72-551: Ampthill Park and Ampthill Park House is a country estate in Ampthill , Bedfordshire , England. The park was opened to the public after the Second World War. From the 14th century Ampthill Park was a royal lodge and hunting park. In the 15th century it was occupied by Sir John Cornwall , who had married the king's sister, Elizabeth of Lancaster, Duchess of Exeter . Sir John amassed a large fortune and constructed Ampthill Castle,
144-592: A gathering place for intellectuals. Lady Holland planted trees to create the Alameda walk, inspired by the Almeida in Madrid. Ampthill Park was later home to Baron Ampthill . In 1835 Ampthill became the centre of a Poor Law Union , and a workhouse was built on Dunstable Street shortly afterwards to serve the town and surrounding parishes. The London and North Western Railway's Bedford Railway branch line opened in 1846, with
216-534: A 22.2% increase compared with 2001. In 2021, 52,566 residents (23% of the total) were aged under 16, 146,330 (65%) were aged 16 to 64, and 26,363 (12%) were aged 65 or over. Local inhabitants are known as Lutonians . Luton has seen several waves of immigration. In the early part of the 20th century, migrants from Ireland and Scotland came to the town. These were followed by South Asian and Afro-Caribbean immigrants. More recently immigrants from European countries such as Albania have made Luton their home. As
288-472: A Luton Rural parish covering the area outside the borough. Luton Rural was abolished in 1896 and its area divided into the four parishes of Hyde, Leagrave, Limbury and Stopsley. In 1928 the Leagrave and Limbury parishes were both abolished and their areas absorbed into the borough of Luton; Stopsley was similarly absorbed in 1933. Hyde remains a separate parish, now forming part of Central Bedfordshire . Luton
360-459: A charter for a weekly market to be held on a Thursday. In 2019 the market celebrated 800 years. Henry VIII was a frequent visitor to Ampthill Castle, and it was there that Catherine of Aragon lived from 1531 until divorced in 1533, when she was moved to Kimbolton . The castle was built in the 15th century by Sir John Cornwall , later Lord Fanhope, from ransoms after the Battle of Agincourt . Today
432-417: A fortified house. After his death Ampthill Park passed to Edmund Grey, 1st Earl of Kent before becoming royal property again. Henry VIII used it for hunting and to hold Katherine of Aragon during the annulment of their marriage. By 1600 the castle was ruinous. Plans made in 1605 to rebuild the palace with parallel lodgings for James VI and I and Anne of Denmark were abandoned. The architect John Thorpe
504-464: A live rock music event "AmpRocks", which hosted acts such as Razorlight and Toploader , and the "Ampthill Park Proms", where classical music was performed by bands such as Ampthill Orchestra, Ampthill Band and Redborne Jazz Band from the local upper school. This event was held in Ampthill Great Park, where a temporary soundstage was erected to entertain local residents. The event also included
576-468: A llama as its emblem, representing the zoo owned by club founder, Sir Anthony Wingfield. All ages and abilities welcomed. The Greensand Ridge Walk and the Greensand Cycle Way pass through the lower end of the town. There is a Center Parcs site at Warren Wood to the west of Ampthill. Ampthill formerly hosted its own annual festival weekend in the summer. This event included two music events:
648-697: A merger with the University of Luton; two of its campuses are in Luton. Since 1997, Luton Borough Council has been a unitary authority , performing all local government functions in the borough. Luton Town Football Club , nicknamed the Hatters , due to the town's connection to hatmaking, has had several spells in the top flight of the English league as well as a Football League Cup triumph in 1988 . They play at Kenilworth Road , their home since 1905 ; planning permission for
720-613: A new larger stadium was approved in 2019. Luton International Carnival , the largest one-day carnival in Europe, is held on the day before the last Monday in May; the Saint Patrick 's festival is held on the weekend nearest to Saint Patrick's Day as there is a large Irish community in Luton. The town also has a large Pakistani community which, along with the Irish, were attracted to employment at
792-416: A park remains just north of the town centre, site of Ampthill's former castle, where Henry VIII would come and hunt. It was in the castle's Great Dining Room that Queen Catherine defiantly received news of the end of her marriage. A cross erected in the 1770s marks the site of this important building which is set within Ampthill Great Park, a "Capability" Brown landscape. In 1542 an Act of Parliament created
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#1733093955752864-505: A result of this Luton has a diverse ethnic mix, with a significant population of Asian descent, mainly Pakistani (41,143 residents, 18.3%) and Bangladeshi (20,630, 9.2%). People in Asian ethnic groups accounted for 86% of Luton's Muslim population in 2021. As of the 2021 census, the White British (White English, Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Irish) population of Luton comprised less than
936-621: A similar elevation range from −17.0 °C (1.4 °F) in December 1981 and −16.7 °C (1.9 °F) in January 1963 to 36.6 °C (97.9 °F) in July 2019 and 33.8 °C (92.8 °F) in August 1990 and July 2006. Records for Rothamsted date back to 1901. The 2021 United Kingdom census showed that the borough had a population of 225,262, a 10.9% increase from the previous census in 2011 and
1008-570: A station at Millbrook , three miles north-west of Ampthill. At different times this station was known as "Ampthill", "Ampthill (Marston)" and "Millbrook for Ampthill", before the name was changed to "Millbrook" in 1910. In 1868 the Midland Railway opened its main line from the Midlands to London. In order to cross the ridge of high ground on which Ampthill stands, the Ampthill Tunnel was built to
1080-467: A third of the total (31.8%), the twelfth lowest proportion out of 318 local authorities in England and Wales and the second lowest (after Slough ) outside of London. Overall, 45.2% of Luton's population in 2021 was White (including non-British White people), down from 54.7% in 2011. In 2011 81% of the population of Luton defined themselves as British. At the 2021 census, the religious affiliation of Luton
1152-561: Is London Luton Airport , which is accessible by Thameslink train via Flitwick to Luton Airport Parkway railway stations. The church of St Andrew ranges in date from Early English to Perpendicular . It contains a monument to Richard Nicolls (1624–1672), an Ampthill native, who, under the patronage of the Duke of York , brother to Charles II , to whom the king had granted the Dutch North American colony of New Netherland , received
1224-421: Is a commercial centre for surrounding villages; it has several pubs , restaurants, a Waitrose supermarket and a selection of small independent specialist shops. A number of small businesses such as solicitors, estate agents , financial services , hairdressers, are also located in town, with larger businesses found on the commercial and industrial developments on the outskirts, along the town's bypass. Ampthill
1296-519: Is a town and borough in Bedfordshire , England. The borough had a population of 225,262 at the 2021 census. Luton is on the River Lea , 32 miles (50 km) north-west of London , 18 miles (29 km) north-west of Hertford , 20 miles (32 km) south of Bedford and 23 miles (37 km) south-east of Milton Keynes . The town's foundation dates to the sixth century as a Saxon settlement on
1368-607: Is one of the most expensive places to buy a house in Bedfordshire, even in comparison with other mid-Bedfordshire towns such as neighbouring Flitwick, and Cranfield. In a survey, it was found that the majority of Ampthill's workers are employed locally, with around 20% working in Ampthill itself, and most of the remainder travelling to nearby centres of employment such as Bedford, Luton and Milton Keynes . Around 13% of workers commute from Ampthill to London daily. The survey also found that
1440-564: Is shared with the neighbouring town of Flitwick . Ampthill Park was the burial place for the golden hare in the Kit Williams treasure hunt Masquerade near the cross-shaped monument to Catherine of Aragon, at the precise spot touched by the tip of the monument's shadow at noon on the day of either the March or September equinox. Local news and television programmes are provided by BBC East and ITV Anglia . Television signals are received from
1512-547: Is thought that Bunyan's work is loosely based on his own journey between Bedford and Luton , and the steep slope leading into Ampthill could have been the model for the 'Hill of Difficulty'. Houghton House passed to the Duke of Bedford in 1738 and became a ruin after the removal of the roof in 1794. Ampthill is twinned with Nissan-lez-Enserune , France. [REDACTED] Media related to Ampthill at Wikimedia Commons Luton Luton ( / ˈ l uː t ən / )
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#17330939557521584-508: The 2024 UK general election , Luton is represented in Parliament by Sarah Owen who holds Luton North and Rachel Hopkins who holds Luton South , both for Labour . Luton was an ancient parish in the Flitt hundred . The parish was the largest in Bedfordshire by area, and was subdivided into five hamlets or townships : Hyde , Leagrave , Limbury , Stopsley , and a Luton township covering
1656-538: The A6 to the east. Grant Palmer provides frequent bus services to Bedford and Flitwick , along with less frequent services to Milton Keynes , Dunstable , and several smaller villages surrounding the town. The Bedfordshire Railway & Transport Association is campaigning for the reopening of Ampthill railway station which closed in 1959. The nearest railway station is Flitwick railway station approximately 2.5 km (1.6 miles) south of Ampthill. The nearest airport
1728-544: The British Isles , with generally light precipitation throughout the year. The weather is very changeable from day to day and the warming influence of the Gulf Stream makes the region mild for its latitude . The average total annual rainfall is 698 mm (27.5 in) with rain falling on 117 days of the year. The local climate around Luton is differentiated somewhat from much of South East England due to its position in
1800-707: The Central Bedfordshire district of Bedfordshire , England. It lies between Bedford and Luton . At the 2021 census it had a population of 8,825. The name 'Ampthill' is of Anglo-Saxon origin. The first settlement was called 'Æmethyll', which literally means either ' anthill ' or 'ant-infested hill'. In the Domesday Book , Ampthill is referred to as 'Ammetelle', with the landholder in 1086 being Nigel de la Vast. The actual entry reads: Ammetelle: Nigel de la Vast from Nigel d'Aubigny . A further variation may be 'Hampthull', in 1381. In 1219 King Henry III granted
1872-546: The Chiltern Hills , meaning it tends to be 1–2 degrees Celsius cooler than the surrounding towns – often flights at Luton airport , lying 160 m (525 ft) above sea level, will be suspended when marginal snow events occur, while airports at lower elevations, such as Heathrow , at 25 m (82 ft) above sea level, continue to function. Absolute temperature extremes recorded at Rothamsted Research Station, 5 miles (8 km) south south east of Luton town centre and at
1944-492: The City and other parts of the country via rail and major roads such as the M1 (which serves the town from junctions 10 and 11) and the A6 . The town has three railway stations: Luton , Leagrave and Luton Airport Parkway that are served by East Midlands Railway and Thameslink services. Luton is also home to London Luton Airport , one of the major feeder airports for London and
2016-467: The Leagrave area of the town. The Great Bramingham Wood surrounds this area. It is classified as ancient woodland ; records mention the wood at least 400 years ago. There are few routes through the hilly area for some miles, this has led to several major roads (including the M1 and the A6 ) and a major rail-link being constructed through the town. Luton has a temperate marine climate , like much of
2088-415: The national grid rendered the 23 megawatt (MW) coal and latterly oil-fired power station redundant. The station had a single chimney and two reinforced concrete cooling towers. The power station closed in 1968; in its final year of operation it delivered 3,192 MWh of electricity to the borough. Luton Airport opened in 1938, owned and operated by the council. It is now one of the largest employers in
2160-501: The thistle is a symbol for Scotland . An alternative suggestion is that the rose was a national emblem, and the thistle represents the Marquess of Bute , who formerly owned the Manor of Luton Hoo. The Local Government Act 1894 directed that parishes could no longer straddle borough boundaries, and so the ancient parish was split into a Luton parish covering the same area as the borough and
2232-485: The water pump and built a new clock tower . Lord Upper Ossory was also responsible for a cross commemorating Catherine of Aragon , with an inscription by Horace Walpole , and a row of thatched cottages built between 1812 and 1816 to house his estate workers. On the death of Lord Upper Ossory in 1818, Ampthill Park became the seat of Lord Holland in whose time Holland House in Kensington , London, became famous as
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2304-514: The 'Honour of Ampthill', an area of 45 parishes around the town, including 11 in Buckinghamshire , in which the crown owned extensive property and the manorial rights. The Honour was sold to the Dukes of Bedford in parts between 1730 and 1881. In the mid-1780s, John Fitzpatrick, the 2nd Earl of Upper Ossory , led a campaign to improve the town centre. He created the current market place , erected
2376-465: The Ampthill Gala, which began with a parade of floats around the town, built and staffed by people from the local schools and communities. The parade ended at Ampthill Cricket Club, located just outside of Ampthill Great Park, where a variety of stalls set up by local charities and businesses could be found, as well as a number of fairground attractions. The Ampthill Festival was first held in 1981 and
2448-458: The Bedfordshire league putting out at least four teams on Saturdays and Sunday. They also host a Bedfordshire CCC match yearly and host an annual friendly game with London Zoo. Their home is in Ampthill Great Park with a clubhouse and scorebox near the west carpark. Ampthill also has a very popular and active Bowls Club, off Brinsmade Road and accessed through the attractive Kings Arms Path Gardens. The club celebrated its centenary in 2019, and has
2520-558: The Cenotaph war memorial. The parade includes marchers representing all the services and civilian organisations of Ampthill who each leave a wreath on the memorial. Ampthill has a high concentration of public amenities, including schools, doctors surgeries, a fire and ambulance station. As part of Central Bedfordshire , Ampthill's schools are organised in a three-tier system . There are two lower schools (Russell and The Firs), one middle school (Alameda) and one upper school, Redborne , which
2592-465: The Vauxall marque) announced plans to close its operation in Luton. There is just one tier of local government covering Luton: Luton Borough Council , which has been a unitary authority since 1997, being a district council which also performs the functions of a county council . There are no civil parishes in the borough. The borough remains part of the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire . As of
2664-652: The Vauxhall car plant. Luton Hoo is an English country house , estate and Grade I listed building originally designed by Scottish architect Robert Adam but later transformed to the designs of Robert Smirke . Luton is believed to have been founded by the Anglo-Saxons sometime in the 6th century. Its name first appears in the 8th century as Lygetun , meaning "town on the River Lea". The Domesday Book records Luton as Loitone and as Lintone . Agriculture dominated
2736-414: The airport, Dunstable and Houghton Regis . Hertfordshire-based bus operator Uno also run buses on their 'Dragonfly' 610 route to Hatfield, Potters Bar and Cockforsters Luton is also served by a large taxi network. As a unitary authority , Luton Borough Council is responsible for the local highways and public transport in the borough and licensing of taxis. Luton is one of the main locations of
2808-492: The area. The pre-war years, were something of an economic boom for Luton, as new industries grew and prospered. New private and council housing was built in the 1920s and 1930s, with Luton starting to incorporate nearby villages Leagrave , Limbury and Stopsley between 1928 and 1933. Post-war, a number of substantial estates of council housing were built, notably at Farley Hill , Stopsley , Limbury , Marsh Farm and Leagrave ( Hockwell Ring ). The Marsh Farm area of
2880-405: The central part of the parish including the town itself. The Luton township was made a local board district in 1850. The local board was the town's first elected local authority; previously it had been administered by the parish vestry . The town was incorporated as a municipal borough in 1876. Later in 1876 the new borough council was granted a coat of arms . The wheatsheaf was used on
2952-490: The core part of the wider Luton/Dunstable Urban Area which includes the nearby towns of Dunstable and Houghton Regis in Central Bedfordshire . The town is the most populous settlement in Bedfordshire followed by Bedford . Luton is located in a break in the eastern part of the Chiltern Hills . The Chilterns are a mixture of chalk from the Cretaceous period (about 66 – 145 million years ago) and deposits laid at
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3024-606: The courthouse until 1920, when it moved its meetings to a room at the town's fire station at 10 Bedford Street, which had been built in 1902. After a new fire station was built in Oliver Street in 1954, the council converted the rest of the old fire station into its offices. Ampthill Urban District was abolished in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972 . It merged with four other districts to become Mid Bedfordshire . The new district council had one of its main offices in
3096-461: The crest to represent agriculture and the supply of straw used in the local hatmaking industry (the straw plaiting industry was brought to Luton by a group of Scots under the protection of Sir John Napier of Luton Hoo ). The bee is traditionally the emblem of industry and the hive represents the straw plaiting industry for which Luton was famous. The rose is from the arms of the Napier family, whereas
3168-509: The end of the First World War . Dr. John G. Dony, author of The Flora of Bedfordshire told his history students (he taught at Luton Grammar, predecessor of Luton Sixth Form College ), during the 1950s, that he had broken the last intact window of the old town hall during the 1919 riots. Local people, including many ex-servicemen, were unhappy with unemployment and had been refused the use of a local park to hold celebratory events. They stormed
3240-611: The largest car plant in the United Kingdom in Luton, during the Second World War , it built Churchill tanks as part of the war effort . Despite heavy camouflage, the factory made Luton a target for the Luftwaffe and the town suffered a number of air raids . 107 died and there was extensive damage to the town (over 1,500 homes were damaged or destroyed). The original town hall was destroyed in 1919 during Peace Day celebrations at
3312-421: The local economy at that time, and the town's population was around 700 to 800. In 1121 Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester started work on St Mary's Church in the centre of the town. The work was completed by 1137. A motte-and-bailey castle which gives its name to the modern Castle Street was built in 1139 but demolished by 1154. The hat making industry began in the 17th century and became synonymous with
3384-453: The nearby Sandy Heath TV transmitter. Local radio stations are BBC Three Counties Radio on 95.5 FM, Heart East on 96.9 FM, In2beats on 106.5 FM, and Bedford Radio, a community based radio station which broadcast online. The town is served by the local newspaper, Bedford Today (formerly Times & Citizen ). Ampthill is located along the A507 , which links to the M1 to the west and
3456-407: The plant began in 1905 and continued until its closure in 2002. Production of commercial vehicles continues and the head office of Vauxhall Motors is in the village of Chalton on the northern border of the borough . London Luton Airport opened in 1938 and is now one of Britain's major airports, with three railway stations also in the town. The University of Bedfordshire was created from
3528-468: The river, from which Luton derives its name. Luton is recorded in the Domesday Book as Loitone and Lintone . One of the largest churches in Bedfordshire, St Mary's Church , was built in the 12th century. There are local museums which explore Luton's history in Wardown Park and Stockwood Park . Luton was once known for hatmaking and also had a large Vauxhall Motors factory. Car production at
3600-399: The seat of Lord Holland in whose time Holland House in Kensington , London , became famous as a gathering place for intellectuals. It was home to Sir James Parke, Baron Wensleydale , until 1868, and from 1885 was the residence of Lady Ampthill . Notable 20th-century architect Sir Albert Richardson lived in Ampthill from 1919 until his death in 1964. During World War II the estate
3672-460: The second from top-tier league in the English rugby union system and are thus one of the top 24 sides in the country. The Rugby Club has over 1000 registered members, fields teams from every age group from U6's up to U18's. They also have 2 ladies sides and 6 adult men sides. Ampthill Town Cricket Club has been established since 1890 and currently have teams playing in the Hertfordshire league and
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#17330939557523744-752: The south side of town - Ampthill Heights to the west and Ampthill Gardens to the east. Other significant housing developments have been completed behind The Limes, at the former site of Russell House, off Swaffield Close and in the old orchard off Church Street. A microbrewery reviving the name of the Ampthill Brewery was started in 2014 on the Ampthill industrial estate but ceased operations the following year. There are two tiers of local government covering Ampthill, at parish (town) and unitary authority level: Ampthill Town Council and Central Bedfordshire Council . The town council has its headquarters at Park Lodge in Ampthill Great Park, off Woburn Street. Ampthill
3816-446: The south-east. A light metro people mover track, Luton DART , opened in 2023, linking the airport and Luton Airport Parkway railway station. A network of bus services run by Arriva Shires & Essex , Grant Palmer and Centrebus serves the urban area of Luton and Dunstable . A bus rapid transit route opened in 2013, called the Luton to Dunstable Busway , connecting the town with
3888-512: The southernmost points of the ice sheet during the last ice age (the Warden Hill area can be seen from much of the town). Bedfordshire had a reputation for brick making but the industry is now significantly reduced. The brickworks at Stopsley took advantage of the clay deposits in the east of the town. The source of the River Lea , part of the Thames Valley drainage basin , is in
3960-501: The submission of its chief town, New Amsterdam , in 1664, and became its first English governor, the town taking the name of New York. Nicolls perished in the action between the English and Dutch fleets at the Battle of Solebay off the Suffolk coast, and the cannonball which killed him is preserved on his tomb. The church also contains a ring of eight bells . There were six until 1981, when
4032-582: The surrounding area. The former site of the old Ampthill Brewery in Bedford Street area was substantially redeveloped in 2006/2007, with the demolition of a Shell petrol station, shopping arcade and small Budgens supermarket, to make way for a new Waitrose supermarket, an improved town car park and a development of shops and apartments known as Oxlet House. The supermarket opened on 29 September 2006, with Oxlet House being completed in late 2007. Since then, two major new housing estates have been constructed on
4104-419: The town at the former Ampthill Rural District Council 's headquarters at 12 Dunstable Street. A successor parish of Ampthill was created in 1974 for the former urban district, with its council taking the name Ampthill Town Council. Mid Bedfordshire and Bedfordshire County Council were both abolished in 2009, since when Ampthill has formed part of the unitary authority of Central Bedfordshire . Ampthill
4176-618: The town hall, setting it alight ( see Luton Town Hall ). A replacement building was completed in 1936. Luton Borough Corporation had provided the borough with electricity since the early twentieth century from Luton power station , located adjacent to the railway. Upon nationalisation of the electricity industry in 1948 ownership passed to the British Electricity Authority and later to the Central Electricity Generating Board . Electricity connections to
4248-516: The town was developed in the mid to late 1960s as a large council housing estate, mostly to house the overspill population from London . However, the estate gained a reputation for high levels of crime, poverty and unemployment, which culminated in a riot on the estate in July 1992 and another more serious riot three years later. The partial closure of the Vauxhall manufacturing plant in 2002 had negative effects for Luton, leading to increased unemployment and deprivation. In 2024, Stellantis (owner of
4320-460: The town's working population (classified 16–74 years of age by the Office for National Statistics ), 63% are employed. This figure includes students, the self-employed and those who are in part-time employment. 11% are retired, 8% look after the family or take care of the home and 5% are unemployed. Luton is situated less than 30 miles (50 km) north of the centre of London, giving it good links with
4392-450: The town. The town grew: in 1801 the population was 3,095, but by 1850 it was over 10,000 and by 1901 it was almost 39,000. Newspaper printing arrived in the town in 1854. The first public cemetery was opened in the same year and Luton was made a borough in 1876. Luton's hat trade reached its peak in the 1930s, but severely declined after the Second World War and was replaced by other industries. In 1907, Vauxhall Motors opened
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#17330939557524464-470: The turnover of residents was low, most having been in Ampthill for well over a decade. Ampthill has a non-League football team, Ampthill Town F.C. who play at Ampthill Park. Ampthill Super7s is the local 7-a-side football league. It takes place every Monday and Thursday at Redborne Upper School . The town's rugby union club Ampthill RUFC was established in 1881 and plays in the RFU Championship ,
4536-513: The two new bells were installed. Services run weekly, with Sung Eucharist at 9.30am and Evensong at 6.30pm on Sundays. The church has a regular 4-part choir, which has sung morning and evening services for over 100 years. Houghton House was built in 1621 by Mary, Countess of Pembroke and sister of the poet Sir Philip Sidney . In 1675, the house may have provided the inspiration for 'House Beautiful' in John Bunyan 's The Pilgrim's Progress . It
4608-415: The west of the town. Ampthill railway station was built to the south of the tunnel, at the bottom of the hill and over a mile from the market place. This station closed in 1959. During WWII there was a farming camp near Ampthill where volunteers recovered sugarbeet and were accommodated in tents in the grounds of a nearby country mansion. Recent years have witnessed substantial development in Ampthill and
4680-427: Was an ancient parish . Until 1893 it was governed by its vestry and manorial courts . In 1893 it was made a local government district , administered by an elected local board. The board held its first meeting on 14 April 1893 at the town's courthouse on Church Street, which had been built in the 1860s. Such districts were reconstituted as urban districts in 1894. The urban district council continued to meet at
4752-561: Was as follows: Luton's economy has traditionally been focused on several different areas of industry, including car manufacturing , engineering and millinery . However, today, Luton is moving towards a service based economy mainly in the retail and the airport sectors, although there is still a focus on light industry in the town. Notable firms with headquarters in Luton include: Notable firms with offices in Luton include: Luton's post-war and more recent industrial decline has been compared to that of similar towns in northern England. Of
4824-401: Was developed for housing along today's Church Avenue in Ampthill town. 52°02′25″N 0°30′16″W / 52.0404°N 0.5045°W / 52.0404; -0.5045 This article about a Bedfordshire building or structure is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Ampthill Ampthill ( / ˈ æ m t ( h ) ɪ l / ) is a town and civil parish in
4896-417: Was held annually with some exceptions. In 2023 the event was cancelled due to adverse weather conditions and as a result the company behind the festival, Ampthill Festival CIC, entered administration due to a lack of funding and the event was permanently cancelled in 2024. The annual Remembrance Day parade takes place, commencing at St Andrews Church, passing through the town streets, down the Alameda walk to
4968-493: Was involved in the project. In 1661 the park was given by Charles II to John Ashburnham , a Royalist supporter. The present house was built from 1687-1689 by architect Robert Grumbold for the Ossory family who held the estate under lease. In the late 1700s the house was remodelled by Sir William Chambers and the grounds landscaped by Capability Brown . On the death of Lord Upper Ossory on 13 February 1818, Ampthill Park became
5040-466: Was made a county borough in 1964, making it independent from Bedfordshire County Council . It was redesignated as a non-metropolitan district in 1974, making it once more subordinate to the county council. In 1997 the borough council was made a unitary authority, regaining its independence from the county council (which was subsequently abolished in 2009). Luton is situated 28 miles north of London and 39 miles southwest of Cambridge . The town forms
5112-461: Was occupied by the army. There was a farming camp near Ampthill, where volunteers recovered sugarbeet and were accommodated in tents in the grounds. After the war it was sold to Bovril Limited, becoming a Cheshire Home for the Disabled in 1955. In 1979, the mansion was rescued from dereliction and divided into four large homes. It is a grade II* listed building. The park is listed grade II. Ampthill Park
5184-416: Was the burial place for the golden hare in the Kit Williams treasure hunt Masquerade . Ampthill Park House should not be confused with the former Ampthill House, which was demolished in 1953. The site of Ampthill House 52°01′53″N 0°29′20″W / 52.031301679473806°N 0.48887789156448314°W / 52.031301679473806; -0.48887789156448314 ( Ampthill House location )
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