| Elstow | |
Elstow Moot Hall |
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Elstow
Elstow shown within Bedfordshire |
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| OS grid reference | TL052465 |
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| Unitary authority | Bedford |
| Ceremonial county | Bedfordshire |
| Region | East |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BEDFORD |
| Postcode district | MK42 |
| Dialling code | 01234 |
| Police | Bedfordshire |
| Fire | Bedfordshire and Luton |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
| UK Parliament | Mid Bedfordshire |
| List of places: UK • England • Bedfordshire | |
Elstow is a village and civil parish in the English county of Bedfordshire. John Bunyan, was born here - at Bunyan's End, which lay approximately halfway between the hamlet of Harrowden and Elstow's High Street.
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Countess Judith, niece of William the Conqueror founded a Benedictine nunnery in Elstow in the year 1078. The Elstow nuns came from wealthy families and each came with an endowment of money and/or lands. So, by 1538 Elstow Abbey was valued as being the eighth richest nunnery in England. On 26 August 1539, the Abbess was forced to surrender the Abbey, the manor of Elstow and all the Abbey's other lands and estates throughout England, to King Henry VIII, as part of his Dissolution of the Monasteries.[1][2] So large and significant was the Abbey at Elstow that, even after the dissolution, the building was being considered for elevation to cathedral status, but this never transpired.
The Saunderson Tractor and Implement Co. was founded in Elstow in 1890: it was one of the biggest tractor makers by the time of the First World War.[3] From an undisclosed date the firm continued as the Bedford Plough and Engineering Co.
The village and most of the populated part of Elstow parish are located inside Bedford's southern bypass, with the hamlet of Harrowden lying just to the south-east of that road. Elstow is now, effectively, a suburb of Bedford with the old village now almost surrounded by 20th century housing. But the original village - now a conservation area- remains intact, with some beautiful 13th - 17th century buildings and a tranquil Village green is a little oasis of calm, an ideal place for a summer picnic. Visits to the historic Moot Hall and the 11th century Elstow Abbey church are highly recommended, both for their beauty and historical importance.
Elstow Moot Hall (or the "Green House", as it was formerly known) stands in isolation on Elstow village green. It was built in the 15th century partly to serve as a Market house, with four shops on the ground floor. The building was extended, probably in the late 15th century, adding two more shop bays and two rooms suitable for living in. The latter were probably used to accommodate important visitors to the nearby Abbey.
For many years, it was thought that the downstairs shop bays were used between annual village fairs for storing the stalls and other equipment in connection with the Abbey's bi-annual fairs. However, investigations, carried out in the 1990s, into the building's construction indicated that these six downstairs shop bays had probably been permanent shops, used throughout the whole year.
The main upper room of this Tudor timber-framed building was probably originally used as the Abbess' court. It was certainly used after the dissolution as a manor court - where people who had committed local misdemeanors and petty crimes would be dealt with. Disputes arising during the Abbeys large four-day May fairs would also be heard and settled here. This room was probably also used through most of its history as a village meeting place - hence the present name - Moot - the medieval word meaning 'meeting' Hall. Throughout much of the 19th century, the upper room was used every Sunday both as a school and, in the evening, by the Elstow congregation of the Bunyan Meeting Free Church, as a place of worship.[4]
Moot Hall was restored to its original medieval form by Bedfordshire County Council in 1950. It is now cared for by Bedford Borough Council, which operates it as a museum illustrating 17th century English life, with exhibitions of antique furniture and information relating to John Bunyan.[5]
Moot Hall is also used for art exhibitions, private and public meetings and is available to use for private functions, such as small receptions and musical evenings.