Bunyan's Cottage
John Bunyan was born in a cottage that stood beside the southern tributary of Elstow brook, at Bunyan's End, Old Harrowden,in the parish of Elstow, The site is just north-west of the present-day Bunyan Farm. (See map and directions on our Local History main page.
Bunyan's End
High Street.
Following his first marriage, John lived for five years in a cottage on the north-west side of Elstow High Street. Following the birth of his first child, Mary, and the death of his wife, John moved out of Elstow, to a cottage in St Cuthberts Street, Bedford.
Not much is know of the High Street cottage's history after John moved out, until the 1800s, during which an Eliza Cherry (born 1834) lived there for 57 years.
In the mid 1900s, it was occupied by Alice Fox (who helped Mrs Turner run the Red Lion) and she sold sweets from there.
One of the next tenants was Bill Circuit.
Peter and Lily Pestell and their children lived there from 1954-57 and there were a couple of tenants following them.
Sadly, the Elstow cottage was demolished in 1968 by the Department of Transport. (See the newspaper article at the end of this album.)
High Street.
Following his first marriage, John lived for five years in a cottage on the north-west side of Elstow High Street. Following the birth of his first child, Mary, and the death of his wife, John moved out of Elstow, to a cottage in St Cuthberts Street, Bedford.
Not much is know of the High Street cottage's history after John moved out, until the 1800s, during which an Eliza Cherry (born 1834) lived there for 57 years.
In the mid 1900s, it was occupied by Alice Fox (who helped Mrs Turner run the Red Lion) and she sold sweets from there.
One of the next tenants was Bill Circuit.
Peter and Lily Pestell and their children lived there from 1954-57 and there were a couple of tenants following them.
Sadly, the Elstow cottage was demolished in 1968 by the Department of Transport. (See the newspaper article at the end of this album.)