The Middle Stone Age, or Mesolithic, lasted from about 8000 BC to about 3500 BC. It followed the Old Stone Age or Palaeolithic and was succeeded by the New Stone Age, or Neolithic. At this remote time, families of hunter gatherers roamed across the country, making brief stops before moving on.

Given this pattern of brief camp sites it is not surprising that only one Mesolithic tool has been found in Bedford - an antler sleeve for mounting a flint blade was dredged from the River Great Ouse at Goldington.