Christ Church

Bedford's principal parish church and county church of Bedfordshire, has an imposing site at the heart of this busy market town, close to the main bridge over the river.

St Mary's is unusual in that is has two main parts, the older is a typically 15th century village church dating from 1228 and the later is the new 20th century nave and sanctuary.

Elstow's mighty 13th century bell tower, one of only a handful of freestanding church towers in the country, looks out across the spacious village green and stands side by side with the remaining part of a Norman abbey, which is now the parish church.