Bedfont, West, hamlet, Stanwell par., SW. Middle-
sex, 2 miles NE. of Staines.

Bedford.—co. town of Bedfordshire, pari, and mun.
bor., situated in a fertile dist., on both sides of river
Ouse, crossed by a bridge of 5 arches, and on main line
of Midland Ry., 49¾ miles NW. of London, 2127 ac.,
pop. 19,533; 2 Banks, 4 newspapers. Market-days,
Monday and Saturday. It has important mfrs. of agri-
cultural implements, straw-plait, and lace. It is also
eminent as an educational centre. Among its endow-
ments is a free grammar school, founded in 1561 by Sir
W. Harpur, in connection with which 2 high schools
for girls were opened in 1882; the annual income from
this endowment, originally £40, is now upwards of
£13,000. There is also the Bedford County School, a
handsome new building, with accommodation for 300
boarders. John Bunyan (1628-88), author of the “Pil-
grim’s Progress,” born at Elstow, in the vicinity, was
imprisoned for twelve years in Bedford Gaol. The
town returns 1 member to Pari.—2. Bedford, town-
ship with ry. sta., in par. and 1 mile NE. of Leigh,
SW. Lancashire, 2826 ac., pop. 7246; oontains B. St
Thomas, eccl. dist., pop. 6822.

Bedford Circus, precinct and eccl. dist., in Exeter,
S. Devon, 23 ac., pop. 141.

Bedford Level, flat marshy dist., on the E. coast
of England, comprising the greater part (703 sq. m.) of
what is called the Fens—the whole of Isle of Ely,
Cambridgeshire, 89 sq. m. in Huntingdonshire, 98¼
in Norfolk, 12¼ in Northamptonshire, 47 in Suffolk and
SE. part of Lincolnsh. Extreme length from N. to S.,
60 m.; breadth, 40 m. Two cuts or canals, the Bedford
Rivers, Old and New, have been constructed from
the borders of Huntingdonshire through the Isle of Ely
to confluence with river Stoke ; the New river is 100 ft.
wide, the Old 70 ft.; and these are both navigable for
upwards of 20 miles. Much of the land has been
reclaimed at vast expense; and grain, flax, and cole-
seed are raised in considerable quantities. Wild fowl
abound, and are caught in great numbers for the
London market.

Bedfordshire, or Beds, a midland co. of England,
bounded by the cos. of Northampton, Cambridge, Herts,
and Bucks. Greatest length, N. and S., 30 miles;
greatest breadth, E. and W., 20 miles; area, 29,983
ac.; pop. 149,473. The surface is mostly flat, varied
in the S. by a spur of the Chiltern Hills, and in the
NW. by a range of chalk hills. The chief river is the
Great Ouse, with its affluent the Ivel. The country
along the banks of the Ouse and other streams is highly
verdant and luxuriant. The greater part of the surface
is under tillage; indeed, agriculture, it is said, is further
advanced here than in any other English county. On
the heavy soils the principal crops are wheat and
beans. The sandy and chalky soils of the middle dis-
tricts are well adapted for horticultural husbandry,
and vegetables are extensively grown for the markets
of London, Cambridge, &c. There is excellent grazing
ground in the SE., this co. being noted for its breeds of
sheep and cattle. (For agricultural statistics, see
Appendix.) The principal mfrs. are agricultural imple-
ments and straw-plait for hats. Bedfordshire contains
9 hundreds, 134 pars, and 2 parts, the pari, and mun.
bor. of Bedford (1 member), and the mun. bors. of
Dunstable and Luton. It is almost entirely in the
diocese of Ely. For parliamentary purposes it is
divided into 2 divisions, viz., Northern or Biggles-
wade, and Southern or Luton, 1 member for each
division.

Bcdgraloe, hamlet, Wales par., S. div. West-Riding
Yorkshire, 2 miles SE. of Rotherham.

Redbam, place with school, 1¼ mile N. of Fittle-
worth, W. Sussex.

Bcdhampton, par. and vil., S. Hants, 1 mile W. of
Havant, 2427 ac., pop. 709; P.O.

Bedhurst, tithing, Compton Abbas par., W. Dorset,
8 miles NW. of Dorchester.

Bcdingfield, par., W. Suffolk, 4 miles SE. of Eye,
1753 ac., pop. 332 ; P.O.

Bedingham, par., S. Norfolk, 4 miles NW. of Bun-
gay, 1340 ac., pop. 293; P.O.

Bcdlay Manor, seat, Cadder par., Lanarkshire, 4
miles NW. of Coatbridge.

Gazetteer of the British Isles, Statistical and Topographical, by John Bartholomew, F.R.G.S.

Edinburgh: Adam and Charles Black, 1887. Public domain image from Gedcomindex.com