Visit Bedford Places

Welcome to Visit Bedford Places
The Walkfo guide to things to do & explore in Bedford

  

Bedford Places Overview: History, Culture & Facts about Bedford

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Bedford history

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Bedford was a market town for the surrounding agricultural region from the early Middle Ages. The name of the town is believed to derive from the name of a Saxon chief called Beda. The Anglo-Saxon King Offa of Mercia was buried in the town in 796. In 886 it became a boundary town separating Wessex and Danelaw.

Bedford culture & places

The Bedford Corn Exchange is the largest entertainment venue in Bedford. Esquires is one of Bedfordshire’s premier live music venues. The Bedford Regatta each May is Britain’s largest one-day river rowing regatta. The Higgins Art Gallery & Museum is housed in the recreated Victorian home of the Higgins family of Victorian brewers.

Bedford landmarks

Bedford’s principal church is St Paul’s, in the square of the same name at the historic centre of the town. It is the Civic Church of the Borough of Bedford and County of Bedfordshire and has a tall, iconic spire. The Cardington airship hangars have been used to shoot scenes for movies such as Star Wars, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and Inception.

River Great Ouse

The memorial was designed in 1921 by the sculptor Charles Sargeant Jagger . It depicts the Anglo Saxon Lady Athelflaed, who ruled Mercia, killing a dragon . The inscription reads: “TO BEDFORDIANS WHO DIED”

Bedford Castle

Bedford Castle Mound is the remnant of Bedford’s medieval castle . In 2000, Bedford Borough Council built a sloping retaining wall on the south side facing the river . A paved path leads round the side of the mound up to the top .

Bedford geography / climate

Bedford is 46 miles (74 km) miles north-northwest of London, 65 miles (105 km) southeast of Birmingham, 25 miles (40 km) west of Cambridge and 19 miles (31 km) east-southeast of Northampton. Villages in the Borough of Bedford with populations of more than 2,000 as of 2005 were Biddenham, Bromham, Clapham, Elstow, Oakley, Sharnbrook, Shortstown, Wilstead, and Wootton.

You can visit Bedford places with Walkfo Bedford to hear history at Bedford’s places whilst walking around using the free digital tour app. Walkfo Bedford has 84 places to visit in our interactive Bedford map, with amazing history, culture & travel facts you can explore the same way you would at a museum or art gallery with information audio headset. With Walkfo, you can travel by foot, bike or bus throughout Bedford, being in the moment, without digital distraction or limits to a specific walking route. Our historic audio walks, National Trust interactive audio experiences, digital tour guides for English Heritage locations are available at Bedford places, with a AI tour guide to help you get the best from a visit to Bedford & the surrounding areas.

“Curated content for millions of locations across the UK, with 84 audio facts unique to Bedford places in an interactive Bedford map you can explore.”

Walkfo: Visit Bedford Places Map
84 tourist, history, culture & geography spots

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Bedford historic spots	Bedford tourist destinations	Bedford plaques	Bedford geographic features
Walkfo Bedford tourism map key: places to see & visit like National Trust sites, Blue Plaques, English Heritage locations & top tourist destinations in Bedford

  

Best Bedford places to visit

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Bedford has places to explore by foot, bike or bus. Below are a selection of the varied Bedford’s destinations you can visit with additional content available at the Walkfo Bedford’s information audio spots:

Statue of John Bunyan, Bedford The statue was sculpted by Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm and unveiled in 1874. It was commissioned by the Ninth Duke of Bedford and presented by him to Bedford town.

Old Town Hall, Bedford The Old Town Hall is a Grade II listed building in Bedford, Bedfordshire. It was the headquarters of Bedford Borough Council from 1892 to 2009.

Corn Exchange, Bedford Bedford Corn Exchange is located on St Paul’s Square in the Castle area of Bedford, Bedfordshire, England. It is located in the castle area of the Bedfordshire town.

Statue of John Howard, Bedford The statue of John Howard was erected in 1890, the centenary of Howard’s death. It stands on an ornate plinth inscribed with his date of birth and death, and the date of the statue’s erection.

Bedford Cauldwell Walk depot Bedford Cauldwell Walk depot is a maintenance depot on the Midland Main Line. A four road maintenance depot opened in 2004 to service trains, and was extended to a fifth road in 2009. The depot maintenance facility is currently mothballed. It is still in use for 12 car sidings for Class 700 rolling stock.

Church of St James, Biddenham Church of St James is a Grade I listed church in Biddenham, Bedfordshire. It became a listed building on 13 July 1964.

Church of St Owen, Bromham, Bedfordshire Church of St Owen is a Grade I listed church in Bromham, Bedfordshire. It became a listed building on 13 July 1964. The church is a 17th-century building and stands in a parkland setting.

Heart Bedford Heart Bedford (formerly Chiltern Radio 96.9) was an Independent Local Radio station. It was based in the Priory Business Park in Bedfordshire.

Visit Bedford plaques