Bedfordshire Attractions
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Bedfordshire is immediately northwest of London along the M1 and route 6. It's traditional governing center is Bedford, though Luton with its airport has become another major center.
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John Bunyan's Home, Elstow, England
Elstow (2mi/3km south of Bedford), John Bunyan's home, retains many associations with the author, from the font in which he was baptized to the church bells he used to ring. Bunyan was born in Harrowden, a mile west of Elstow.Moot Hall is a timber-framed market house in Elstow that houses a museum offering a glimpse of 17th century life including John Bunyan.
Woburn Abbey
Woburn Abbey draws many thousands of visitors every year, most of them attracted by the varied range of entertainment it offers - a wild animal kingdom, sports facilities, playgrounds and amusement park, boating, cafes and restaurants, antique market etc.The house itself, seat of the Duke of Bedford, is a huge mansion dating from 1746-47, built on the site of an earlier Cistercian abbey. The decoration of the state apartments was the work of Henry Holland (1802). The mansion is a treasure house of art, with valuable 18th century furniture, silver and porcelain, and a richly stocked picture gallery (works by Holbein, Van Dyck, Rembrandt, Gainsborough, Reynolds, Canaletto, Velasquez et al.)
Colmworth - Bushmead Priory
Bushmead Priory is an English Heritage property located near Colmworth. This rare survivor is a medieval refectory of an Augustinian priory, with its original timber-framed roof almost intact. Highlights at Bushmead include 14th-century wall paintings.
Dunstable, England
Dunstable (pop. 48,400), at the foot of Dunstable Downs, 3.5mi/6km from Whipsnade, makes a very worthwhile excursion. Dunstable Downs is popular with kite flyers and hang gliders. The church of St Peter and St Paul originally belonged to an abbey founded in 1131 and has a Norman nave; the ornate northwest porch dates from the 13th century. It was here in 1533 that Archbishop Cranmer granted Henry VIII his divorce from Catherine of Aragon, foreshadowing legislation in 1534 installing Henry as the supreme head of an independent Anglican Church.
ZSL Whipsnade Zoo
Whipsnade Zoo, the largest zoo of its kind (600 acres/248ha), was established in 1927-31. The park itself is of great scenic beauty, in addition to being well stocked with animals. The outline of a lion was cut in the chalk on the north side as a warning signal to aircraft. A narrow gauge railroad runs through part of the park.The Whipsnade Zoo is home to more than 2,500 animals, including many rare and endangered species. Special children's activities and playground. Daily demonstrations of birds, sea lions and elephants.
Whipsnade Tree Cathedral
The Whipsnade Tree Cathedral is a National Trust property located near Dunstable. Here, many species of trees have been planted in a traditional pattern of a cathedral with grassy avenues for the nave and transepts.
Ampthill - Houghton House
Houghton House is an English Heritage property located eight miles south of Bedford. This 17th C manor is believed to be the inspiration for "House Beautiful" in Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress".
Silsoe - Wrest Park House & Garden
Wrest Park House and Gardens are English Heritage properties located in Silsoe. The house was inspired by an 18th century French chateau and the gardens contain ornaments, statues and a fountain.
Biggleswade, England
Biggleswade (pop. 10,928) is a small town located 42mi/68km north of London. It is located on the river Ivel, crossed by two stone bridges. Biggleswade holds fairs in February, August and November.
Shuttleworth Collection and Transport Museum
The Shuttleworth Collection presents five decades of transport history in Britain from airplanes to road vehicles. The collection includes a 1909 Bleriot aircraft, a 1940s Spitfire, biplanes, fighters and light aircraft from the 1920s and 30s and original airworthy aircraft from World War I.The Shuttleworth Trust holds a series of fine displays on most weekends throughout the year except the winter months.
Sandy, England
Sandy is a small town near the foot of a sandstone ridge with a market every Friday. Excavations show that Sandy dates back to Roman times.
Stevenage, England
Stevenage (pop. 73,700) is a center for the electronics industry located 28mi/45km north of London. St Nicholas Church in Stevenage dates back to the 12th century and the school, from the 16th century still stands on its original location at the north end of the High Street.
Knebworth House
Knebworth House in Stevenage has been the home of the Lytton family since 1490. Famous guests have included Winston Churchill and Charles Dickens. The grounds feature a Jekyll Herb Garden, 250 acre deer park and an adventure playground.
