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Ampthill

Ampthill or Ant-Heap as it was known in the Anglo Saxon times, is a historic Market town located in one of Bedfordshire’s largest conservations areas. The town itself includes of a number of Tudor, 17th and 18th century buildings a parish church, dating back to the 10th century, and a Church Square surrounded by well-preserved almshouses dating back to the 15th century. Since 1242 Ampthill has hosted a weekly market and it still is a important weekly event in the towns calendar. Over the course of history Ampthill has been home to a number of Royals including the first wife of King Henry VII Katherine of Aragon who resided in Ampthill Castle.

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Today Ampthill Castle no longer exists and the site of the castle is now marked by a memorial cross in Ampthill park. The park its self surrounds the Ampthill house which was built by the Dowager Countess of Ailesbury and Elgin in 1686. More recently Ampthill is remembered for the 1980 mystery book, "Masquerade", by Kit Williams. It told the story of how the Moon, having fallen in love with the Sun, enlisted the help of Jack Hare to take her a bejeweled treasure, and how on his journey Jack lost the treasure. The twist of the story was that within the book clues where hidden to the location of a real life bejeweled hare worth £5000 pounds buried close to the memorial cross in Ampthill Park.