Ampthill, a Small Civil Parish and Town in the English County of Bedfordshire
The small town and civil parish of Ampthill is between Luton and Bedford in the Bedfordshire County in England where a regular market takes place on Thursdays for centuries.
This town is Anglo-Saxon in origin. “Aemethyll” was the name given to the original settlement which means “anti heap” or “ant infested hill,” but in the Domesday Book of 1086, it was mentioned as “Ammetelle” under Nigel de la Vast. The name was changed into “Hampthull” in 1381.
The right to hold a market on Thursdays was conferred on this town by King Henry III in 1242. And this continued for the next 750 years.
Food, Shopping and Accommodation in Ampthill
Ampthill is not exactly a shopper’s paradise, but it does have small independent stores, boutiques and antique shops that serve the needs of the residents. This small town also supports eighteen places to eat and drink mainly restaurants & bars, pubs with one cake house and one coffee shops. The majority of the restaurants and pubs offer British fare, but there are one or two serving Italian, Chinese, Asian or Indian cuisine. There are no hotels in this town, but it has one B&B/inn. If guests need more choices of a place to stay, they can always drive to Bedford or Luton.
Things to See and Do in Ampthill
The Ampthill Park is one of the major attraction of this town. It was once part of the Castle built by Sir John Cornwall, who later became Lord Fanhope, in the 15th Century. A frequent visitor to the castle was Henry VIII, and Catherine of Aragon lived there from 1531 until she was divorced by the King in 1533 when she was transferred to Kimbolton. The castle is long gone, but some traces of castle life remains such as the local ponds built purportedly to supply the castle with fresh fish regularly. Another is the ruins of Houghton House, the shell of a 17th Century manor house which now forms part of the Park. The Greensand Ridge provides hikers with an easy walk while contemplating nature.