Ever wondered how Bedfordshire’s towns got their names?

The county of Bedfordshire is full of history, from the amazing aircraft that can be found at the Shuttleworth Collection to the former war time inhabitants of Luton Hoo to being the home of Catherine of Aragon after her exile from Henry VIII’s court. Everywhere you look, there is evidence of the county’s history to be seen and the same can be said for the region’s towns and villages.

If you’ve ever wondered how the towns of Bedfordshire ended up being called what they are – read on!

Bedford

As the county town, we have to start with Bedford. The name Bedford is thought to come from the name of a Saxon chief called Beda who settled with his followers on an area of land near the River Great Ouse – which was fordable, hence the name Bedford.

The town was originally founded by the Anglo Saxons and its history and heritage has a wide significance to Britain. It has existed for centuries and was built as a market town, showcasing the agriculture of the region.

Luton

Another town that was founded by the Saxons, it was thought that Luton was founded in the 6^th century as an outpost by the River Lea which is where the name is believed to have come from. It was recorded in the Domesday Book as Loiton and Lintone and over time, became Luton.

Dunstable

When it comes to Dunstable, we can trace its history back to the Roman times when the settlement was called Durocobrivis. There are a number of local stories that claim to tell how Durocobrivis became Dunstable, one of which is that it comes from the legend of the town’s lawlessness and was named after a thief called Dun. Another is that Dunstable came from the Anglo-Saxon word for “Boundary Post of Duna”. Interestingly, the word Dun is an old Saxon word for hill and Staple means marketplace, which might be a bit more accurate.

Flitwick

The first record of Flitwick is in the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was described as a hamlet on the River Flitt. Back then, it was recorded that only 16 people lived there – it’s much bigger now.

Much of Flitwick’s history can be traced back to the Rufus family who were in residence at Flitwick Manor House in 1210.

Leighton Buzzard

Another very old town, Leighton Buzzard is believed to have been founded in the year 571. Historians say that the name is an Old English phrase meaning ‘farm in a clearing in the woods.’ The Buzzard part was added by the Dean of Lincoln in the 12^th century and it is thought that there were two communities, Leighton and Buzzard and that giving them separate names was important for trade reasons.

Want to find out more about Bedfordshire’s history? Click here.