Home >
United Kingdom >
Car Hire in Bedford
Bedford
Nestling in the Midlands of England, the town of Bedford is rightly proud of its open parklands and its association with the religious leader and author John Bunyan. Bedford Park has a lake, a bandstand, tennis courts and a cricket pitch, as well as the Embankment area along the River Ouse. Russell Park offers bowls, tennis or putting, or leisurely strolls through beautiful scenery. John Bunyan was born at the nearby village of Elstow in 1628.The son of a tinker, he became a Nonconformist preacher, but on the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660 he was arrested and spent the next 12 years in jail, where he began his most famous work, The Pilgrim's Progress. The Bunyan Meeting House on Mill Street was built on the site of a barn where Bunyan did much of his preaching. The bronze doors depict scenes from Pilgrim's Progress and a stained-glass window shows Bunyan writing in prison. There is also a small museum of Bunyan memorabilia. Bedford Museum itself houses exhibits on the history of the town, while the Cecil Higgins Art Gallery has collections of watercolours, lace, ceramics and glass. Woburn Abbey is a nearby attraction. The seat of the Dukes of Bedford, the abbey is actually a Jacobean house with fine furniture and paintings, as well as housing a 17th century grotto which is popular with visitors. Also close to Bedford is the Butterfly Farm, which displays many exotic species in 10 acres of wildflower meadows and nature trails.