Rural communities
Elstow Village
Elstow Village
Elstow Village Website:www.bedford.gov.uk/Elstow
Elstow Abbey Website:www.elstow-abbey.org.uk
Elstow New Settlement/Garden Villages website: www.elstowgardenvillages.co.uk
Elstow Abbey:
The Abbey Church of St. Helena and St. Mary, restored in 1880, is the truncated remnant of a once far large monastic church of the 13th century. Overlooking Elstow Green and Moot Hall, the church has two stained glass windows, one depicting scenes from The Pilgrim's Progress, and the other from The Holy War. It also possesses the Communion Table used when Bunyan attended the church, and the font where he was christened on November 30, 1628.
Bunyan's Elstow - Elstow Cottages
A row of Tudor cottages in Elstow has recently been restored to the way they looked in Bunyan's time by Bedford Borough Council.
Bunyan's Elstow - Elstow Green
The stump of a cross, damaged during the Reformation, marks the site on Elstow Green where the annual May Fair used to be held. Bunyan would have observed the merchants, jugglers, actors and rogues who attended the fairs, and he later described them when he wrote of Vanity Fair in the Pilgrims Progress. It was also on the green that Bunyan danced and joined in games of 'tip-cat', a form of rounders played with a stick instead of a ball.
Elstow Moot Hall
01234 266889. Attractive timber-framed building dating from the 16th century.
Now a museum housing a collection of displays about 17th century English life, with particular reference to John Bunyan.
Open April to October. Nominal admission charge.
Elstow New Settlement - Affordable Housing Development Brief Consultation Draft
The Mid Beds District and Bedford Borough Councils have approved the Elstow Garden Villages Affordable Housing Development Brief (September 2002) for 6 weeks public consultation, running between 8thth November 2002 to 20th December 2002.
The Elstow Garden Villages AHDB seeks to ensure the proper delivery and management of affordable housing on the Elstow Garden Villages new settlement and allows for the inclusion of people with lower incomes who are in housing need. The Brief is one of a number of documents that informs the development of the new settlement. It is intended that after being advertised for public comment, and after any subsequent revisions, the Affordable Housing Development Brief will be adopted by the local authorities as Supplementary Design Guidance.
 | Elstow New Settlement Explanatory Letter.( 88 KB ) - DOWNLOAD |
| Elstow New Settlement Development Brief.( 252 KB ) - DOWNLOAD |
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