| Page Views: 294 Last Visit to Bedfordshire: 2007 | Beautiful Beguiling Boastful Bedfordshire by iris2002 - last update: Aug 8, 2007 |
******************************* | copyright English National Heritage |
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| copyright Bedforshire council |
|  | a bit of history .... Early reference to Bedfordshire's political history is scanty. In 571 Cuthwulf (grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr) inflicted a severe defeat on the Britons at Bedford and took four towns (how very grotesque to defeat the Britons in what is now, well Britannia - didn't do a good job there Cuthwulf mate!!)
During the Heptarchy what is now the shire formed part of Mercia; by the Treaty of Wedmore it became Danish territory, (Uhh that explains all the cool interior design shops I saw there hihi) ... but it was recovered by King Edward (919-921) - doh!
The first actual mention of the county comes in 1016 when King Canute laid waste to the whole shire. (agasp in astonishment!) There was no organised resistance (most were too drunk from the party the night before)to William the Conqueror within Bedfordshire, though the Domesday survey reveals an almost complete substitution of Norman for English landholders (all pissed out of their heads sleeping off their hangover, yeah yeah, that's the part the history books don't tell ya!! )
Bedfordshire suffered severely in the civil war of King Stephen's reign; the great Roll of the Exchequer of 1165 proves the shire receipts had depreciated in value to two-thirds of the assessment for the Danegeld.
Again the county was thrown into the First Barons' War when Bedford Castle, seized from the Beauchamps by Falkes de Breauté one of the royal partisans (and french of course), was the scene of three sieges before being demolished on the king's order in 1224. and can still be visited when strolling along the high-street today, to look at the pittyful remains of what once was a mighty castle ... sigh, history is cruel, cruel I say!! :P |
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| Pros: | "Luton airport - cheap n' cheerful" | | Cons: | "Luton aiport" | | In A Nutshell: | "lovely place for a day out to explore some heritage" |
 Comments for iris2002 about Bedfordshire | | | | |
Bedfordshire Hotels
- Luton Hotels
- Menzies Strathmore
Arndale Centre (formerly Thistle Luton Strathmore Hotel), Luton
- Travelodge Toddington M1 Southbound
Moto Service Area, M1 Motorway, Luton
- Old Palace Lodge Hotel
Church Street, Luton
- Holiday Inn Luton-South M1, Jct.9
LONDON RD., Luton, United Kingdom, AL3 8HH, GB, Luton
- Express By Holiday Inn London-Luton Airport
2 Percival Way, Luton
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