Historic Places

Bedford Corn Exchange built in 1872 became home to the BBC Symphony Orchestra and in 1944 hosted the BBC proms. A large number of celebrities performed live there, including notable artists such as Vera Lynn, Humphrey Bogart, Gracie Fields and Glen Miller. Glenn Miller used Studio No 1 in the Corn Exchange to broadcast live to the nation during the war years and a bust has been erected in his honour outside the Corn Exchange.

Dominating the skyline of the south of Bedford are the Cardington Hangars. In 1917 they were originally constructed by AJ Main & Co for the building of Airships and are over 800ft tall. The first hangar was followed by a second shed which famously housed the R101 airship which tragically crashed on a voyage to India just north west of Paris. Unfortunately the development of airships was ceased due to this disaster and the sheds became redundant.

World War II saw the hangars being utilised to train barrage balloon operators and the hangars have also been used for training services and more recently has played a role in the filmmaking industry with the filming of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate factory and Batman Begins. Both bringing notable celebrities such as Johnny Depp and Michael Caine to Bedford Town Centre where they were based during filming.