Bedford
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2008-07-16T16:38:59Z
Mjwalshe
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{{dablink|This article is about the English county town. For other uses see [[Bedford (disambiguation)]]}}
{{infobox UK place|
|country = England
|latitude= 52.1337
|longitude= -0.4577
|official_name= Bedford
|population = 79,190
|shire_district= [[Bedford (borough)|Bedford]]
|shire_county = [[Bedfordshire]]
|region= East of England
|constituency_westminster= [[Bedford (UK Parliament constituency)|Bedford]]
|post_town= BEDFORD
|postcode_district = MK40, MK41, MK42
|postcode_area= MK
|dial_code= 01234
|os_grid_reference= TL055495
|london_distance= 57.4m
}}
'''Bedford''' is the [[county town]] of [[Bedfordshire]], [[England]]. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the [[Bedford (borough)|Bedford]] borough. 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]]. The wider borough, including a rural area, had a population of 153,000.
==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]].<ref>{{cite web | publisher=Bedfordshire Libraries | url=http://www.galaxy.bedfordshire.gov.uk/webingres/bedfordshire/vlib/0.digitised_resources/bedford_digitisation_timeline_early.htm | title =Bedford Timeline, Earliest Times - 1800 | accessdate=2008-02-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| last = Whitelock
| first = Dorothy
| coauthors = Douglas, David C. (ed)
| title = ''English Historical Documents c. 500-1042'' (2nd edition)
| publisher = Routledge
| date = 1979
| url = http://books.google.com/books?id=EUSqIR2qaaIC&pg=PA416&dq=bedford+886+danes&sig=JmxDJNcfoi60LftEpzKr097ZxuA
| accessdate = 2008-02-10}}</ref> It was the seat of the [[Barony of Bedford]]. 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. This fortress was destroyed by the Danes. [[William II of England|William II]] gave the barony of Bedford to [[Paine de Beauchamp]] who built a new, strong castle. The new [[Bedford Castle]] was razed in [[1224]] and today only a mound remains.<ref>{{cite web | publisher=CastleUK | url=http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_midlands/153/bedfordcastle.htm | title=Bedford Castle | accessdate=2008-02-10}}</ref>
Bedford traces its borough charter in 1166 by [[Henry II of England|Henry II]]<ref>{{cite web | publisher=Bedford Borough Council | url=http://www.bedford.gov.uk/Default.aspx/Web/BriefHistoryofBedford | title=Brief History of Bedford | accessdate=2008-02-10}}</ref> and elected two members to the [[unreformed House of Commons]].
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]].<ref>{{cite web | publisher=The Cowper and Newton Museum | url=http://www.mkheritage.co.uk/cnm/lace/lacehtml/huguenot.html | title=The Huguenot Influence | accessdate=2008-01-29}}</ref> Lace continued to be an important industry in Bedford up until the early 20th century.<ref>{{cite web | publisher=Bedford Borough Council | url=http://www.bedford.gov.uk/Default.aspx/Web/AragonLacemakers | title=Lacemaking in Bedfordshire - Introduction | accessdate=2008-01-29}}</ref>
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 (HM Prison)|Bedford Gaol]], it was here that he wrote ''[[The Pilgrim's Progress]]''.<ref>{{cite web | publisher=The Bunyan Press | url=http://www.bunyanpress.co.uk/jbunyan.htm | title=John Bunyan (1628-1688) | accessdate=2008-02-10}}</ref>
The 19th Century saw Bedford transform into an important [[engineering]] hub. In [[1832]] Gas lighting was introduced, and the railway reached Bedford in [[1846]]. The first [[Corn Exchange, Bedford|Corn Exchange]] was built [[1849]],<ref>{{cite web | publisher=Bedford Corn Exchange | url=http://www.bedfordcornexchange.co.uk/ | title=1849 & Friday 1 March 1850 | accessdate=2008-02-10}}</ref> and the first drains and sewers were dug in [[1864]].<ref>{{cite web | publisher=Bedfordshire County Council | url=http://www.bedfordshire.gov.uk/CommunityAndLiving/ArchivesAndRecordOffice/GuidesToCollections/BedfordBoroughRecordsIntroduction.aspx | title= Bedford Borough records introduction | accessdate=2008-02-10}}</ref>
{{clear}}
<gallery>
Image:Bedford - John Speed's map (1611).jpg|Bedford in 1611
Image:Bedford Bridge from Antiquities of England by (1783) by Francis Grose.jpg|Bedford Bridge in 1783. This version of the bridge was replaced in 1813.
Image:Bedford engraved by J.Roper after G.Cole published 1806.jpg|Bedford in 1806
Image:BedfordCastleNight.jpg|Bedford Castle mound
</gallery>
==Features and events==
[[Image:bedford river.jpg|thumb|center|600px|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.]]
[[Image:C20WarMemorialBedford.JPG|thumb|right|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. Within these gardens stands a war memorial to the fallen of the [[First World War]], opposite Rothsay Gardens<ref>{{coord|52.134654|-0.458215}}</ref>. The memorial was designed in 1921 by the sculptor [[Charles Sargeant Jagger]] and depicts a Knight vanquishing a dragon.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.galaxy.bedfordshire.gov.uk/webingres/bedfordshire/vlib/0.digitised_resources/bedfordshire_buildings.pdf
|title=The First World War Memorial, Bedford
|author=Daniel Stannard/Bedfordshire County Council
|work=Bedfordshire Buildings and Monuments
|date=2007
|accessdate=2007-11-04
}}</ref>. The inscription reads
{{cquote|<small>1914 † 1919<br />TO BEDFORDIANS WHO DIED, MANY IN EARLY YOUTH, SOME FULL OF YEARS AND HONOUR, BUT WHO ALL ALIKE GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY.</small>|30px|30px||}}
[[Image:StPaulsChurchBedford.jpg|thumb| 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. 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. 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. 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 [[Cecil Higgins Gallery]], housed in the recreated Victorian home of the Higgins family of [[Victorian era|Victorian]] brewers and in a modern extension, has notable collections of watercolours, prints and drawings, ceramics, glass and lace. Adjacent to the Cecil Higgins Gallery is [[Bedford Museum]], which has local history collections.
[[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. Its catchment area is based on the Borough of Bedford and [[Mid Bedfordshire]]. 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.
Every two years, an event called "[[Bedford River Festival|The River Festival]]" is held near the river in Bedford during early July. 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.<ref>{{cite web | publisher=Bedford Borough Council | url=http://www.bedford.gov.uk/Default.aspx/Web/RiverGreatOuse | title=River Great Ouse | accessdate=2008-01-29}}</ref> The [http://www.bedfordregatta.co.uk/ 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.
[[Image:Bedford Shopping Centre - Feb 2004.jpg|thumb|Bedford town centre]]
The [[Corn Exchange, Bedford|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. 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 [[University of Bedfordshire Theatre]] is the largest [[theatre]] in Bedford and hosts many larger productions as well as projects from the university. 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. The Bedford Pantomime Company produces a traditional pantomime at the Civic Theatre each Christmas. [[Bedford Esquires|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 has two [[rugby union]] teams called [[Bedford Blues]] and Bedford Athletic. [[Bedford Blues]] are currently in the [[National Division One|second tier]] of English rugby, but has previously been in the top division. Taking into account the size of its overall urban area, it is one of the largest towns in England without a fully professional [[football (soccer)|football]] team. [[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.
===Film and TV links===
* The popular [[BBC Television|BBC TV]] series ''[[Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em]]'' was filmed in and around Bedford during the 1970s. Also ''[[One Foot in the Grave]]'' was also filmed around Bedford during the 1990s - 2000s.
* In the 2006 [[Comedy Central]] and DVD versions of [[Russell Peters]]' ''Outsourced'', a good natured Bedfordian bears the brunt of Russell's comedic segment ''"I'm From England"''.
* In the 2005 motion picture ''[[Batman Begins]]'' scenes were filmed at the [[Cardington, Bedfordshire|Cardington]] Hangers in Bedford and featured extras from Bedford.
==Transport==
===Trains===
Bedford has two [[railway stations]]:
*[[Bedford railway station|Bedford (Midland)]] is located on the [[Midland Main Line]]. It is the northern-most stop on the [[First Capital Connect]] rail service to Brighton. [[East Midlands Trains]] intercity trains also serve the station, Providing trains to [[St Pancras railway station|St. Pancras]], [[Leicester]], [[Nottingham]], [[Sheffield]] and [[Leeds]]. It is also the terminus of the [[Marston Vale Line]] from [[Bletchley, Milton Keynes|Bletchley]].
*[[Bedford St Johns railway station|Bedford St Johns]] is the penultimate stop on the Marston Vale line.
===Roads===
Bedford lies on the [[A6 road|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<ref>{{cite web | publisher=Highways Agency | url=http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/projects/4584.aspx
| title=A421 Bedford to M1 Junction 13 | accessdate=2006-08-18}}</ref> and A1<ref>{{cite web | publisher=Highways Agency | url=http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/projects/4588.aspx
| title=A421 Great Barford Bypass | accessdate=2006-08-18}}</ref> 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 road|A421]] and in September 2007, work started on the long awaited western bypass.<ref>{{cite web | publisher=Bedfordshire County Council | url=http://www.bedfordshire.gov.uk/TransportAndStreets/RoadImprovements/ByPassSchemes/BedfordWestern/BedfordWestern.aspx | title=Bedford Western Bypass | accessdate=2008-02-23}}</ref>
Bedford also has its own [[Park and ride]] operation situated to the south of the town near [[Elstow]]. Currently this is the only site which has been completed, but there are plans to develop more sites around the town.<ref>{{cite web | publisher=Bedfordshire County Council | url=http://www.bedfordshire.gov.uk/TransportAndStreets/RoadImprovements/ParkAndRide.aspx | title= Park & Ride in Bedfordshire | accessdate=2008-02-23}}</ref>
===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 (UK)|National Bus Company]]. The United Counties business was bought by the [[Stagecoach Group]] in the late 1980s <ref>{{cite web | publisher=[[Stagecoach Group]] | url=http://www.stagecoachgroup.com/scg/about/history/ | title=Company History | accessdate=2008-02-23}}</ref> and has since been branded [[Stagecoach in Bedford]].
The town's [[bus]] services and major bus routes run to [[Northampton]], [[Milton Keynes]], [[Cambridge]], [[Oxford]] and other towns in the region. 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.<ref>{{cite web | publisher=Bedford Today | url=http://www.bedfordtoday.co.uk/bed-news/Bedford39s-150-million-revamp-gets.3230776.jp | title=Bedford's £150 million revamp gets the green light | accessdate=2008-02-23}}</ref>
Local transport company, Cedar Coaches also runs services from Bedford to surrounding areas.<ref>{{cite web | publisher=Cedar Coaches | url=http://www.cedarcoaches.co.uk/timetables.html | title=Timetables | accessdate=2008-02-23}}</ref>
==Demographics==
Bedford is home to one of the largest concentration of [[Italian people|Italian]] immigrants in the UK. 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]].<ref>{{cite web | publisher=BBC - Legacies | url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/legacies/immig_emig/england/beds_herts_bucks/article_1.shtml | title=Bedford's Italian question | accessdate=2008-02-10}}</ref> 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. Bedford has, since 1954, had its own Italian [[Consul (representative)|vice-consulate]].<ref>{{cite web | publisher=Bedfordshire Libraries | url=http://www.galaxy.bedfordshire.gov.uk/webingres/bedfordshire/vlib/0.digitised_resources/bedford_digitisation_az_italiancommunity.htm | title=Bedford Italian Community | accessdate=2008-02-10}}</ref>
[[Image:Bedford centre.png|thumb|300px|A [http://www.openstreetmap.org/index.html?lat=52.135&lon=-0.46&zoom=13 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<ref>[http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=276881&c=bedford&d=13&e=13&g=423312&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1208287590687&enc=1&dsFamilyId=1812]</ref>), [[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 <ref>[http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=276881&c=bedford&d=13&e=13&g=423312&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1208287590687&enc=1&dsFamilyId=1812]</ref>), making it one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse towns in [[United Kingdom|Britain]] and the [[world]], particularly in proportion to its size. Bedford is home to over one hundred immigrant languages, including Italian, Punjabi, Turkish, Polish, Portuguese and both Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese.{{Fact|date=April 2008}}
Bedford also has a high number of [[Christian]] [[churches]] including four from the [[Newfrontiers]] network, several [[Poland|Polish]] and [[Italy|Italian]] [[Roman Catholicism|Roman Catholic]] churches, and various independent churches that cater to the different ethnic and language groups. There are also [[Sikhism|Sikh]], [[Islam|Muslim]], [[Wicca]]n, [[Judaism|Jewish]] and [[Jehovah's Witnesses|Jehovah's Witness]] communities. There is no longer a [[synagogue]] in Bedford, but Bedfordshire Progressive Synagogue[http://www.bedfordshire-ps.org.uk/], based in [[Luton]], meets in Bedford once a month. The nearest [[Orthodox Judaism|Orthodox]] synagogue is the Luton Hebrew Congregation, a [[Lubavitch]] synagogue in Luton.
==Education==
Bedford is home to five public schools run by the [[Harpur Trust]] [[Charitable organization|charity]], endowed by Bedfordian [[William Harpur|Sir William Harpur]] in the sixteenth century. These are:
*[[Bedford School]] for boys aged 7-18
*[[Bedford Modern School]], a former boys' school which became [[co-educational]] in 2003 for pupils aged 7-18
*[[Bedford High School (England)|Bedford High School]] for girls aged 7-18
*[[Dame Alice Harpur School]] for girls aged 7-18
*[[Pilgrims Pre-Preparatory School]].
Smaller private institutions include [[Rushmoor School]] (boys aged 3-16, girls 3-11) [[St Andrew's School (Bedford)|St. Andrew's School]] (girls aged 3-16, boys 3-9), and [[Polam School]], none of which are part of the Harpur Trust.
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]]). For further education, the town is served by [[Bedford College (Bedford)|Bedford College]].
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. The arrangement was put to the vote in 2006 with a view to moving to the two-tier model, but was rejected.<ref>{{cite web | publisher=BBC News | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/beds/bucks/herts/5173424.stm | title=Two-tier school proposal rejected | accessdate=2008-02-10}}</ref> State upper schools include [[Wootton Upper School|Wootton Upper School and Performing Arts College]], [[Sharnbrook Upper School]], [[Mark Rutherford Upper School]], [[John Bunyan Upper School]], [[St Thomas More Catholic Upper School]] [[Hastingsbury_Business_&_Enterprise_College]] and [[Biddenham Upper School]], a local Sports Specialist College.
==Twinned towns==
Bedford is twinned with:
*{{flagicon|Germany}} [[Bamberg]], Germany
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Arezzo]], Italy
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Rovigo]], Italy
*{{flagicon|Poland}} [[Wloclawek]], Poland
==Areas within Bedford==
The town of Bedford is divided into 10 wards -
*[[Brickhill]]
*[[Castle, Bedford|Castle]]
*[[Cauldwell, Bedfordshire|Cauldwell]]
*[[De Parys]]
*[[Goldington]]
*[[Harpur]]
*[[Kingsbrook]]
*[[Newnham, Bedfordshire|Newnham]]
*[[Putnoe]]
*[[Queens Park, Bedford|Queens Park]]
Some of these wards elect their own urban [[community Council]] or [[parish council]].
==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, Bedfordshire|Bromham]], [[Clapham, Bedfordshire|Clapham]], [[Elstow]], [[Oakley, Bedfordshire|Oakley]], [[Sharnbrook]], [[Shortstown]], [[Wilstead]], and [[Wootton, Bedfordshire|Wootton]]. 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.
Nearby small towns include [[Ampthill]], [[Biggleswade]], [[Flitwick]], and [[Sandy, Bedfordshire|Sandy]], all of which are in [[Mid Bedfordshire]]. 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. 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.
==Climate==
<!--Infobox begins-->{{Infobox Weather <!-- Important: remove all unused fields-->
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|single_line= Yes<!--Entering Yes will display metric and imperial units on same line.-->
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|Feb_Sunshine_hours = 76.3
|Mar_Sunshine_hours = 99.5
|Apr_Sunshine_hours = 153.0
|May_Sunshine_hours = 183.8
|Jun_Sunshine_hours = 185.7
|Jul_Sunshine_hours = 200.9
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|Sep_Sunshine_hours = 139.8
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|Dec_Sunshine_hours = 51.5
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|source = <ref name= >{{cite web
| url =http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/averages/19712000/sites/bedford.html | title = Bedford 1971-2000 averages | accessmonthday = [[16 June]]| accessyear =[[2008]]
| publisher = Met Office| language =English }}</ref>
|accessdate = [[2008-06-16]]
}}<!--Infobox ends-->
==Notable Bedfordians==
[[Image:JohnBunyanStatueBedford.jpg|thumb|right|200|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]].
Prison Reformer [[John Howard (prison reformer)|John Howard]], although born in London, was high Sheriff of Bedfordshire.
Other prominent Bedfordians include:
*[[Harold Abrahams]], [[1924 Summer Olympics|1924 Olympic]] [[100 metres]] champion and character in the film [[Chariots of Fire]]
*[[Ronnie Barker]], the late [[comedian]]
*[[Matt Berry]], comedian, star of [[Garth Marenghi's Darkplace]], [[The Mighty Boosh]] and [[The Peter Serafinowicz Show]] as well as the voice of George the talking volcano in the recent [[Volvic (mineral water)]] adverts
*Colonel [[Frederick Gustavus Burnaby]], traveller
*[[Apsley Cherry-Garrard]], [[Antarctica|Antarctic]] explorer
*[[Gail Emms]] [[badminton]] doubles [[Badminton at the 2004 Summer Olympics#Women.27s doubles|2004 Olympic silver medallist]]
*[[William Fitzhugh]], also known as ''William the Immigrant'', founder of an American dynasty that married into the lines of [[George Washington]] and [[General Lee]]
*[[Tim Foster]], men's coxless fours [[Olympic Games|Olympic]] [[gold medal]]list
*[[Lil Fuccillo]], former footballer and manager
*Sir [[William Harpur]], who became [[Lord Mayor of London]].
*Bishop [[Trevor Huddleston]], anti-[[Apartheid]] activist
*[[Andy Johnson (English footballer)|Andy Johnson]], [[England national football team|England]] and [[Everton F.C.]] footballer
*[[John Le Mesurier]], actor and comedian
*[[Toby Litt]], writer, went to [[Bedford Modern School]] and lived in nearby Ampthill.
*[[Alfred Mitchell-Innes]], diplomat, who also served on Bedford Town Council for 23 years and resided there from 1920 until his death in 1950.
*[[John Oliver (comedian)|John Oliver]], Comedian and actor, now based in the [[United States]]. Correspondent for ''[[The Daily Show with Jon Stewart]]''.
*Dame [[Bertha Phillpotts]], [[Scandinavia]]n scholar and pioneer of university education for women
*[[Matt Skelton]], heavyweight boxer, commonwealth champion
*[[Laura Wade]], playwright
*[[Charles Wells]], founder of [[Charles Wells]] Brewery, a company still located in the town
*[[William Hale White]], a minor Victorian novelist who wrote under the pseudonym, Mark Rutherford
And not born there but associated with Bedford:
*[[Eddie 'the Eagle' Edwards]], [[ski-jumping]] legend
*[[Paula Radcliffe]], the UK's top female long-distance runner and current world record holder for the women's marathon
Schooled in Bedford:
*[[Paddy Ashdown]] (now Lord Ashdown), former leader of the [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]] attended [[Bedford School]]
*[[Alastair Cook]], England [[cricket]]er attended [[Bedford School]]
*[[Christopher Fry]], playwright, attended [[Bedford Modern School]]
*[[Al Murray]], [[actor]], also known as ''The Pub Landlord'' attended [[Bedford School]]
*[[Monty Panesar]], England [[cricket]]er, attended [[Bedford Modern School]]
*[[Jean Muir]] <small>[[List of post-nominal letters|CBE FCSD]]</small>, fashion designer, attended [[Dame Alice Harpur School]]
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
==External links==
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{{Commonscat|Bedford (England)}}
*[http://www.comearoundtobedford.co.uk The Official Town Centre and BedfordBID Website]
*[http://www.bedford.org.uk Welcome to Bedford!]
*[http://www.localhistories.org/bedford.html History of Bedford]
*[http://www.oldstratforduponavon.com/bedford Bedford in Old Postcards]
*[http://frankbranston.co.uk/wordpress/ The Mayors Blog]
{{Places in Bedfordshire}}
{{River Great Ouse}}
[[Category:Bedford| Bedford]]
[[Category:County towns in England]]
[[Category:Market towns in England]]
[[Category:Towns in Bedfordshire]]
[[Category:Towns on the River Great Ouse]]
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