Bedfordshire
Explore hidden histories, historic photos, and things you never knew about Bedfordshire from the collections and archives of Historic England.
Discover your local listed buildings and places
Introducing some of Bedfordshire's most historic sites, included in the National Heritage List for England. Some of these captions have been summarised by AI. Click through for the official List entry.
The Hazells
Sandy
The Hazells is an 18th-century country house with gardens enlarged by Humphry Repton, featuring historic architecture and landscaped grounds with woodlands and formal gardens.
Sharpenhoe Clappers: an Iron Age promontory fort, medieva…
Streatley
Sharpenhoe Clappers hosts a rare Iron Age promontory fort, displaying both defensive strength and status, with medieval features including cultivation earthworks.
Ampthill Park
Ampthill
Country house from the 17th and 18th centuries in Ampthill Park with historic ties to Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon, landscaped by Lancelot Brown.
Five Knolls round barrow cemetery: three bell barrows, t…
Dunstable
The Five Knolls cemetery in Bedfordshire features various Bronze Age barrows, serving as significant historical and cultural elements reflecting early prehistoric beliefs and social...
Haynes Park
Haynes
Haynes Park, originally called Hawnes, is a country house with notable elevations from the 18th and 19th centuries, associated with Lord Carteret and Henry Thynne.
Bedford Park
Bedford
Bedford Park, designed by Barron & Son, opened in 1888 with features like a lake, cricket pavilion, and tennis courts, providing recreational space in a historical landscape.
Sir Malcolm Stewart Trust Common Room, Stewartby
Stewartby
Common room (or pavilion), built in 1955-6 to the designs of Sir Albert Richardson with E A S Houfe, as a centrepiece and community meeting place for the Sir Malcolm Stewart Trust Homes,...
Houghton House: a 17th century mansion and associated cou…
Ampthill
Houghton House illustrates early 17th-century architecture, showcasing Palladian influences by Inigo Jones.
The Manor House and outbuildings, game larder and ha-ha, …
Little Barford
The Manor House with its Ha-Ha and Game Larder, a multi-phased country house with a remodelling attributed to John Usher in around 1870.
7a St Paul's Square and Cowper Building
Bedford
Former school building, built between 1884 and 1886 to designs by Basil Champneys, extended in 1899 to designs by Henry Young, with an attached former school gymnasium built around 1880.
Wrest Park
Gravenhurst
Wrest Park is an extensive park and formal pleasure grounds featuring 18th and 19th-century landscapes, historical structures, and connections to the de Grey family heritage.
Battlesden Park
Battlesden
Battlesden Park, a historic 18th/19th-century landscape, features remains of formal gardens possibly designed by Humphry Repton and Joseph Paxton, though the house was demolished in 1885.
Southill Park
Old Warden
Southill Park, a landscape park created in 1777 by Lancelot Brown, surrounds an early 18th-century country house with gardens and significant historical developments.
Two Kilns and Four Chimneys at the Stewartby Brickworks
Stewartby
Two Hoffman Kilns (the southern most named CK1 and that to its north named CK3) with four chimneys, one surmounting each kiln, one amongst buildings adjoining the north end of CK1, and one...
The Alameda
Ampthill
A town walk, laid out between 1821 and 1827 by Henry Vassall Fox, 3rd Baron Holland, and his wife, Elizabeth Vassall Fox, Baroness HollandIt was extended in the 1950s to commemorate the...
Kempston Hardwick moated site
Stewartby
Kempston Hardwick is a notable Bedfordshire moated site with an undisturbed interior and a waterlogged moat ideal for preserving organic remains.
Totternhoe Castle: a motte and bailey castle, medieval qu…
Totternhoe
Totternhoe Castle is a significant Norman motte and bailey with medieval quarries and cultivation terraces, vital for studying post-Conquest fortifications and archaeological techniques.
Oakwell Park
Houghton Regis
Small country house built by 1937 to the designs of Frank Crossley-Holland and Harold W C Shaw.
Yielden Castle: a motte and bailey castle, fishponds and …
Melchbourne and Yielden
Yielden Castle, a motte and bailey fortress, symbolizes Norman military strategy in Britain, highlighting the feudal system's evolution and reflecting political shifts post-Conquest with...
Slight univallate hillfort on Galley Hill
Sandy
The Galley Hill hillfort is a rare slight univallate hillfort from the Late Bronze to Early Iron Age, significant for studying historical community transitions.
Harpur Suite
Bedford
Former Assembly Rooms, built between 1834 and 1835 to the designs of Thomas Gwyn Elger, later a private subscription library and public library, now an entertainment venue.
Maiden Bower hillfort
Houghton Regis
Maiden Bower hillfort reveals complex past usage, including Iron Age and Romano-British occupations, with significant archaeological evidence preserved despite historical quarrying...
Chinese Dairy and Adjoining Covered Ways
Woburn
Summary of Importance: This late 18th-century ornamental dairy, designed by Henry Holland for the 5th Duke of Bedford, exemplifies chinoiserie.
Bedford Corn Exchange
Bedford
Former Corn Exchange, dated 1874, built to the designs of John Ladds RIBA and Henry William Powell FRIBA, later used as a concert venue.
The Swan Hotel
Bedford
Hotel, built between 1794 and 1796 for Francis Russell, 5th Duke of Bedford, to designs by Henry Holland, and extended between 1906 and 1908 by Thomas Thurlow.
Historic Park and Garden to Turvey House
Turvey
Designed ornamental park at Turvey House, originally created for John Higgins, dates from the late C18 to early C19 with later C19 expansion and alterations.
Luton Hoo
Hyde
Luton Hoo is an 18th-century country house surrounded by a landscape park designed by Lancelot Brown. It showcases architectural work by Robert Adam and Charles Mewès.
Church of St John and associated boundary walls and gates
Bedford
Parish church, built as the chapel of the Hospital of St John in the C13, rebuilt in the C14, with a tower added around 1500, restored by James Tacy Wing in 1869-1870, and vestries added in...
Woburn Abbey
Eversholt
Woburn Abbey evolved from a 17th-century base with key contributions by George London, Charles Bridgeman, and Humphry Repton, featuring extensive gardens and a safari park.
Priory House
Dunstable
A multi-phase building originating as a high-status secular medieval structure likely to be associated with Dunstable Priory.
Coachman's Cottage and attached Stables, Coach Houses and…
Silsoe
The Coachman's Cottage, stables, coach houses and other outhouses to the north and south of the coach yard, built c1838-39. Possibly designed by James Clephan for Earl de Grey.
Moggerhanger Park
Moggerhanger
Moggerhanger Park, designed with contributions from Humphry Repton and remodeled by Sir John Soane, features 18th-century landscapes, historically significant architecture, and picturesque...
Roman Catholic Church of St Mary
Dunstable
A Roman Catholic parish church of circular plan constructed between 1962 and 1964 to designs by Desmond Williams OBE.
Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin
Marston Moreteyne
Parish Church. Earlier C14 and C15 with some C19 reworkings; chancel restored in 1873 by Sir Gilbert Scott.
Chinese Summerhouse to south side of North Broad Water
Silsoe
A summerhouse designed in a Chinese style. The building was built around 1760 for the Marchioness Grey, possibly to the designs of Sir William Chambers, remodelled in 1876.
A medieval warren on Dunstable Downs
Dunstable
Medieval warrens on Dunstable Downs are significant for breeding rabbits, showcasing historic land use and economy of adjacent settlements; they remain well-preserved today.
Wrest Park House and service block comprising pavilions, …
Silsoe
Country house in a French Louis XV style, built 1834-39 to the design of its owner, Thomas Philip, 2nd Earl de Grey, with James Clephan as the clerk of works.
Bedfordshire through time
This timeline shows the first period of use for buildings and places on the National Heritage List for England, just one of the details recorded for every list entry. Click around to see how Bedfordshire changes over time.
Prehistoric Before AD 43
Prehistory covers a million years of human occupation before the Roman invasion, from hunter-gatherers of several human species, including Neanderthals, to more recent herders and farmers. It was a time of developing technologies and belief systems, involving contact with and migration from Europe, all reflected in the variety of artefact and monument types characteristic of particular prehistoric periods.
Roman AD 43 to AD 410
Britain was invaded by four legions of the Roman army in AD 43, who relatively rapidly conquered England from landing points in Kent. Parts of Wales and Scotland soon followed.
Roman culture brought urbanism, monumental buildings, wide-ranging religious beliefs, writing, and strong social hierarchy. The Roman administrative system was withdrawn in AD 410.
We don't have an image for any of these list entries yet
Early medieval AD 410 to AD 1066
This period, often associated in England with Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, saw a reduction in urban living from the Roman period and increased migration from northern Europe.
Traces of this period can be found in cemeteries, particularly in artefacts and in some of the very early churches, as this period also saw the growth of Christianity in Britain.
Medieval AD 1066 to AD 1540
This period, sometimes known as the Middle Ages, began with the Norman invasion in AD 1066. It saw a significant rise in military and defensive buildings such as castles and earthworks, as well as religious houses dominating a largely agricultural landscape.
The monarchy and Church dominated the period, which also saw the break with the Roman Catholic Church and the English reformation.
Post medieval AD 1540 to AD 1901
The Post-Medieval period brought seismic changes to life in England, with religious reformation leading to the democratization of worship and the destruction of hundreds of religious houses.
In parallel, there was a huge expansion of scientific study and enlightenment that permanently altered the nation's social structure and landscape. Industrialization and mass production lead to wider global trade, emigration, and immigration.
20th century AD 1901 to AD 2000
The 20th century saw an incredible expansion of England's transport networks, with suburban growth shadowing rapid infrastructural expansion. The establishment of state schools, hospitals, and modern technical colleges, with new architectural styles, radically changed the appearance of towns and cities.
Two catastrophic world wars and the 1918 pandemic also brought unprecedented change, altering England's built environment and social structures forever.
Prehistoric Before AD 43
Prehistory covers a million years of human occupation before the Roman invasion, from hunter-gatherers of several human species, including Neanderthals, to more recent herders and farmers. It was a time of developing technologies and belief systems, involving contact with and migration from Europe, all reflected in the variety of artefact and monument types characteristic of particular prehistoric periods.
Roman AD 43 to AD 410
Britain was invaded by four legions of the Roman army in AD 43, who relatively rapidly conquered England from landing points in Kent. Parts of Wales and Scotland soon followed.
Roman culture brought urbanism, monumental buildings, wide-ranging religious beliefs, writing, and strong social hierarchy. The Roman administrative system was withdrawn in AD 410.
We don't have an image for any of these list entries yet
Early medieval AD 410 to AD 1066
This period, often associated in England with Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, saw a reduction in urban living from the Roman period and increased migration from northern Europe.
Traces of this period can be found in cemeteries, particularly in artefacts and in some of the very early churches, as this period also saw the growth of Christianity in Britain.
Medieval AD 1066 to AD 1540
This period, sometimes known as the Middle Ages, began with the Norman invasion in AD 1066. It saw a significant rise in military and defensive buildings such as castles and earthworks, as well as religious houses dominating a largely agricultural landscape.
The monarchy and Church dominated the period, which also saw the break with the Roman Catholic Church and the English reformation.
Post medieval AD 1540 to AD 1901
The Post-Medieval period brought seismic changes to life in England, with religious reformation leading to the democratization of worship and the destruction of hundreds of religious houses.
In parallel, there was a huge expansion of scientific study and enlightenment that permanently altered the nation's social structure and landscape. Industrialization and mass production lead to wider global trade, emigration, and immigration.
20th century AD 1901 to AD 2000
The 20th century saw an incredible expansion of England's transport networks, with suburban growth shadowing rapid infrastructural expansion. The establishment of state schools, hospitals, and modern technical colleges, with new architectural styles, radically changed the appearance of towns and cities.
Two catastrophic world wars and the 1918 pandemic also brought unprecedented change, altering England's built environment and social structures forever.
Aerial photos of Bedfordshire
Aerial photography helps reveal secrets of England's changing landscapes that are impossible to see from the ground.
Stewartby
The London Brick Company and Forders Ltd Pillinge Brick Works, Stewartby, 1929
Stewartby
The village and Stewartby Brick Works, Stewartby, 1952
Luton Hoo Park
Luton Hoo, Luton Hoo Park, 1921
Luton Hoo
Luton Hoo House and Park, Luton Hoo, 1948
Bedford
The London, Midland and Scottish Railway bridge over the River Ouse at Cauldwell Priory, Bedford, 1928
Bedford
The Britannia Iron and Steel Works, Bedford, 1950
Chicksands
Chicksands Priory at RAF Chicksands and environs, Chicksands, 1946
Chicksands
Chicksands Priory, Chicksands, 1953
Bedford
Sports grounds and the town centre, Bedford, 1926
Bedford
The town centre, Bedford, 1953
Bedfordshire in the Historic England Archive
The Historic England Archive cares for over 15 million images, dating from the 1850s to the present day. Discover stunning images of Bedfordshire's past.
Charles George Harper Collection
Leighton Buzzard, Central Bedfordshire
Date created: 1892 - 1933
Two women standing by the Market Cross
John Gay Collection: Counties
Central Bedfordshire
Date created: 1950s - 1960s
A close up of a pair of crossed keys on The Cross Keys inn sign, with the thatched roof and timber framed pub in the background
John Laing Collection
Central Bedfordshire
Date created: 24 Mar 1958
Press officers and guests watching a helicopter take off at the inauguration ceremony for the London to Yorkshire Motorway (M1)
London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company
Bedford
Date created: 15 Jun 1893
A view looking north-east from Elstow Brook towards St Mary and St Helena's Church and the house now numbered 208 - 210 Church End
Nigel Temple Collection of Postcards of Parks and Gardens
Central Bedfordshire
Date created: 1900 - 1940
GENERAL VIEW SHOWING RUSTIC BRIDGE OVER MILL STREAM
Charles George Harper Collection
Bedford
Date created: 1892 - 1933
Detail of the gravestone commemorating Patience Johnson in St Paul's Churchyard
John Gay Collection: Counties
Central Bedfordshire
Date created: 1950s - 1960s
A close up of a pair of crossed keys on The Cross Keys inn sign, with the thatched roof and timber framed pub in the background
John Laing Collection
Central Bedfordshire
Date created: 02 Nov 1959
The Minister of Transport and Sir Owen Williams standing in front of a road sign during the official opening of the M1
London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company
Bedford
Date created: 16 Jun 1893
The exterior of Moot Hall viewed from the south
Nigel Temple Collection of Postcards of Parks and Gardens
Leighton Buzzard, Central Bedfordshire
Date created: 1900 - 1905
GENERAL VIEW
John Gay Collection: Counties
Central Bedfordshire
Date created: 1950s - 1960s
A close up of a pair of crossed keys on The Cross Keys inn sign, with the thatched roof and timber framed pub in the background
John Laing Collection
Central Bedfordshire
Date created: 24 Mar 1958
People watching excavating machines starting to remove topsoil from a field, during the inauguration ceremony for the first section of the London to...
Stories about heritage in your local area
Historic England publishes news, blogs, research, videos, and podcasts celebrating England's rich heritage. Discover the stories we have about Bedfordshire.
A Brief Introduction to Semi-Detached Housing
Mentions 16 and 18, Kimbolton Road
Semi-detached housing is the most prevalent type of housing in England today, making up one third of the housing stock.
Photographing the First World War on the Home Front
Mentions Woburn Abbey
Life changed on the home front in England during the First World War. This photography collection provides a glimpse into what it was like.
The Timeless Charm of English Market Towns and Halls
Mentions Bedford Corn Exchange
Discover the history of English market towns and halls, including farmers' markets, Christmas markets, market squares and corn exchanges.
16 Historic Gardens and Landscapes to Visit
Mentions Wrest Park, Chinese Summerhouse to south side of North Broad Water
Try these English gardens if you’re looking for somewhere with spectacular garden scenery.
10 Historic Sites That Tell the Story of Katherine of Aragon in England
Mentions Katherine's Cross Ampthill Park
Explore the significance of places visited or lived in by Katherine of Aragon, the first wife of Henry VIII.
A Brief History of Community Centres in England
Mentions Sir Malcolm Stewart Trust Common Room, Stewartby
Community centres emerged in the late 19th century through a variety of social movements.
5 Chilling Tales From Churches in England
Mentions Church of St Mary the Virgin
Uncover spooky stories of dark magic and local legends at five of England’s most atmospheric churches.
Protected Parks and Gardens to Visit this Autumn
Mentions Wrest Park
As the nights grow shorter and the leaves get crispier, here are some of the best parks and gardens to visit this Autumn.
9 Places That Tell the Story of Early Flight
Mentions Cardington Number 1 Shed at RAF Cardington
The first sustained, powered, heavier-than-air flight in the UK signalled a new age of sky-high ambitions.
The Life and Landscapes of Humphry Repton
Mentions Woburn Abbey
This Saturday marks 200 years since the death of Humphry Repton, the last great landscape designer of the Georgian era.
7 Unusual War Memorials
Mentions Whipsnade Tree Cathedral
The aftermath of the First World War saw a wave of public commemoration, sometimes in the form of quite unusual war memorials.
Mentions Bedfordshire
20 ago, we published our first ever Register of Buildings at Risk across England.
20 Years of Saving Heritage at Risk
20 ago, we published our first ever Register of Buildings at Risk across England. It featured 1,930 buildings and structural scheduled monuments that were neglected, broken and unloved.
Historic England's Science Facility Reopens After Major Refit
Mentions Bedfordshire
Historic England’s flagship science facility at Fort Cumberland in Portsmouth reopens after year-long refit, marking 75 years of specialist work.
Research Reports Roundup February 2025
Mentions Bedfordshire
A roundup of the latest additions to our research reports database from October 2024 to February 2025, arranged by theme.
Researching High Street Heritage Action Zones
Mentions Bedfordshire
Research by Historic England is adding value to the regeneration of historic high streets.
The Roman Landscape Characterisation and Prediction Project
Mentions Bedfordshire
Harnessing the potential of existing knowledge to develop predictive models of Roman settlement.
High Streets Heritage Action Zone Programme Success Celebrated
Mentions Bedfordshire
Historic England’s 4-year High Streets Heritage Action Zone programme has unlocked the potential of 67 historic high streets across England.
New Funding to Uncover and Celebrate Working Class Heritage
Mentions Bedfordshire
Historic England's Everyday Heritage Grant programme is funding 56 new projects across the nation, telling the stories of working class heritage.
New Funding to Uncover and Celebrate Working Class Heritage in the East of England
Mentions Bedfordshire
Historic England's Everyday Heritage Grant programme will reveal and celebrate fascinating untold stories from across the East of England and beyond.
7 War Memorial Listed In The East of England Ahead of Remembrance Weekend
Mentions Flitwick War Memorial, Bedfordshire
Memorials in Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Essex and Bedfordshire have been listed at Grade II by DCMS on the advice of Historic England.
£1.2 Million Grant from Historic England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund for the Restoration of Priory House in Dunstable
Mentions Priory House
The funding will support further repair work necessary to conserve the medieval vaults and reopen the tearooms and exhibition space for public events.
Research Reports Roundup November 2022
Mentions Bedfordshire
An overview of additions to the Historic England Research Reports database from January to November 2022.
Bedford Shire Hall Upgraded To Grade II* Listing
Mentions Bedford Shire Hall
Bedford Shire Hall, which sits within the Bedford High Street Heritage Action Zone, has been upgraded to Grade II* by the Department for Culture,...
New Interactive Centenary Map of UK Buildings and Places That Have Defined the BBC
Mentions Bedford Corn Exchange
Launched by Historic England, Historic Environment Scotland, Historic Environment Division, Northern Ireland Communities Department and Cadw.
Bedfordshire's social history through photos
Over 10,000 images from the Historic England Archive have been specially selected and re-captioned for teachers, students, and anyone who wants to learn more about their local area.
Wrest Park, Silsoe, Bedfordshire
Period: Georgian (1714 - 1836)
Wrest Park was built between 1834-39, approximately 300 metres North of the original house.
Wrest Park, Silsoe, Bedfordshire
Woburn Abbey, Woburn, Bedfordshire
Period: World War One (1914 - 1919)
Wounded servicemen relaxing in the recreation room of the military hospital at Woburn Abbey.
Woburn Abbey, Woburn, Bedfordshire
Willington Stables, Willington, Bedfordshire
Period: Tudor (1485 - 1602)
This stableblock originally belonged to the Manor house which was probably built between 1535 and 1541. It was built by Sir John Gostwick.
Willington Stables, Willington, Bedfordshire
Wellington Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
Period: 1950s (1950 - 1959)
A view along the street.
War Memorial, George Street, Luton
Period: 1920s (1920 - 1929)
The memorial built of Portland Stone was put up in 1922. It is is inscribed on four sides with the names of the 1286 dead of World War One.
War Memorial, George Street, Luton
Village Pump, Church End, Haynes, Bedfordshire
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
The pump was put up by the Rev. Lord John Thynne around 1869.
Village Pump, Church End, Haynes, Bedfordshire
Village Cross, Park Road, Stevington, Bedfordshire
Period: Medieval (Middle Ages) (1066 - 1484)
A stone cross dating from around the 14th century and situated on the village cross roads in the entrance to Park Road.
Village Cross, Park Road, Stevington, Bedfordshire
Vauxhall Motors Offices, Luton, Bedfordshire
Period: Edwardian (1902 - 1913)
An office block built in 1907 to the designs of HB Cresswell for the Vauxhall Iron Works.
Vauxhall Motors Offices, Luton, Bedfordshire
Visit grant-aided places near you
These places and buildings have been helped by Historic England's financial grants. Find local heritage in your neighbourhood that you never knew existed! Please note that opening times may vary.
Hat Work, 47 Guildford Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
Hat Work is a creative workspace for pay-as-you-go users, open four days a week.
Site of Newnham Priory, Newnham Avenue - Barkers Lane, Bedford
The remains of the site comprise the upstanding and below-ground archaeological remains of the Priory Church and Cloisters, as well as successive...
Discover more
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