Bedford was founded at a ford on the River Great Ouse, and is thought to have been the burial place of Offa of Mercia.
- Bedford, city, historic county of Bedfordshire, England, in the fertile valley of the River Ouse. A Roman fording station and a Saxon town, it was recaptured by the Anglo-Saxon sovereign Edward the Elder.
- Bedford Castle was built by Henry I, although it was destroyed in 1224. Bedford was granted borough status in 1165 and has been represented in Parliament since 1265. It is well known for its large population of Italian descent.
- Bedford is on the Midland Main Line, with stopping services to London and Brighton operated by Thameslink, and express services to London and the East Midlands operated by East Midlands Trains.
