Welcome to the Elstow Village Website
Contents
(Note; each item written in green is a hyper-link)
Local History Archive
Picture Archive - includes Old Elstow and Modern Elstow albums
Local Events and news
Information about local groups and organisations.
Links to other useful and informative Elstow websites.
New Additions
To help you to quickly find out what new items have recently been added to
the Picture or the History Archives, simply go to the main page of each.
On both, a little way down the page, you will find a section headed;
'Recent changes and additions'
It is also worth checking the News page regularly.
To search the content of this site;
In your browser's Address/Search box, or on google.com,
type in the name/item you seek, plus; 'elstow.weebly'
In your browser's Address/Search box, or on google.com,
type in the name/item you seek, plus; 'elstow.weebly'
A very brief History of Elstow
Located on the southern edge of Bedford, the village has a very long history, with settlements dating back to, at least, the bronze Age 3300BC to 1200BC and neolithis items have been found in the nearby hamlet of Eastcotts.
From 1075 until 1539 AD, Elstow was home to a thriving Benedictine Nunnery, the remains of which are now the parish Church.
The centre of the village is a conservation area, an oasis of tranquillity, with an attractive village green - a good place for a picnic or for children to play. There is the Moot Hall - a unique medieval building, being a combined market-house/ Manor courtroom and guesthouse - and the High Street is lined with 13th and 14th century timber-framed cottages.
Elstow has held a royal charter to hold markets since the 11th century and it's May festivals are thought likely to predate that by many centuries, possibly millenia.
Images of Elstow events, people and places - ancient and modern - can be viewed in the Elstow Picture Archive.
Elstow is particularly famous for being the birthplace and home of the 17th century non-conformist preacher, reformer and world-famous author, John Bunyan.
The extensive history of this village is well documented and easily accessed: on our Local History page; on the Moot Hall website and on; Bedfordshire Archive's Elstow Community pages.
You can arrange guided tours of Elstow and/or visits to Moot Hall by contacting our webmaster and local historian - Clive Arnold, who is also the Curator of Moot Hall.
From 1075 until 1539 AD, Elstow was home to a thriving Benedictine Nunnery, the remains of which are now the parish Church.
The centre of the village is a conservation area, an oasis of tranquillity, with an attractive village green - a good place for a picnic or for children to play. There is the Moot Hall - a unique medieval building, being a combined market-house/ Manor courtroom and guesthouse - and the High Street is lined with 13th and 14th century timber-framed cottages.
Elstow has held a royal charter to hold markets since the 11th century and it's May festivals are thought likely to predate that by many centuries, possibly millenia.
Images of Elstow events, people and places - ancient and modern - can be viewed in the Elstow Picture Archive.
Elstow is particularly famous for being the birthplace and home of the 17th century non-conformist preacher, reformer and world-famous author, John Bunyan.
The extensive history of this village is well documented and easily accessed: on our Local History page; on the Moot Hall website and on; Bedfordshire Archive's Elstow Community pages.
You can arrange guided tours of Elstow and/or visits to Moot Hall by contacting our webmaster and local historian - Clive Arnold, who is also the Curator of Moot Hall.
Elstow, Bedford, UK - Location map
