The county has an area of 1,235 km2 (477 sq mi) and an estimated population of 749,943 in 2024. Luton is located in the south, andDunstable neighbours it to the west.Leighton Buzzard in the south-west, andBedford in the centre-north; much of the county is rural. Forlocal government purposes Bedfordshire comprises threeunitary authority areas:Bedford,Central Bedfordshire, and Luton.
The centre of Bedfordshire is a gently undulating clay plateau, out of which rises a ridge ofgreensand that runs south-west to north-east and which has a distinct north-facingescarpment.[6][7] The south of the county, around Luton, contains part of the chalkChiltern Hills, and the north of the county part of a limestone ridge that runs betweenMilton Keynes andNorthampton.[8][9] The county's highest point is at 243 m (797 ft) on theDunstable Downs, which are part of the Chilterns.[10] TheRiver Great Ouse flows through Bedfordshire, entering upstream ofHarrold in the north-east and flowing in a circuitous but broadly southerly route to Bedford before turning north-east to exit the county upstream ofSt Neots in Cambridgeshire.
The first recorded use of the name in 1011 was "Bedanfordscir", meaning the shire or county of Bedford, which itself means "Beda's ford" (river crossing).
There have been several changes to the county boundary; for example, in 1897Kensworth and part ofCaddington were transferred fromHertfordshire to Bedfordshire.
Bedfordshire, being situated in the east of England, has a relatively dry climate for the UK with regular but generally moderate rainfall. Average annual rainfall is 608.6 millimetres (23.96 in) at Bedford. October is the wettest month, with 65.3 millimetres (2.57 in), and March the driest, with 37.3 millimetres (1.47 in).[11]
Although temperatures are usually moderate, the county has one of the largest absolute temperature ranges in the UK – of more than 60 °C (108 °F). Average temperatures in Bedford range from a low of 1.5 °C (34.7 °F) overnight in February to a high of 22.4 °C (72.3 °F) during the day in July.[11] The highest official temperature recorded in Bedfordshire was 39.7 °C (103.5 °F) in 2022.[12] The lowest official temperature recorded in Bedfordshire was −20.6 °C (−5.1 °F) in 1947.[13]
This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added of Bedfordshire at current basic pricespublished (pp. 240–253) byOffice for National Statistics with figures in millions of British Pounds Sterling.
The "Bedfordshire clanger" is a local dish consisting of asuet crust pastry filled with meat in one end and a fruit preserve in the other. It was traditionally a farm labourers' meal, designed so as to produce no waste as well as two separate meals.
Chocolate Toothpaste is another local delicacy.[23] Achocolate tart, Chocolate Toothpaste consists of a gritty chocolate filling (said to resemble the texture of toothpaste) within a pastry tart, commonly finished with a swirl of whipped cream on top.
Two of England's six maintrunk roads pass through Bedfordshire. TheA1 London toEdinburgh road (the Great North Road) runs close by Biggleswade and Sandy, andWatling Street, the Roman road between London and Chester, passes through Dunstable. Until it was diverted in 2017,[25] this was also the route of theA5 road between London andHolyhead. The Bedfordshire section of the A5 now runs from junction 11a of the M1 to rejoin Watling Street between Dunstable andHockliffe, then continues on to cross theBuckinghamshire border at theCity of Milton Keynes.
To these was added in 1959 theM1 motorway, running from London toLeeds. Running from junctions 10 to 13 in Bedfordshire, there are two junctions serving Luton (at the southern end), with another one serving Bedford andMilton Keynes (at the northern end). Between these lie two other junctions in the county; one connecting to theA5 and servingDunstable, and the other serving the town ofFlitwick. There is one motorway service station in the county:Toddington Services.
Former trunk roads, now local roads managed by the local highway authorities, include theA428 (Cambridge-Coventry) running east–west through Bedford Borough, and theA6 from Luton toCarlisle.
The five largest settlements in Bedfordshire as of the 2021 UK census. (Sources used are as accurate as possible to the locality's boundaries, or the associated civil parish is used if one exists for the place in question.)[27][28][29][30][31][32] – red. Suburban settlements/new town type settlements, currently undergoing significant planned expansion in the county. Also of note is that Stewartby/Kempston Hardwick is the planned location of the upcomingUK Universal theme park.[33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48] – green.
The state education system for all of Bedfordshire used to be organised by Bedfordshire County Council. Unlike most of the United Kingdom, Bedfordshire County Council operated athree-tier education system arranged into lower, middle and upper schools, as recommended in thePlowden Report of 1967, although Luton continued to operate a two-tier system. The three-tier arrangement continued in the rest of the county, though in 2006 a vote was held with a view to moving to the two-tier model, but this was rejected.[49]
Bedford Borough Council voted in November 2009 to change to the two-tier model in its area.[50][51] The change was due to be introduced over a five-year period and be completed in 2015.[52] However, with the cancellation of theBuilding Schools for the Future programme in 2010, the borough changed its proposals, and the switch proceeded on school by school basis where council funds allowed. However as of 2020 all of Bedford Borough has a two-tier education structure apart from in the Marston Vale area (one upper school remains).
In Central Bedfordshire, the school systems in Dunstable and Sandy have been re-organised into the two-tier model in response to parent and school demand, but elsewhere in the authority the three-tier model continues. Plans for the construction of new settlements in Marston Vale have included lower, middle and upper schools.
The enormous Cardington airship sheds are situated to the south of Bedford, near the villages ofCardington and Shortstown. They were originally built for the construction of large airships during World War I. Since falling out of their intended use, one has been used for many purposes including housing film sets for 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' and 'Batman Begins' and as a rehearsal space forTake That, with the other having been extensively refurbished and now accommodating Hybrid Air Vehicles, a British modern airship design and manufacturing company.
St Paul's Church, Bedford is a Church of England parish church and the Civic Church of the Borough of Bedford and the County of Bedfordshire. Located on St Paul's Square, it is a large medieval and later church of cathedral proportions and spire. St Paul's was the church of the BBC during the Second World War.[citation needed]
Bedfordshire boasts a 40-mile (64 km) walk traversing the county from Leighton Buzzard at the southern endpoint andSandy, Bedfordshire/Gamlingay in southern Cambridgeshire to the east; this is called theGreensand Ridge Walk. For cyclists, there is a parallel route called theGreensand Cycle Way that follows minor country roads.
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