Ampthill Church

Ampthill Church glass slide [ref: Henman Collection at Bedford Central Library]

St Andrew's Church was first built in the mid 12th century but was largely rebuilt in the fifteenth. The foundations of a 12th century church were found during excavations in 1975. The tower, which is approximately 69 ft high, was completed in 1506.

The church has a number of interesting features including:

• A Roman column set up in the chancel to commemorate the Earl of Upper Ossory (died 1828). The Earl was responsible for the erection of the pump on the market square and Katherine's Cross in Ampthill Park
• The tomb of Colonel Richard Nicolls which incorporates the cannonball that killed him in the battle of Sole Bay in 1672. Richard Nicolls took over New Amsterdam from the Dutch in 1664 and renamed it New York after his patron the Duke of York
• Twenty carved angels fixed to the roof. Eight of them are large with outstretched wings and all of them were part of the original fifteenth century decoration
• The war memorial in the churchyard to which there is an interesting story. The design of the war memorial caused much discussion in the town with the result that two were erected, both designed by Sir Albert Richardson. The official war memorial stands in the Alameda and was unveiled by Princess Beatrice in May 1921, the churchyard memorial was unveiled by Lord Ampthill just one week later!