costa rica quakers
The ‘capital’ town of Bedfordshire County is Bedford. The town is the largest settlement of the Borough of Bedford and the town is divided into 10 wards. This county town’s oldest history relates it as a market town in the middle ages.
The town lies by the river Great Ousse. Every two years, a ‘river festival’ is held by the river banks during early July. The decorated river banks are known as ‘embankments’. The remains of the medieval Bedford castle can still be found by the embankments. The remains are known as Bedford Castle Mound.
Bedford has always been a hub of activity. It was a center of agricultural market in the middle ages. From the 1560s it became famous for its Wool and Lace industry. The early 20th century saw the development of the brewing industry. This everlasting urban nature of Bedford has always attracted bread-earners from around the world to come and settle at Bedford. This has in turn shaped the multi-colored social fabric that very much defines Bedford.
Bedford is rightly home to more than one hundred colonial languages comprising of Persian, Italian, Punjabi, Cantonese, Turkish, and Mandarin Chinese among others. Evidently enough, Bedford houses Gurudwaras, Mosques and worship venues for the Wiccans, Quakers and Jehovah’s Witnesses along with its array of churches. Bedford has various Christian Churches and also a host of Italian and Polish Roman Catholic establishments. Most known are of a quartet of saints–Saint John the Baptist, Saint Mary, Saint Paul and Saint Peter de Merton. Bedford also holds an abbey by the name of Woburn Abbey.
Bedford’s own poet John Bunyan was imprisoned in the Bedford Gaol for 12 years. In his jail years John Bunyan wrote his poetic masterpiece, ‘The Pilgrim’s Progress’. Bedford is also the headquarters of the Panacea Society. This society believes Bedford will have a major role to play in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
Bedford has its own museum and an adjacent ‘butterfly park’ in Wilden. The 17th century Bromham Watermill can still be found working on the river Ousse.
The Stevington Windmill of 1770 is the only other working windmill of Bedfordshire county. It is also on the river Great Ousse.
For accommodation in Bedford check this list of Bedford hotels.
Monteverde et Santa Elena au costa rica. Tour du monde 2006 2010