The Immortal Dreamer - The Tinker of Bedford - The Faithful Pilgrim

If Bedford is famous for any one reason, that reason is John Bunyan. It was in Elstow, on the southern outskirts of Bedford, that Bunyan was born. He lived and worked here, he married here and it was in Bedford Gaol that he began writing his masterpiece "Pilgrims Progress".

John Bunyan was born in 1628 in rather humble surroundings as the son of a tinker. He grew up as most youngsters did playing tip-cat and other games on the village green and learned the basics of reading and writing at the local school. As he got a little older he travelled around the area following his father, helping him in his work and learning the trade himself. Indeed it's thought that some of the local landmarks that he came across as he travelled around were the inspiration for some of the places mentioned in Pilgrims Progress. Ampthill Hill is thought to be the inspiration behind the "Hill of Difficulty" and Houghton House, on the outskirts of Ampthill, could well be "The Palace Beautiful"

During the Civil War, Bunyan served with the parliamentary forces against the King. He narrowly escaped death when a fellow soldier, on guard duty in his place, was shot and killed. This particular incident possibly focused Bunyan's thoughts on more spiritual matters.

Bunyan returned to Elstow and resumed his life as a tinker and spending his evening's bell ringing at the local Church. Through time he married a local girl and they had 4 children. One of them was a blind girl and this could well have been another catalyst in Bunyan's journey to spiritual awakening. He reflected on his life and became aware of the need to find something stronger to cling to and he was soon to find it.

Eventually, he came under the ministry and influence of John Gifford, a former soldier and the Pastor of a small newly formed independent congregation. This group met at St John's Church in Bedford and Bunyan joined them in the early 1650's. Through Gifford, he was led to the Truth and became a preacher.

In 1660, Cromwell's Protectorate came to an end and the Monarchy was restored when Charles II came onto the throne. In the belief that national unity could only be achieved through religious uniformity, tolerance for dissenters like Bunyan came to an end and only men from the established Church were licensed to preach. By this time Bunyan was a respected preacher but he refused to stop speaking to any congregation that wanted to hear him. He was arrested and sentenced to remain in prison until he agreed to conform. All that he needed to do to secure his release from imprisonment was to sign a paper agreeing to abide by the new ruling. Bunyan refused to do this, on a matter of principle, and at the age of 32 he began his sentence at the County Gaol. The County Gaol stood on the corner of the High Street and Silver Street. A plaque on the footpath marks this spot as the building itself has long since disappeared.

As the months went by there was no sign of Bunyan being released from prison and his second wife, Elizabeth, even pleaded with the Lord Chief Justice of England to get the case re-opened. Alas, it was to no avail and Bunyan was to serve the next 12 years in prison. During this time Bunyan wrote two major works, his autobiography, "Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners", and his most famous work "The Pilgrims Progress".

In 1672, King Charles II issued the Declaration of Religious Indulgence and Bunyan, along with many others, was set free. Bunyan set about resuming his preaching and he was appointed Pastor of the Independent Congregation. The congregation thrived and later moved to a new site in Mill Street, Bedford, where the Bunyan Meeting Free Church still exists to this day.

However, only a year later the King withdrew his Declaration and Bunyan was again put in prison. It is thought that Bunyan served this term in the Town Gaol, which was small and nothing more than a room above an archway over the old Town Bridge. Four years later, in June 1677, he was released and on 18th February 1678 he published "The Pilgrims Progress", the book for which he is so fondly remembered.

Bunyan lived for another 10 years during which he fervently preached the Gospel to congregations in Bedfordshire and London as well as neighbouring counties. He also found the time to write a further 40 books.

On a visit to London, Bunyan contracted pneumonia and he died in August 1688 just before the Glorious Revolution and the reign of King William III, Prince of Orange. There is some evidence to suggest that Bunyan was aware of the earlier moves in the events leading up to the Glorious Revolution, and that he approved. The pity is that he did not live to see it. John Bunyan's final resting place is a vault at Bunhill Fields, City Road, in London.

Even today, three hundred and fifty odd years after it was written, Pilgrims Progress outsells every other book except the Bible, a lasting testament to Bunyan's skill as a writer and a tribute to his continuing impact on those who read his work.

Note: A museum dedicated to the life and faith of John Bunyan is located adjacent to the Bunyan Meeting Free Church, Mill Street, Bedford, and information on other sites of interest is freely available from Bedford Tourist Information office. Telephone (0044) 1234 215226