Bedfordshire

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This article has not been researched and written yet

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The history of Bedford in the seventeenth century is now almost entirely overshadowed by its association with its most famous resident, John Bunyan. This is misleading for, although Bunyan undoubtedly exemplifies one strand of the godliness that was a feature of the town, there was much more to Bedford than this. The county town and only parliamentary borough, Bedford was easily the most important urban settlement in Bedfordshire.

Bedfordshire was a small county dominated by more than its fair share of major aristocratic families. The St Johns of Bletso, whose head held the earldom of Bolingbroke, had long ranked as the first among equals, although with the 1st earl out of favour at court, it was Thomas Wentworth, 1st earl of Cleveland, who held the lord lieutenancy in 1640. The Russells of Woburn, represented by Francis Russell, 4th earl of Bedford, were far less influential in the county in this period than they had once been and would be again.