Historic Environment
The Historic Environment Service's aim is to identify, record,
protect, conserve, present and interpret the historic environment
and heritage of Bedford Borough. The Historic Environment is all
the physical evidence for past human activity, as well as its
associations that we can see, understand and feel today.
This includes archaeology (sites and monuments), the built
heritage (historic buildings and settlements) and historic
landscapes. Bedford Borough has a rich and diverse
historic environment which ranges from prehistoric sites, medieval
buildings and historic brickworks to recent military
remains.
Bedford borough has a wealth of historic buildings and areas,
situated in both the town and the rural villages of the
countryside. Its historic environment contains designated listed
buildings, conservation areas, and other undesignated buildings,
structures and areas of local importance. The special character of
Bedford’s historic environment is carefully protected by Bedford
Borough Council through listed building, conservation area and
planning control, and the policies of the adopted Local Plan.
The Council encourages owners of historic
buildings within the Borough to contact the Council for informal
pre-application discussions before embarking on any form of
alteration or development.