Bedford has a long and interesting history that dates back hundreds of years and here is a look at the main events that the town has witnessed throughout the years.

The Early days…

The charming town of Bedford was famous for being a market town in the Middle Ages and in 796, King Offa of Mercia was buried here. A century later and Bedford was known as a boundary town, as it acted as a separating piece of land that stood between Danelow and Wessex. By the 900s, the town’s first fortress was built under the supervision of Edward the Elder and the building was put up on the south of the River Ouse. Denmark destroyed the fortress and a new one, Bedford Castle, was built in its place. Unfortunately, only a mound now stands where this once strong castle stood in 1224.

Bedford’s Lace Industry…

Throughout the Middles Ages, wool was the main industry in the town and locals largely concentrated on agricultural work in order to make a living. However, by the mid-1500s lace making became huge in Bedfordshire. Flemings and Huguenots were both famous names in the sector and they emigrated from elsewhere in Europe to settle permanently in Bedford, due to the area’s lucrative markets. Lace continued to be an important sector in Bedfordshire until the turn of the 20th century.

The River Great Ouse…

When wool declined in its importance and lace became more fruitful, brewing also became a major industry. The River Great Ouse allowed various products to be moved around from place to place with relative ease and the waterways were often used to transport goods from the 1600s onwards. Bedford Gaol was home to author John Bunyan for 12 years and it was here that he wrote the famous novel The Pilgrim’s Progress.

19th Century and Beyond…

Engineering became more important to the town in the 19th century and when gas lighting was first introduced in 1832, the town began to grow at a rapid rate. The railway ran into Bedford by 1846 and the Corn Exchange was built in 1849 while 1864 welcomed the first drains and sewer systems to Bedford.

Modern-day Bedford…

Today, Bedford is a popular town to reside in and to visit and it is divided into 10 areas. These are made up from De Parys, Goldington, Harpur, Kingsbrook, Newnham, Brickhill, Castle, Cauldwell, Putnoe and Queens Park. Kempston is found close by and the surrounding villages are home to around 2,500 additional residents. Bedford itself is home to around 80,000 people and many people who reside in the town commute to nearby Milton Keynes, Northampton, Luton or London for work.

Sandy, Biggleswade, Flitwick and Ampthill are all within a short driving distance and Bedford enjoys links to the rest of the country via its extensive road and rail networks. Bedford is home to a large concentration of Italian immigrants with almost 30% of the town’s population coming from Italian descent. Bedford is therefore home to a Little Italy that is filled with tasty restaurants and bars and there is even a church that is run by the Scalbrini Fathers here.

The town centre is home to a large congregation of shops and stores that range from large chain names through to local businesses. Everything from tattoo shops to clothing stores can be found and the town centre offers many night spots that are great for the younger crowd. The park and ride scheme is proving popular and Bedford looks set to continue growing thanks to its long history and strong roots within the local area.