Bedfordshire, England.

Bedford hosts a campus of the University of Bedfordshire, which prior to a merger with the University of Luton in 2006 had been a campus of De Montfort University (itself now solely based in Leicester). The University of Bedfordshire is a modern university based in Luton and Bedford De Montfort University ( DMU) is a British university situated in Leicester, England. Leicester (ˈlɛstə is the largest city and Unitary authority area in the East Midlands of England, and is the traditional For further education, the town is served by Bedford College. Bedford College is a Further education college in the Cauldwell area of Bedford, Bedfordshire, England.

Unlike most of the United Kingdom, Bedfordshire operates a three-tier education system which is arranged into lower, middle and upper schools, as recommended in the Plowden Report of 1967. Three-tier education refers to those structures of schooling which exist in some parts of England where pupils are taught in three distinct school types The Plowden Report is the unofficial name for the 1967 report of the Central Advisory Council For Education (England into Primary education in England The arrangement was put to the vote in 2006 with a view to moving to the two-tier model, but was rejected. [24] State upper schools include Wootton Upper School and Performing Arts College, Sharnbrook Upper School, Mark Rutherford Upper School, John Bunyan Upper School, St Thomas More Catholic Upper School and Biddenham Upper School, a local Sports Specialist College. Wootton Upper School Performing Arts College is located on Hall End Road in Wootton. Sharnbrook Upper School and Community College, commonly referred to as SUS or simply Sharnbrook, is a large rural comprehensive Upper Mark Rutherford Upper School is a coeducational Upper school located on Wentworth Drive in Bedford England. John Bunyan Upper School is an Upper school located in the Kingsbrook area of Bedford, Bedfordshire, England. St Thomas More Catholic Upper School is a Roman Catholic School located in Bedford, England. Biddenham Upper School is a 13-19 Coeducational state comprehensive school serving the Brickhill, Harpur and Queens Park

Twinned towns

Bedford is twinned with:

Areas within Bedford

The town of Bedford is divided into 10 wards -

Some of these wards elect their own urban community Council or parish council. Bamberg is a town in Bavaria, Germany. It is located in Upper Franconia on the river Regnitz, close to its confluence with the river Main Arezzo ( Latin Arretium) is a city in central Italy, capital of the province of the same name, located in For the Renaissance composer see Francesco Rovigo. Rovigo is a town in the Veneto region of northeastern Italy, the capital Włocławek (Leslau is a town in northern Poland on the Vistula (Wisła and Zgłowiączka rivers with a population of approximately 117000 Brickhill is a ward, and a Civil parish within northern Bedford in Bedfordshire, England. Castle is an electoral ward and area of Bedford, England. The boundaries of Castle are (roughly Bromham Road and Goldington Road Cauldwell is an electoral ward and area within the Town of Bedford, England. De Parys is an electoral ward and area within the Town of Bedford, Bedfordshire, England. Goldington is an electoral ward and former village within the town of Bedford, Bedfordshire, England. Harpur is an electoral ward and area within the Town of Bedford, England. Kingsbrook is an electoral ward and area within the Town of Bedford, England. Newnham is an electoral ward and area within the Town of Bedford, Bedfordshire, England. Putnoe is a Ward and area on the northern side of the town of Bedford in England. Queens Park is an electoral ward in Bedford, England. The areas borders are (roughly Bromham Road to the north The Midland Main Line Community councils (CCs are the most local statutory representative bodies in Great Britain. A Parish council is a unit of Local government in Great Britain.

Relationship with nearby towns and villages

The town of Kempston is adjacent to Bedford. The villages in the Borough of Bedford with populations of more than 2,000 as of 2005 were Biddenham, Bromham, Clapham, Elstow, Oakley, Sharnbrook, Shortstown, Wilstead, and Wootton. Biddenham is a large Village and a Civil parish in Bedfordshire, England. Bromham is a village and Civil parish in Bedfordshire, England, west of the town of Bedford. Clapham is a village and Civil parish in North East Bedfordshire, England. Elstow is a Village and Civil parish in the English county of Bedfordshire. Oakley is a Village in northern Bedfordshire, England, about four miles north west of the county town of Bedford and lies by the River Great Sharnbrook is a village in Bedfordshire, England. It was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as a parish within the Hundred of Willey but was Shortstown is a Village on the outskirts of Bedford, England. Wilstead is a village and Civil parish in Bedfordshire, England, just off the A6 Bedford to Luton road about five miles south of Wootton ( is a large village and Civil parish located to the south-west of Bedford, in the north of Bedfordshire, England. There are also many smaller villages in the borough. The villages in the borough are popular with commuters to Bedford, and also with people who commute to Milton Keynes and to London. Milton Keynes ( ˌmɪltənˈkiːnz often abbreviated to MK, is a large town

Nearby small towns include Ampthill, Biggleswade, Flitwick, and Sandy, all of which are in Mid Bedfordshire. Ampthill is a small town and Civil parish in Bedfordshire, England, between Bedford and Luton, with a population of about 6000 See also Biggleswade (hundred Biggleswade is a small and quaint market town on the River Ivel in Bedfordshire, England. This article is about the town of Flitwick See Filius Flitwick for the Harry Potter character Sandy is a small Market town in northern Bedfordshire, England. Mid Bedfordshire is a local government district in Bedfordshire, England. The nearest towns and cities with larger populations than Bedford are Northampton to the north west, Cambridge to the east, Milton Keynes to the south west, and Luton to the south, all of which have urban area populations of 130,000 or more. This article is about Northampton in England for other places of the same name see Northampton (disambiguation Northampton ( is a large Market The city of Cambridge (ˈkeɪmbrɪdʒ is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England Luton ( is a large town in the east of England, 32 miles (51 kilometres north of London. Milton Keynes and Cambridge in particular are used by Bedfordians for services that are not available in Bedford, especially the shopping and leisure facilities in Milton Keynes, and advanced health services at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, a teaching hospital which has a partnership with Bedford Hospital. Addenbrooke's Hospital is a large Teaching hospital in Cambridge, England, with strong links to the University of Cambridge.

Notable Bedfordians

John Bunyan's statue at the corner of the High Street and St Peter's street.
John Bunyan's statue at the corner of the High Street and St Peter's street.

It was the home and prison of John Bunyan, the author of the Pilgrim's Progress. John Bunyan (28 November 1628 &ndash 31 August 1688 a Christian writer and Preacher, was born at Harrowden (one mile south-east of Bedford The Pilgrim's Progress from This World to That Which Is to Come by John Bunyan (published February 1678) is a Christian Allegory Prison Reformer John Howard, although born in London, was high Sheriff of Bedfordshire. John Howard ( September 2, 1726 - January 20, 1790) was a Philanthropist and the first English Prison reformer

Other prominent Bedfordians include:

And not born there but associated with Bedford:

Schooled in Bedford:

References

  1. ^ Bedford Timeline, Earliest Times - 1800. Dame Bertha Surtees Phillpotts (1877&ndash1932 was an English scholar in Scandinavian languages, literature, history, Archaeology Terminology and usage As a cultural term "Scandinavia" has no official definition and is subject to usage by those who identify with the culture in question as well Matt "The Bedford Bear" Skelton (born 23 January 1967 in Bedford) is an English boxer who changed sports from Laura Wade is a British Playwright. She was born on 16 October 1977 in Bedford, England. For other people with the name Charles Wells see Charles Wells (disambiguation. For other people with the name Charles Wells see Charles Wells (disambiguation. William Hale White ( December 22, 1831 - March 14, 1913) known by his pseudonym Mark Rutherford, was a British writer and Michael Edwards (born 5 December 1963) better known as Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards, was the first competitor to represent Great Britain Ski jumping is a Sport in which skiers go down an "inrun" with a take-off ramp (the jump attempting to go as far as possible Paula Jane Radcliffe MBE (born on 17 December, 1973 in Davenham, Cheshire, England) is a British Jeremy John Durham Ashdown Baron Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon, GCMG, KBE, PC, (born 27 February 1941 commonly known as Paddy Ashdown, is a The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal Political party in the United Kingdom, formed in 1988 by merging the Bedford School is not to be confused with Bedford Modern School or Bedford High School. Alastair Cook should not be confused with Alistair Cooke, journalist and broadcaster Cricket is a bat-and-ball team Sport that originated in England and is now played in more than 100 countries Bedford School is not to be confused with Bedford Modern School or Bedford High School. Christopher Fry ( 18 December 1907 &ndash 30 June 2005) was a English Playwright. Bedford Modern School should not be confused with Bedford School. Alastair James Hay "Al" Murray (born 10 May 1968 is a British comedian best known for his stand-up Persona, " The Pub Landlord An actor, actress, player or thespian (see terminology) is a person who Acts in a Dramatic production and who works Bedford School is not to be confused with Bedford Modern School or Bedford High School. Monty Panesar (born Mudhsuden Singh Panesar, 25 April 1982 in Luton, Bedfordshire) is an English Cricketer A left-arm spinner, Panesar Cricket is a bat-and-ball team Sport that originated in England and is now played in more than 100 countries Bedford Modern School should not be confused with Bedford School. Jean Elizabeth Muir CBE FCSD ( July 17 1928 - May 28 1995) was an English fashion designer (though she herself preferred the description Post-nominal letters are letters placed after the name of a person to indicate that the individual holds a position office or honour Dame Alice Harpur School is a selective girls' independent school in Bedford, United Kingdom. Bedfordshire Libraries. Retrieved on 2008-02-10. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1355 - The St Scholastica's Day riot breaks out in Oxford, England, leaving 63 scholars and perhaps 30 locals dead
  2. ^ Whitelock, Dorothy; Douglas, David C. (ed) (1979). English Historical Documents c. 500-1042 (2nd edition). Routledge. Retrieved on 2008-02-10. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1355 - The St Scholastica's Day riot breaks out in Oxford, England, leaving 63 scholars and perhaps 30 locals dead
  3. ^ Bedford Castle. CastleUK. Retrieved on 2008-02-10. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1355 - The St Scholastica's Day riot breaks out in Oxford, England, leaving 63 scholars and perhaps 30 locals dead
  4. ^ Brief History of Bedford. Bedford Borough Council. Retrieved on 2008-02-10. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1355 - The St Scholastica's Day riot breaks out in Oxford, England, leaving 63 scholars and perhaps 30 locals dead
  5. ^ The Huguenot Influence. The Cowper and Newton Museum. Retrieved on 2008-01-29. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 904 - Sergius III comes out of retirement to take over the papacy from the deposed Antipope Christopher.
  6. ^ Lacemaking in Bedfordshire - Introduction. Bedford Borough Council. Retrieved on 2008-01-29. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 904 - Sergius III comes out of retirement to take over the papacy from the deposed Antipope Christopher.
  7. ^ John Bunyan (1628-1688). The Bunyan Press. Retrieved on 2008-02-10. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1355 - The St Scholastica's Day riot breaks out in Oxford, England, leaving 63 scholars and perhaps 30 locals dead
  8. ^ 1849 & Friday 1 March 1850. Bedford Corn Exchange. Retrieved on 2008-02-10. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1355 - The St Scholastica's Day riot breaks out in Oxford, England, leaving 63 scholars and perhaps 30 locals dead
  9. ^ Bedford Borough records introduction. Bedfordshire County Council. Retrieved on 2008-02-10. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1355 - The St Scholastica's Day riot breaks out in Oxford, England, leaving 63 scholars and perhaps 30 locals dead
  10. ^ 52°08′05″N 0°27′30″W / 52.134654, -0.458215
  11. ^ Daniel Stannard/Bedfordshire County Council (2007). The First World War Memorial, Bedford. Bedfordshire Buildings and Monuments. Retrieved on 2007-11-04. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1333 - Flood of the Arno River, causing massive damage in Florence as recorded by the Florentine chronicler Giovanni Villani
  12. ^ River Great Ouse. Bedford Borough Council. Retrieved on 2008-01-29. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 904 - Sergius III comes out of retirement to take over the papacy from the deposed Antipope Christopher.
  13. ^ A421 Bedford to M1 Junction 13. Highways Agency. Retrieved on 2006-08-18. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 293 BC - The oldest known Roman temple to Venus is founded starting the institution of Vinalia Rustica.
  14. ^ A421 Great Barford Bypass. Highways Agency. Retrieved on 2006-08-18. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 293 BC - The oldest known Roman temple to Venus is founded starting the institution of Vinalia Rustica.
  15. ^ Bedford Western Bypass. Bedfordshire County Council. Retrieved on 2008-02-23. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1455 - Traditional date for the publication of the Gutenberg Bible, the first Western Book printed from Movable
  16. ^ Park & Ride in Bedfordshire. Bedfordshire County Council. Retrieved on 2008-02-23. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1455 - Traditional date for the publication of the Gutenberg Bible, the first Western Book printed from Movable
  17. ^ Company History. Stagecoach Group. Stagecoach Group plc ( is a leading international transport group operating Bus, Train, Tram, express coach and Ferry operations Retrieved on 2008-02-23. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1455 - Traditional date for the publication of the Gutenberg Bible, the first Western Book printed from Movable
  18. ^ Bedford's £150 million revamp gets the green light. Bedford Today. Retrieved on 2008-02-23. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1455 - Traditional date for the publication of the Gutenberg Bible, the first Western Book printed from Movable
  19. ^ Timetables. Cedar Coaches. Retrieved on 2008-02-23. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1455 - Traditional date for the publication of the Gutenberg Bible, the first Western Book printed from Movable
  20. ^ Bedford's Italian question. BBC - Legacies. Retrieved on 2008-02-10. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1355 - The St Scholastica's Day riot breaks out in Oxford, England, leaving 63 scholars and perhaps 30 locals dead
  21. ^ Bedford Italian Community. Bedfordshire Libraries. Retrieved on 2008-02-10. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1355 - The St Scholastica's Day riot breaks out in Oxford, England, leaving 63 scholars and perhaps 30 locals dead
  22. ^ [1]
  23. ^ [2]
  24. ^ Two-tier school proposal rejected. BBC News. Retrieved on 2008-02-10. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1355 - The St Scholastica's Day riot breaks out in Oxford, England, leaving 63 scholars and perhaps 30 locals dead

External links

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