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Leighton Buzzard

The town’s interesting name tells a lot about its history: Leighton is Old English and refers to a centre for market gardening, whilst the Buzzard is a reference not to the bird of prey, but to a local clergyman, Theobald de Busar, the town’s first Prebendary. The town’s past prosperity as a market centre is reflected in the grandeur of its fine Market Cross, a 15th-century pentagonal structure with an open base and statues under vaulted openings all topped off by pinnacles. The market is still held here every Tuesday and Saturday.

The spire of All Saints Church is over 190 feet high and is a local landmark. This big ironstone church dates from 1277 and contains a number of endearing features in the form of graffiti left by the medieval stonemasons: one shows a man and a woman quarrelling over whether to boil or bake a simnel cake. Seriously damaged by fire in 1985, the church has been carefully restored to its medieval glory; the painstaking work included re-gilding the roof, which is particularly fine, with carved figures of angels. One of its chief treasures is a 13th-century oak eagle lectern.

Leighton Buzzard and its neighbour Linslade are on the Grand Union Canal and visitors can take leisurely boat trips along this once busy commercial waterway on the Leighton Lady.

Historic forms of transport seem to be the town’s speciality, as visitors can also take a steam train journey on the Leighton Buzzard Railway (see panel above), one of England’s premier narrow gauge operations. It was established in 1919 to move sand from the quarries opened up to supply sand during the First World War. From the late 1960s the quarries used road transport, but the railway was saved as a heritage line. It has the largest collection of narrow gauge locomotives in Britain. The 70-minute journey takes in bends, gradients and level crossings – something to delight at every turn. Call 01525 373888 for timetable details. The town lies at one end of the Greensand Ridge Walk, which extends across Bedfordshire to finish some 40 miles away at Gamlingay, Cambridgeshire. The name Greensand comes from the geology of the area, a belt of greensand that stretches from Leighton Buzzard up to Sandy and beyond. The walk passes many attractions, including the Grand Union Canal, Stockgrove Country Park, Woburn Abbey, Ampthill Park and Houghton House.