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Bedford Leasing

Did You Know?

Bedford is one of the largest settlements supervised by the Borough of Bedford; it was also awarded the Charter status in 1166 by the King Henry II.

Bedford holds a record to have one of the largest Italian communities outside Italy. Historians say that most of the locals have an Italian descent which makes them as British-Italians.

Bedford has an ancient history, and one could prove that by visiting the town to witness the historic Mi’kmaq petroglyphs that historians say is 500 hundred or more years old. The carved images of the graphs can be found on rock surfaces with a strange eight-pointed star that might refer to unity. However, no one’s sure why, how or what do these petroglyphs mean.

During the World War II, Bedford sheltered BBC music and various religious communities because London was the prominent target due to being the England’s capital and became very dangerous for locals to live in. Also, famous singers and musicians had also come to Bedford including Bing Crosby, Glenn Miller, and Humphrey Bogart.

Bedford is steeped in history with a fortress being built by Edward the Elder on the south side of the river, which was destroyed by the Danes. The castle remains that can be visited today was built by William II which was made of much sterner stuff.

Bedford was granted a town charter in 1166 by King Henry II and grew as a centre for the wool trade. It later became a powerhouse of England's lace industry, aided by the River Great Ouse becoming navigable in 1689. It was also a centre for religious thinkers.

Bedfordshire (district of Bedford) is first referenced in the 11th century. Another reference claims the place name is derived the name of a Saxon chief called Beda + "ford." One of the first listings of the place name was a reference to the Anglo-Saxon King Offa of Mercia who was buried in the town in 796.

The town was founded by the Danes. There may have been an existing settlement when they conquered this part of England in the late 9th century. Whether there was or not the Danes created a town at Bedford. They made a burh or fortified settlement north of the River Great Ouse by a ford.

If you are super-interested in seeing some of the more culturally interesting highlights of the county, head straight to Woburn Abbey! It’s not only home to Bedford’s Earls and Dukes, but you’ll need to watch out for exotic animals – as it is also a well-known safari park!

If you’re keen on getting your fill of wild critters in Bedford, then Whipsnade Zoo is your next port of call. It is situated in Dunstable and is known for being one of the biggest zoos of its kind in the UK – and, it’s even helped to bring some endangered species back from the brink of extinction.