MarkFromTheStates reacted to this video today and I was happy to watch your Bedfordshire top ten. Thank you - it must have taken quite some time to put it together. I really enjoyed your 'countdown' tour especially as it brought back quite a few memories of my younger years when my family used to visit Dunstable Downs. So I have subscribed to your Channel and am looking forward to seeing more (and learning more) about Britain's prettiest towns. All the best.
Excellent and informative video Alex, and as an ole boy born and bred in Leighton Buzzard, it was nice to see it included. Like many towns these days the surrounding countryside is rapidly becoming a large housing estate, but the town centre itself certainly has some interesting architecture.
I enjoyed this very much but was slightly surprised that Dunstable made it onto the top ten list. I visited there very briefly many years ago and apart from the remains of the priory, there wasn't that much to see. Maybe it's improved over the years? But I doubt it.
Well here's the thing - and I didn't want to lean into this fact in the video itself, but since Bedfordshire's pretty small, the first few entries aren't necessarily an endorsement. But in defence of Dunstable, I feel that the architecture's quite well-preserved. With a few exceptions of course, but there are several listed buildings, and some green spaces too.
I like them. I think Letchworth and Welwyn both work well. What puzzles me is how the idea was just shelved after the 2nd World War in favour of the New Towns with all their concrete oblong-shaped buildings!
I lived in Luton 1942 - 1973 before emigrating & am familiar with the towns you picked & generally agree with your pick. Luton itself was not a particularly interesting place as it was then mostly industrial (mostly gone now). It did have some interesting points,a Norman parish church,a town hall rebuilt after being burnt down in 1919,Luton Hoo Estate & another used to be the Market Cross/ Hall at the end of George Street ,demolished in the late 1950’s,a few nice parks but otherwise a pretty boring place
ive lived in Ampthill for 22 years, I'm home, when I'm here, I grew up here, I adventured here, and matured here, but lived everywhere else in other 20 years, but this is home for me
I didn't notice much of that via the bus from Bedford. I'm sure there's some modern development but my impression was that it's sufficiently out of sight, out of mind, at least as far as the town centre's concerned.
Understand this is specifically about towns, so it's a shame you couldn't include the smaller places such as Woburn, Turvey, Harrold. Clophill, Flitton, Silsoe, Millbrook, Ridgemont, Milton Ernest, Newton Blossonville, etc. Far too many to list. For a county which is so often overlooked, there's some incredibly beautiful villages, hamlets and landscapes. But agree Ampthill is by far the prettiest town. I returned to to UK in 2021 after living overseas for more than 30 years, and have the pleasure of living in Ampthill.
Luton is the most underfunded, overlooked and neglected town in the whole of bedforshire. Its embarrassing to let it rot. Some good policing, funding for busnineses to grow and some policies to make it clean and green could change everything but alas, no one wants to.
Ah ha! I used to go to Dunstable Grammar in the 60’s and 70’s. It used to be quite nice. Currently it has lost its sole, like so many towns, with its string of characterless boarded shops. Lived in Toddington in my teen years, before moving to Leighton Buzzard for my first house. Life was so much simpler in those days. Woburn is still beautifully well kept and great to visit, but from your itinerary, you might list this, along with Toddington as being too small to be recognised into your listing. Pity. It’s funny I never considered Bedfordshire as an attractive place to live. I suppose because it was always infected by Luton.
Both John Bunyan and John Howard have statues in Bedford, they would both be considered woke these days. A rebel priest and a prison reformer not your usual slave owning philanthropists.
OK, here's an idea. Instead of launching straight into a personal attack at me for whatever reason, why not give me your top 10 prettiest towns in Bedfordshire? That way we can at least have a civilised debate, right?
Love these interesting videos. Thanks for your efforts
No problem, thanks for watching!
MarkFromTheStates reacted to this video today and I was happy to watch your Bedfordshire top ten. Thank you - it must have taken quite some time to put it together. I really enjoyed your 'countdown' tour especially as it brought back quite a few memories of my younger years when my family used to visit Dunstable Downs. So I have subscribed to your Channel and am looking forward to seeing more (and learning more) about Britain's prettiest towns. All the best.
Ah, thank you very much! And yes, I saw Mark's video. Great to see it through a fresh pair of eyes.
Great vid Alex, I know all the places and a lot of my family lived in this area and some still do, thanks once again.
Ah cheers, no worries!
Very cool video!
Excellent and informative video Alex, and as an ole boy born and bred in Leighton Buzzard, it was nice to see it included. Like many towns these days the surrounding countryside is rapidly becoming a large housing estate, but the town centre itself certainly has some interesting architecture.
Thanks! And yeah, some towns certainly do a better job than others at preserving their architecture.
Loving these videos.
Great videos, living in the neighbouring village to Ampthill I can concur, very pretty town ❤
I live in Blackpool now, but I went to school in Ampthill and lived in Flitwick.
same redborne?
Very interesting as usual. Thank you.
Thanks!
Thank you Dianne, always appreciated! :)
Thanks for another great video Alex. So many towns on a neighbouring county that I hadn’t even heard of.
Indeed, some very pretty, yet low-key, towns there!
@@AlexinGreatBritain Yes, and astounded that Luton didn’t make the cut…..
Great video and pleased to see my home town made the list
Love this series. Alex. Might you start the next episode with a map of England highlighting the county for us Yanks?
I was actually thinking of doing that, but now you mention it I definitely will from the next episode on!
Excellent as always! Really looking forward to the Midlands (East and West) whenever that may be. 😁
Thanks, I'm looking forward to making those! Free time and (perhaps) weather permitting, of course.
@@AlexinGreatBritain Nice! Eh, these things take time; I know it'll be worth the wait. 🙂
I enjoyed this very much but was slightly surprised that Dunstable made it onto the top ten list. I visited there very briefly many years ago and apart from the remains of the priory, there wasn't that much to see. Maybe it's improved over the years? But I doubt it.
Well here's the thing - and I didn't want to lean into this fact in the video itself, but since Bedfordshire's pretty small, the first few entries aren't necessarily an endorsement. But in defence of Dunstable, I feel that the architecture's quite well-preserved. With a few exceptions of course, but there are several listed buildings, and some green spaces too.
I admire you for championing it.@@AlexinGreatBritain
Do Lancashire please❤️
I certainly intend to, though I'm several months away from being ready for Lancashire. I have a feeling Garstang may feature!
@@AlexinGreatBritain highly likely to, lovely little town
Despite being born, grown up and living in Cambridgeshire, i like Bedfordshire with my favourite place Leighton Buzzard in particular.
How do you feel about garden towns (and cities) in terms of aesthetics?
I like them. I think Letchworth and Welwyn both work well. What puzzles me is how the idea was just shelved after the 2nd World War in favour of the New Towns with all their concrete oblong-shaped buildings!
I lived in Luton 1942 - 1973 before emigrating & am familiar with the towns you picked & generally agree with your pick. Luton itself was not a particularly interesting place as it was then mostly industrial (mostly gone now). It did have some interesting points,a Norman parish church,a town hall rebuilt after being burnt down in 1919,Luton Hoo Estate & another used to be the Market Cross/ Hall at the end of George Street ,demolished in the late 1950’s,a few nice parks but otherwise a pretty boring place
From the area. Agree with the order of this list!
ive lived in Ampthill for 22 years, I'm home, when I'm here, I grew up here, I adventured here, and matured here, but lived everywhere else in other 20 years, but this is home for me
Whato Alex,
A nice video of my neighbouring county. However, did you see all the modern building surrounding Shefford?
I didn't notice much of that via the bus from Bedford. I'm sure there's some modern development but my impression was that it's sufficiently out of sight, out of mind, at least as far as the town centre's concerned.
Understand this is specifically about towns, so it's a shame you couldn't include the smaller places such as Woburn, Turvey, Harrold. Clophill, Flitton, Silsoe, Millbrook, Ridgemont, Milton Ernest, Newton Blossonville, etc. Far too many to list.
For a county which is so often overlooked, there's some incredibly beautiful villages, hamlets and landscapes. But agree Ampthill is by far the prettiest town. I returned to to UK in 2021 after living overseas for more than 30 years, and have the pleasure of living in Ampthill.
Absoulty beatiful
Your video about Bedfordshire was very informative but the great train robbers stopped the train at Cheddington. It didn't occur in Leighton Buzzard.
Luton is the most underfunded, overlooked and neglected town in the whole of bedforshire. Its embarrassing to let it rot. Some good policing, funding for busnineses to grow and some policies to make it clean and green could change everything but alas, no one wants to.
Ah ha! I used to go to Dunstable Grammar in the 60’s and 70’s. It used to be quite nice.
Currently it has lost its sole, like so many towns, with its string of characterless boarded shops.
Lived in Toddington in my teen years, before moving to Leighton Buzzard for my first house.
Life was so much simpler in those days.
Woburn is still beautifully well kept and great to visit, but from your itinerary, you might list this, along with Toddington as being too small to be recognised into your listing. Pity.
It’s funny I never considered Bedfordshire as an attractive place to live. I suppose because it was always infected by Luton.
No Luton?!
Of course not. He's not an idiot, you know.
In in kempston😊
I live in Sandy and am not surprised you struggled to find much to say about it 😂
Haha, well I like the fact that there's an Indian restaurant called 'The Gandhi in Sandy'!
I'm sure your goal is to show more of the UK other than London, but doing "prettiest boroughs of London" eventually could be a shout :)
Thanks, yeah that's certainly an idea. I might also do a 'prettiest towns in Greater London' video, featuring places like Richmond, Isleworth etc.
Leighton buzzard was not the site of the great train robbery at all! Mate are you serious?
Know all thrse towns lived near Bedford years ago
My mother was from Bedford Beds ❤
Which area of Bedford was she from?
Deadford as we like to call it
Both John Bunyan and John Howard have statues in Bedford, they would both be considered woke these days. A rebel priest and a prison reformer not your usual slave owning philanthropists.
Dunstable........Pretty???..................I've heard it all now!
7th prettiest in a county as small as Bedfordshire isn't that complimentary.
Good call. But you must've struggled to find 10 "pretty" Bedfordshire towns if Sandy came in at No.8.
Well it is a small county. Sandy's role here is mainly keeping Luton off the list!
I’ve lived in nearly all of these towns in my life, you need some help or at least try and visit a few more places!!!!
OK, here's an idea. Instead of launching straight into a personal attack at me for whatever reason, why not give me your top 10 prettiest towns in Bedfordshire? That way we can at least have a civilised debate, right?