# The Bury, Bedford



## BikinGlynn (Feb 19, 2016)

I knew about this place as I did some work on the new housing estate that now surrounds it, but was led to believe at the time it was being pulled down but alas its still there. I don't believe this has appeared before which is amazing given its location.

While the house was inaccessible the outbuildings had a wealth of stuff in them, with the main barns mainly housing car parts & a side barn which appeared to be a annex complete with bathroom & one room seemingly dedicated to the beach with surfboards & deckchairs in abundance.

The Visit
I was just passing this to be honest with my young lad & said lets just pop into the estate & have a look if its still there. The approach side was well walled in, but as we rounded to the front its completely open to the new houses in a "public access" kind of way, we proceeded with caution as there are numerous security guard / camera & dog signs and the caravan in the confines of the yard looked suspicious but we soon noticed this too was derelict so proceeded unhindered.

The History
Took me quite a while to find anything on this but this comes from a listed building application which bizarrely it failed to achieve.
The Bury was built near the site of a much older house. It is first recorded in 1584/5 as a capital messuage called the Berrey and appears to have been the manor of Kempston St Johns. It was sold to the Cater family in 1624, and a new house was built in 1630. A stone plaque bearing this date is displayed on a wall inside the house. The new building is shown on Gordon’s map of 1736 and it was known as The Place or Place House. In 1801 the Caters sold the property to William Long, and it was sold again in 1851. The sale particulars describe the house as ‘an old family mansion (now out of repair)’ constructed of substantial brickwork with stone quoins and other dressings. It is described as being surrounded by about 185 acres of fertile land with a fine avenue of elms. The lawn is enclosed by walls and on the eastern side is a large walled garden and an orchard. The Bury was bought by Talbot Barnard of Kempston Hoo who pulled down the old house and built the present house nearby. In the Victoria County History (1913), it is recorded that the house was, in the year of publication, the residence of Mr Walter G. Harter. It is described as having, to the south-east, the remains of a high brick garden wall of a C17 building with two fine gate piers supporting well-carved stone eagles (Grade II listed); and, to the north, a few outhouses of older date than the present building. 


P2190099 by Glynn Preston, on Flickr


P2190037b by Glynn Preston, on Flickr


P2190084 by Glynn Preston, on Flickr


P2190070 by Glynn Preston, on Flickr


P2190061 by Glynn Preston, on Flickr


P2190052 by Glynn Preston, on Flickr


P2190049 by Glynn Preston, on Flickr


P2190047 by Glynn Preston, on Flickr


P2190014 by Glynn Preston, on Flickr


P2190011 by Glynn Preston, on Flickr


P2190008 by Glynn Preston, on Flickr


P2190022 by Glynn Preston, on Flickr


P2190097b by Glynn Preston, on Flickr


P2190093 by Glynn Preston, on Flickr


P2190080 by Glynn Preston, on Flickr


P2190098b by Glynn Preston, on Flickr


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## The_Derp_Lane (Feb 19, 2016)

Could be a little treasure manor inside the house. Nice find.


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## BikinGlynn (Feb 19, 2016)

Gutted there was no access, but reading the listing request, it is denied on lack of original internal features!

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1411729


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## tazong (Feb 19, 2016)

Looks like a great explore - such a pity you could not get inside the building but if its locked its locked - respect to you for keeping to the boundrys.


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## flyboys90 (Feb 20, 2016)

Great find!love the 60,s wallpaper.


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## Rubex (Feb 20, 2016)

Nice find, what a beautiful building


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