Kempston, Bedfordshire

Description
Kempston, a village and a parish in Bedfordshire. The village stands on the river Ouse, 2 1/4 miles SW from Bedford railway station, and has a post, money order, and telegraph office under Bedford. The parish comprises 5026 acres; population, 4736. Pillow lace is made, and there is a large corn mill. The Bedford Barracks and the County School for boys of the middle class stand in this parish. The Grange, The Hoo, Kempston House, the Bury, the Lodge, Moorland, Crossland Fosse, and Austin Canons are chief residences. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Ely; net value, , £325 with residence. The church is partly Norman, has Decorated clerestory, aisles, and S porch, has a tower partly Norman, partly later, was restored in 1864, and contains a Decorated font. There is a fine peal of six bells. Another church, St John's, was erected in 1868. There are Baptist, Wesleyan, and Primitive Methodist chapels. An extensive Saxon burying-place was discovered in this parish, containing a large number of skeletons, an ancient British coin, two coins of Constantine, a variety of weapons, a unique drink-ing-cup, and a great variety of Saxon ornaments.