Queens Park is an
electoral ward
A ward is a local authority area, typically used for electoral purposes. In some countries, wards are usually named after neighbourhoods, thoroughfares, parishes, landmarks, geographical features and in some cases historical figures connected t ...
and area of
Bedford
Bedford is a market town in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 Census, the population was 106,940. Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire and seat of the Borough of Bedford local government district.
Bedford was founded at a ford (crossin ...
,
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
, west of the town centre. The community was established in the 1890s and has been described as Bedford's first industrial suburb.
Nowadays, it is diverse and multicultural with many specialist shops and businesses including international
supermarkets
A supermarket is a self-service Retail#Types of outlets, shop offering a wide variety of food, Drink, beverages and Household goods, household products, organized into sections. Strictly speaking, a supermarket is larger and has a wider selecti ...
and
delis
A delicatessen or deli is a grocery that sells a selection of fine, exotic, or foreign prepared foods. Delicatessens originated in Germany (contemporary spelling: ) during the 18th century and spread to the United States in the mid-19th centur ...
. Places of worship include an
Anglican
Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...
church, two
mosques
A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard.
Originally, mosques were simple p ...
and one of the largest
Sikh temples in the United Kingdom.
History

The land in Queens Park was farmed as early as the 11th century, and occupied by tenant farmers. The only evidence of primitive settlements is the discovery of flint at Honey Hills. Early settlements and dwellings included; Provendor Farm, Prebend Farm, and the Farm House & cottages at Bedford Ford End (until the 1950s) now Fernleigh Close.
Gallows
A gallows (or less precisely scaffold) is a frame or elevated beam, typically wooden, from which objects can be suspended or "weighed". Gallows were thus widely used to suspend public weighing scales for large and heavy objects such as sa ...
existed up to 1802 at the sharp bend on the Bromham Road.
One of the earliest developments west of the
Midland Main Line
The Midland Main Line (MML), sometimes also spelt Midland Mainline, is a major Rail transport in Great Britain, railway line from London to Sheffield in Yorkshire via the East Midlands. It comprises the lines from London's St Pancras railway ...
was the building of a
gasworks
A gasworks or gas house is an industrial plant for the production of flammable gas. Many of these have been made redundant in the developed world by the use of natural gas, though they are still used for storage space.
Early gasworks
Coal ...
off Ford End Road in 1864. The works expanded in the first half of the twentieth century and three gas holders formed a prominent visual feature of the area. The earliest was likely Edwardian but significantly altered by 1960; the other two were constructed in 1926 and 1938. Much of the site was cleared after the conversion from
town gas
Coal gas is a flammable gaseous fuel made from coal and supplied to the user via a piped distribution system. It is produced when coal is heated strongly in the absence of air. Town gas is a more general term referring to manufactured gaseous ...
to
North Sea
The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. A sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian Se ...
natural gas
Natural gas (also fossil gas, methane gas, and gas) is a naturally occurring compound of gaseous hydrocarbons, primarily methane (95%), small amounts of higher alkanes, and traces of carbon dioxide and nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide and helium ...
in the 1970s. The gas holders continued in use into the 2000s but became redundant and were demolished in 2018.
In 1887 advertisements appeared in the ''
Bedfordshire Times and Independent'' for auctions of plots of land for the Queen's Park Building Estate, so named to mark the
Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria
The Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria was celebrated on 20 and 21 June 1887 to mark the Golden jubilee, 50th anniversary of Queen Victoria's accession on 20 June 1837. It was celebrated with a National service of thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Serv ...
. In 1890
William Henry Allen
Master Commandant William Henry Allen (October 21, 1784 – August 18, 1813) was a United States Navy officer who served in the War of 1812.
Early life
Allen was born in Providence, Rhode Island, and was appointed a midshipman in the United S ...
bought twenty acres immediately west of the
Midland Main Line
The Midland Main Line (MML), sometimes also spelt Midland Mainline, is a major Rail transport in Great Britain, railway line from London to Sheffield in Yorkshire via the East Midlands. It comprises the lines from London's St Pancras railway ...
to relocate his business,
W H Allen, Son and Company from
Lambeth
Lambeth () is a district in South London, England, which today also gives its name to the (much larger) London Borough of Lambeth. Lambeth itself was an ancient parish in the county of Surrey. It is situated 1 mile (1.6 km) south of Charin ...
in London. Four years later the company opened the "Queen's Engineering Works".
Over the years, the company manufactured
centrifugal pump
Centrifugal pumps are used to transport fluids by the Energy transformation, conversion of rotational kinetic energy to the hydrodynamic energy of the fluid flow. The rotational energy typically comes from an engine or electric motor. They are ...
s,
steam
Steam is water vapor, often mixed with air or an aerosol of liquid water droplets. This may occur due to evaporation or due to boiling, where heat is applied until water reaches the enthalpy of vaporization. Saturated or superheated steam is inv ...
and
diesel engine
The diesel engine, named after the German engineer Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which Combustion, ignition of diesel fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to Mechanics, mechanical Compr ...
s,
industrial fan
Industrial fans and blowers are machines whose primary function is to provide and accommodate a large flow of air or gas to various parts of a building or other structures. This is achieved by rotating a number of blades, connected to a hub and sh ...
s and
gas turbines
A gas turbine or gas turbine engine is a type of continuous flow internal combustion engine. The main parts common to all gas turbine engines form the power-producing part (known as the gas generator or core) and are, in the direction of flow: ...
. Equipment was installed in
pumping station
Pumping stations, also called pumphouses, are public utility buildings containing pumps and equipment for pumping fluids from one place to another. They are critical in a variety of infrastructure systems, such as water supply, Land reclamation, ...
s,
sewage works
Sewage treatment is a type of wastewater treatment which aims to remove contaminants from sewage to produce an effluent that is suitable to discharge to the surrounding environment or an intended reuse application, thereby preventing water p ...
,
power station
A power station, also referred to as a power plant and sometimes generating station or generating plant, is an industrial facility for the electricity generation, generation of electric power. Power stations are generally connected to an electr ...
s and used in marine applications; much was exported. Around 2,500 persons were employed at the works in the 1950s. The works closed in 2000, after one hundred and six years in operation.
John Parish White established the "Pyghtle Works" in 1896 on land bought from and adjoining W H Allen. The business initially made architectural joinery, but soon diversified into making furniture designed by among others
Baillie Scott
Mackay Hugh Baillie Scott (23 October 1865 – 10 February 1945) was a British architect and artist. Through his long career, he designed in a variety of styles, including a style derived from the Tudor, an Arts and Crafts style remini ...
and
C. F. A. Voysey, as well as garden furniture to the designs of
C. H. B. Quennell. The works closed in 1960 and the land reverted to W H Allen.
Queens Park was home to
Bedford Town Football Club from 1911 to 1982 with the exception of the First World War years. The
ground
Ground may refer to:
Geology
* Land, the solid terrestrial surface of the Earth
* Soil, a mixture of clay, sand and organic matter present on the surface of the Earth
Electricity
* Ground (electricity), the reference point in an electrical circ ...
came to be known as "The Eyrie" owing to the club's nickname of "The Eagles". Greyhound racing took place at the stadium from the late 1960s until the ground's closure. The stadium was demolished in 1983 and the site taken over by freeholder,
Charles Wells Ltd
Wells & Co. (formerly Charles Wells Ltd) is the holding company of the Charles Wells Brewery and Pub Company (a pub chain). Charles Wells Ltd was founded in 1876 by Charles Wells (brewer), Charles Wells in Bedford, England.
The Charles Wells Pub ...
, for the Eagle Brewery. After Bedford Town FC was reformed in the early 1990s home matches were for a brief spell played on a public park pitch in the area.
Demography
Queens Park has hosted many communities migrating to the Bedford area over the 20th century, firstly
Irish and
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
families, followed by
Asians
"Asian people" (sometimes "Asiatic people")United States National Library of Medicine. Medical Subject Headings. 2004. November 17, 200Nlm.nih.gov: ''Asian Continental Ancestry Group'' is also used for categorical purposes. is an umbrella term ...
,
Africans
The ethnic groups of Africa number in the thousands, with each ethnicity generally having their own language (or dialect of a language) and culture. The ethnolinguistic groups include various Afroasiatic, Khoisan, Niger-Congo, and Nilo-Sahara ...
, and most recently, people from
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is a subregion of the Europe, European continent. As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural and socio-economic connotations. Its eastern boundary is marked by the Ural Mountain ...
.
Governance
Queens Park is an
unparished area
In England, an unparished area is an area that is not covered by a civil parish (the lowest level of local government, not to be confused with an ecclesiastical parish). Most urbanised districts of England are either entirely or partly unparis ...
, with all community services under the direct control of
Bedford Borough Council
Bedford Borough Council is the local authority of the Borough of Bedford, a local government district in the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire, England. The town of Bedford was a borough from at least the 12th century until 1974, when the moder ...
. Queens Park elects three councillors to Bedford Borough Council. In the election held on 4 May 2023, all three councillors elected represented the
Labour Party. The ward boundaries are
Biddenham
Biddenham is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Bedford in Bedfordshire, England, located around west of Bedford town centre near the A428 road. It forms part of the wider Bedford urban area.
History
The earliest archaeological e ...
to the north, the
River Great Ouse
The River Great Ouse ( ) is a river in England, the longest of several British rivers called "Ouse". From Syresham in Northamptonshire, the Great Ouse flows through Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk to drain into the ...
to the south, the
Midland Main Line
The Midland Main Line (MML), sometimes also spelt Midland Mainline, is a major Rail transport in Great Britain, railway line from London to Sheffield in Yorkshire via the East Midlands. It comprises the lines from London's St Pancras railway ...
railway line to the east, and
Great Denham
Great Denham is a village and civil parishes in England, civil parish located in Bedfordshire, England, on the western outskirts of Bedford. The village is the location of Bedford Golf Course.
History
Great Denham has evidence of Neolithic settl ...
and Bedford Golf Club to the west.
Economy

Ford End Road acts as the "high street" for the area, and includes independent supermarkets, deli's, takeaway restaurants, and a
Tesco Express
Tesco plc () is a British multinational groceries and general merchandise retailer headquartered in the United Kingdom at its head offices in Welwyn Garden City, England. The company was founded by Sir Jack Cohen in Hackney, London, in 1919 ...
store. Further shops and businesses are located on Iddesleigh Road, including convenience stores and Queens Park
post office
A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letter (message), letters and parcel (package), parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post o ...
. Today, Queens Park is an established area of Bedford.
The 'Eagle Brewery' on Havelock Street was established by
Charles Wells Ltd
Wells & Co. (formerly Charles Wells Ltd) is the holding company of the Charles Wells Brewery and Pub Company (a pub chain). Charles Wells Ltd was founded in 1876 by Charles Wells (brewer), Charles Wells in Bedford, England.
The Charles Wells Pub ...
and opened by
Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester
Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester (Richard Alexander Walter George; born 26 August 1944) is a member of the British royal family. He is the second son of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, the youngest ...
on 18 May 1976.
Marston's
Carlsberg Britvic is a British subsidiary of Carlsberg Group, created in January 2025 by the merger of Carlsberg's UK business (including the former Marston's plc breweries) and Britvic, acquired by Carlsberg Group in 2024.
History
In 2020, ...
acquired the brewery in May 2017. In November 2022, it was announced that the brewery would be sold to Spanish-based brewer
S A Damm. All 67 employees would be retained.
Education
There are three
primary school
A primary school (in Ireland, India, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, South Africa, and Singapore), elementary school, or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary ...
s in Queens Park - Queens Park Academy which is situated over two sites on Chestnut Avenue and Marlborough Road, Westfield School on Chester Road, and
St Joseph's and
St Gregory's Roman Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
Primary School which is also on Chester Road. For older children the area is in the catchment for
Biddenham International School which is located just to the north of Queens Park.
Enterprise House (located on Old Ford End Road) is a small adult education centre operated by
Bedford College. The centre offers a range of part-time courses for the Queens Park community, covering a range of subjects from child care and computing to English language skills and maths.
Religious sites
* All Saints Church (
Church of England
The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...
), located on Iddesleigh Road
* A hall on Howard Avenue was opened for worship by the
Moravian Church
The Moravian Church, or the Moravian Brethren ( or ), formally the (Latin: "Unity of the Brethren"), is one of the oldest Protestant denominations in Christianity, dating back to the Bohemian Reformation of the 15th century and the original ...
in 1895. The adjoining church building was added in 1911
*
Serbian Orthodox
The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the autocephalous (ecclesiastically independent) Eastern Orthodox Christian churches.
The majority of the populat ...
Church services are also held at Bedford Moravian Church
* The Jamia Masjid Gulshani Baghdad
Mosque
A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard.
Originally, mosques were si ...
, located on Westbourne Road opened in 2001
[ Queens Park & Bedford Mosques]
* The Jamia Masjid Hanfia Ghousia Mosque located on Ford End Road
* The
Guru Nanak
Gurū Nānak (15 April 1469 – 22 September 1539; Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ; pronunciation: , ), also known as ('Father Nanak'), was an Indian spiritual teacher, mystic and poet, who is regarded as the founder of Sikhism and is t ...
Gurdwara
A gurdwara or gurudwara () is a place of assembly and place of worship, worship in Sikhism, but its normal meaning is "place of guru" or "home of guru". Sikhism, Sikhs also refer to gurdwaras as ''Gurdwara Sahib''. People from all faiths and rel ...
(
Sikh
Sikhs (singular Sikh: or ; , ) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism, a religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ''Si ...
Temple), also on Ford End Road opened in April 2007
Community facilities

The main open space in Queens Park is located along the riverside as well as the Allen Park
Recreation Ground
A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are green spaces set aside for recreation inside towns and cities. N ...
. There is also a provision of
allotments located on the western edge of the area. Queens Park
Community Centre
A community centre, community center, or community hall is a public location where members of a community gather for group activities, social support, public information, and other purposes. They may be open for the whole community or for a sp ...
is situated on Marlborough Road.
Transport links
Vehicular access to Queens Park from Bedford town centre is across the nineteen-span Ford End Road railway bridge, constructed in 1894. The bridge has only a single path for pedestrians but a separate footbridge of metallic construction was erected alongside in 1972. One of the spans of the road bridge was reconstructed in 2018 to accommodate overhead wires for the electrification of the
Midland Main Line
The Midland Main Line (MML), sometimes also spelt Midland Mainline, is a major Rail transport in Great Britain, railway line from London to Sheffield in Yorkshire via the East Midlands. It comprises the lines from London's St Pancras railway ...
. A planning document described the road bridge as "narrow and unpleasant" and criticised the footbridge as "narrow and boxing in pedestrians". The report suggested the construction of a new road bridge while retaining the existing bridge for pedestrians and cyclists.
Queens Park is served by bus route no.8
Bedford bus station –
Great Denham
Great Denham is a village and civil parishes in England, civil parish located in Bedfordshire, England, on the western outskirts of Bedford. The village is the location of Bedford Golf Course.
History
Great Denham has evidence of Neolithic settl ...
. The roadway is restricted to buses and cyclists at the point Old Ford End Road meets Greenkeepers Road with access controlled by retractable bollards.
References
External links
Queens Park Urban Community CouncilQueens Park Community CentreNetwork Rail video showing the reconstruction of the Ford End Road Bridge in 20181932 aerial image showing W H Allen works (part), the gas works and Bedford Town FC ground(Britain from Above)
{{Areas of Bedford
Areas of Bedford