Bedford, Bedfordshire Genealogy

England Bedfordshire  Bedford

Parish History
AMPTHILL, a small town, a park, a parish, a subdistrict, and a district, in Beds. The town stands on a pleasant spot, overlooked by hills... and 7 miles S by W of Bedford. It is neat and regular; and has a head post office, a banking office, two chief inns, an old moot-hall, a new market house, a parish church, three chapels for Independents, Wesleyan Methodists, and Quakers, a national school, a workhouse, and two alms houses... Most of its inhabitants are agricultural; but some are employed in an extensive brewery, and many are employed in straw-platting and bonnet sewing. A weekly market is held on Thursday; and fairs on 4 May and 30 November... The parish of Ampthill comprises 1,928 acres. Real property, £8,651. Pop., 2,144. Houses, 438. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Ely... The subdistrict comprises 9 parishes, and part of another. Acres, 19,118. Pop., 9,076. Houses, 1,897.-The district comprehends the subdistrict of Cranfield, containing the parishes of Cranfield, Lidlington, and Marston-Moretainc; the subdistrict of Shillington, containing the parishes of Shillington, Upper Gravenhurst, Lower Gravenhurst, Higham-Gobion, Clophill, and part of Flitton; and the subdistrict of Ampthill, containing the parishes of Ampthill, Houghton-Conquest, Hawnes, Manlden, Pul loxhill, Westoning, Flitwick, Steppingley, Millbrook and part of Flitton. Acres, 41,551... Pop. in 1861, 16,970. Houses, 3,519... The places of worship in 1851 were 20 of the Church of England, with 6,308 sittings; 1 of Independents, with 290 s.; 6 of Baptists, with 1,052 s.; 1 of Quakers, with 220 s.; 13 of Wesleyan Methodists, with 2,360 s.; 3 of Primitive Methodists, with 309 s.; and 3 undefined, with 672 s. The schools in 1851 were 18 public day schools, with 1,209 scholars; 19 private day schools, with 423 s.; 36 Sunday schools, with 3,657 s.; and 3 evening schools for adults, with 91 s.

The above is from John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72), online at Vision of Britain. See online for the full version.

Civil Registration District
Bedford