In 1870-72, John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described Harrold like this:
HARROLD, a small town, a parish, and a sub-district in the district and county of Bedford. The town stands on the river Ouse, 2½ miles ENE of the meeting-point with Bucks and Northamptonshire, 4 WSW of Sharnbrook r. station, and 9 NW of Bedford; was formerly called Harewold or Harewood; and has a post-office‡ under Bedford, a neat market-house, a good bridge over the Ouse, a church, a large Independent chapel, national schools, and six alms-houses. ...
The church consists of nave, aisles, and double chancel, with tower and spire; is in good condition; and has an ancient monument to Lady Joliffe. A weekly cornmarket is held on Tuesday; cattle fairs are held on the Tuesday before 13 May, the Tuesday before 6 July, and the Tuesday before 11 Oct.; and lace-making is carried on.—The parish comprises 3,240 acres. Real property, £4,242. Pop., 1,119. Houses, 244. The landed property is divided among a few. The manor belongs to the Countess Cowper. A small Augustinian priory was founded near the town, in the time of Stephen; and was given, at the dissolution, to Lord Parr. A mansion called Harrold Hall, belonging to the Alston family, and a farm-house, belonging to the Gambiers, are now on the priory's grounds. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Ely. Value, £202.* Patron, the Countess Cowper.—The sub-district contains also five other parishes. Acres, 12,100. Pop., 3,238. Houses, 708.
Harrold through time
Harrold is now part of Bedford district. Click here for graphs and data of how Bedford has changed over two centuries. For statistics about Harrold itself, go to Units and Statistics.
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Harrold, in Bedford and Bedfordshire | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/1369
Date accessed: 24th April 2024
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