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General
Harrold is best approached from the south, as you get a remarkable view of St Peter’s church amongst the trees in the background and the mediaeval bridge across the river in the foreground. The village lies to the north-west of Bedford and has a population of 1,170.
The bridge was first mentioned in 1278-9 and is located in the corner of four parishes. Because of this it was required that four separate lords of the manor maintain the bridge so that each was responsible for one arch. This led to a large variation in styles from one arch to the next. The High Street is lined with stone-built houses and cottages in the middle of which is the village green. The green is unusual in that it contains a strange round lockup with a steep roof. The early eighteenth century Market House also stands on the green.
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Harrold Road
About three years ago on a February morning a man was driving home from work after completing the nightshift. He had reached the Harrold Road which runs from Lavendon to Harrold at about 06:45 when he spotted a bird lying in the lane. In his headlights it looked like a hen pheasant which he only just managed to avoid running over himself. He drove on to a spot where he knew he could turn round so that he could go back and check the bird. As he reversed into a farm entrance he saw another car coming up the lane which swerved across the lane (one assumes to miss the bird) and came to a stop.
As the nightshift worker approached the scene he saw that the other driver had stopped on the wrong side of the road. The driver had got out of the car and was standing looking back at the bird six metres behind his car. The driver was a young man wearing jeans, a grey jumper and a red woolly hat. As he approached the young man did not move so he had to drive round him then avoid the bird. The way the man was acting appeared to be very odd so the nightshift worker carried on down the lane for twenty metres before doing a ‘U’ turn at a turning off the lane. As the driver swung round he was amazed to see that the bird, the young man and his car had all vanished.
To view a map of the area click on the button below
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High Street
Two Police Officers who were stationed at a rural Police station in the north of the county were patrolling the village of Harrold at between 03:00 and 03:30. It was a cold and very foggy weekday morning in 2002 even though it was supposed to be summer. Because of the fog they were driving slowly as they turned into the High Street from the Odell Road. Driving towards the green the officer who was the passenger pointed out a bike rider in front of them who looked out of place because of the bike she was riding.
The bike was an all black tricycle looking like it had come from Victorian days. Between the two back wheels was a wicker basket and the front headlight looked like an oil lamp. The rider appeared to be wearing an all-in-one sleeveless black dress which seemed inappropriate for the weather. The bike appeared to be of the old style where the pedals are linked to the drive wheel so that you had to constantly pedal and couldn’t free wheel. She was constantly pedalling at the same slow speed without deviating from her course or changing how she sat.
As they passed the passenger commented to the driver that she was definitely a ghost, they turned around to look at her but she was gone. In the twenty seconds it took to turn the car around she and the bike had completely vanished. At the time she was some way away from cover on a street with poor but adequate lighting. Since then they have never encountered the rider again even though they patrol the same area at about the same time of night.
To view a map of the area click on the button below
To view images see:
Harrold Album
To view a report about the High Street see:
28-01-2005
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The Oakley Arms
The Oakley Arms in Harrold appears to be haunted by the ghost of a former landlord, Dan Orpin. Dan ran the pub during the thirties and forties and since his death has appeared in front of drinkers many times. He either runs through the pub or sits smoking a cigarette and drinking a pint. His footsteps are sometimes heard upstairs but his preference is to sit in the bar with the other customers.
To view a map of the area click on the button below
Harrold, The Oakley Arms
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