Ampthill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ampthill |
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 Ampthill town centre with clock tower (1852) and market place |
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 Ampthill
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| Population | 8,822 (Parish, 2021) |
| OS grid reference | TL035375 |
| • London | 40 mi (64 km) SE |
| Civil parish |
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| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BEDFORD |
| Postcode district | MK45 |
| Dialling code | 01525 |
| Police | Bedfordshire |
| Fire | Bedfordshire and Luton |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
| UK Parliament |
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Ampthill (pronounced AM-thill) is a lovely town and civil parish in Central Bedfordshire, England. It is located between the larger towns of Bedford and Luton. In 2021, about 8,825 people lived here.
Contents
Ampthill's Past: A Journey Through Time
How Ampthill Got Its Name
The name 'Ampthill' comes from the Anglo-Saxons, who lived in England a long time ago. The first settlement was called 'Æmethyll'. This name probably meant 'anthill' or 'ant-infested hill'. In the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a big survey of England, Ampthill was called 'Ammetelle'.
Royal Connections: Kings, Queens, and Castles
In 1219, King Henry III gave Ampthill permission to hold a weekly market. This market is still held today and celebrated its 800th birthday in 2019!
King Henry VIII often visited Ampthill Castle. This is where his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, lived from 1531 until their divorce in 1533. After that, she moved to Kimbolton. The castle was built in the 1400s by Sir John Cornwall. He used money he received from ransoms after the Battle of Agincourt.
Today, you can still visit Ampthill Great Park, which is where the castle used to be. King Henry VIII would go hunting there. A cross was put up in the 1770s to mark the spot where the castle stood. The park itself was designed by the famous landscape architect "Capability" Brown.
Changes and Improvements in Ampthill
In the 1780s, John Fitzpatrick, the Earl of Upper Ossory, worked to make the town centre better. He created the market place you see today. He also put up the town's water pump and built a new clock tower. Lord Upper Ossory also built a cross to remember Catherine of Aragon. He also built a row of thatched cottages between 1812 and 1816 for his workers.
After Lord Upper Ossory passed away in 1818, Ampthill Park became home to Lord Holland. His wife, Lady Holland, planted trees to create the beautiful Alameda walk. This walk was inspired by a similar one in Madrid, Spain.
Ampthill's Modern Growth
In recent years, Ampthill has grown quite a bit. The old brewery site in Bedford Street was redeveloped in 2006-2007. A new Waitrose supermarket was built, along with new shops and apartments. Since then, two large new housing areas have been built on the south side of town.
How Ampthill is Governed
Ampthill has two levels of local government. The first is the parish level, which is Ampthill Town Council. The second is the unitary authority level, which is Central Bedfordshire Council. The Town Council has its offices at Park Lodge in Ampthill Great Park.
A Look at Local Government History
Ampthill used to be run by its local church group and manorial courts. In 1893, it became a local government district. This meant it had an elected board to manage town affairs. The board first met at the town's courthouse on Church Street.
In 1894, these districts became 'urban districts'. The council moved its meetings to the fire station on Bedford Street in 1920.
In 1974, Ampthill Urban District joined with other areas to form Mid Bedfordshire. Ampthill Town Council was then created for the town.
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In 2009, Mid Bedfordshire and Bedfordshire County Council were both replaced. Now, Ampthill is part of the Central Bedfordshire unitary authority.
Ampthill's Economy
Ampthill is a busy centre for the villages around it. It has several pubs, restaurants, a Waitrose supermarket, and many small, independent shops. You'll also find businesses like solicitors, estate agents, and hairdressers. Larger businesses are located on the edge of town.
Ampthill is known as one of the more expensive places to buy a house in Bedfordshire. Most people who live in Ampthill work locally. About 20% work in Ampthill itself. Others travel to nearby towns like Bedford, Luton, and Milton Keynes. Around 13% of workers travel to London every day.
Sports and Fun in Ampthill
Ampthill has a non-League football team called Ampthill Town F.C. They play at Ampthill Park. There's also a 7-a-side football league called Ampthill Super7s.
The town's rugby union club, Ampthill RUFC, started in 1881. They play in the RFU Championship, which is the second-highest league in England. This makes them one of the top 24 rugby teams in the country! The club has over 1000 members and teams for all ages.
Ampthill Town Cricket Club has been around since 1890. They have several teams that play in local leagues. They also host a yearly match for the Bedfordshire County Cricket Club. Their home ground is in Ampthill Great Park.
Ampthill also has a very popular Bowls Club. It celebrated its 100th birthday in 2019. The club's symbol is a llama, representing the zoo owned by its founder, Sir Anthony Wingfield.
The Greensand Ridge Walk and the Greensand Cycle Way both pass through the lower part of town. There is also a Center Parcs holiday village nearby.
Culture and Community Life
Ampthill used to have an annual festival weekend in the summer. This event included music concerts like "AmpRocks" and "Ampthill Park Proms." The festival also featured the Ampthill Gala, with a parade and stalls from local charities. Sadly, the festival was cancelled in 2024 due to funding issues.
Every year, the town holds a Remembrance Day parade. It starts at St Andrews Church and goes through the town to the Cenotaph war memorial. People from local services and groups lay wreaths to remember those who served.
Ampthill has many public services, including schools, doctors' surgeries, and a fire and ambulance station. The schools in Ampthill are part of a three-tier system. There are two lower schools (Russell and The Firs), one middle school (Alameda), and one upper school, Redborne. Redborne is shared with the nearby town of Flitwick.
Media and News
Local news and TV shows for Ampthill are provided by BBC East and ITV Anglia. You can also listen to local radio stations like BBC Three Counties Radio and Heart East. Bedford Radio is a community station that broadcasts online. The local newspaper is Bedford Today.
Getting Around Ampthill
Ampthill is located along the A507, which connects to the M1 (a major highway) to the west and the A6 to the east.
Grant Palmer provides regular bus services to Bedford and Flitwick. There are also less frequent services to Milton Keynes, Dunstable, and smaller villages nearby.
The nearest railway station is Flitwick railway station, about 2.5 kilometres (1.6 miles) south of Ampthill. The Bedfordshire Railway & Transport Association is working to reopen Ampthill railway station, which closed in 1959.
The closest airport is London Luton Airport. You can get there by train from Flitwick to Luton Airport Parkway.
Important Buildings in Ampthill
St Andrew's Church
The church of St Andrew has parts that date back to different periods of English architecture. Inside, there is a monument to Richard Nicolls (1624–1672). He was born in Ampthill and became the first English governor of New York (which was called New Amsterdam before that). Nicolls died in a battle at sea, and the cannonball that killed him is kept on his tomb in the church. The church has eight bells, with two new ones added in 1981.
Houghton House
Houghton House was built in 1621 by Mary, Countess of Pembroke. It is thought that this house might have inspired 'House Beautiful' in John Bunyan's famous book, The Pilgrim's Progress. Bunyan's story is believed to be based on his own journey between Bedford and Luton. The steep hill leading into Ampthill might have been the 'Hill of Difficulty' in his book. Houghton House became a ruin after its roof was removed in 1794.
Famous People from Ampthill
- Sir Anthony Wingfield (1857 - 1952) lived in Ampthill House. He was known for having a private zoo with animals like cheetahs, llamas, and camels! In 1939, his animals were moved to Whipsnade Zoo, which Sir Anthony had helped to create.
- Sir Albert Richardson, a famous architect, lived in Ampthill from 1919 until he passed away in 1964.
- Brian Clemens, a screenwriter and producer for TV shows like The Avengers, lived at Park Farm.
- Raymond Austin, a film and TV director, also lived near Ampthill for many years.
- Lewis Ludlow, a rugby player for Gloucester Rugby, grew up in Ampthill.
- Ben Chilwell, a footballer for Chelsea and the England team, was raised in Ampthill.
- Richard Nicolls, the first governor of New York, was born in Ampthill.
Twin Towns
Ampthill is twinned with Nissan-lez-Enserune in France.
Images for kids
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Ampthill town centre with clock tower (1852) and market place
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Thatched cottages in Woburn Street, Ampthill. Built 1812–16
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Park Lodge: Town Council offices
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Old Court House, 29b Church Street
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10 Bedford Street: Built 1902 as fire station
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Completed 1965 for Ampthill Rural District Council, then offices of Mid Bedfordshire District Council 1974–2006
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Arsenal Celebrity Charity Team against Ampthill Town. Ampthill (yellow) vs Arsenal (red).
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Ampthill Town Remembrance Day Parade 14 November 2021
See also
In Spanish: Ampthill para niños
