2025
Saturday 13th September – St. Andrews Church – Special Event; A guided Tour of St. Andrew’s Church and Tower with Cream Tea. This is a fundraiser for Friends of St Andrews (FOSA).
Tuesday 7th October – Ampthill House and the Wingfield Family. (John Hele)
– A journey into the rich past of Ampthill House and the families that shaped its story, including the exotic menagerie that once roamed the grounds.
Tuesday 4th November – Wrest Park, a World War 1 Hospital (Richard Luscombe)
– From aristocratic elegance to battlefield recovery – Wrest Park’s remarkable role as a WW1 hospital is revealed.
Tuesday 2nd December – The Annulment of Henry VIII Marriage to Katherine of Aragon (Dunstable Town Tour Guides)
– Katherine of Aragon was residing in Ampthill, when a special court was held at Dunstable Priory to consider if she was legally married to King Henry VIII.
2026
3rd March – Building Whipsnade Zoo (Paul Wilson)
– This talk looks at the development and fascinating history of Whipsnade Zoo and how it came to be, with surprising roots in Ampthill’s exotic animal collection.
7th April – A Healthy Interest (John & June Lockley)
– Two of our retired medical & nursing members will be sharing some of their memories, collection of medical memorabilia, experience of healthcare over the decades and their other local interests.
5th May – The Eric Houfe Memorial Lecture and AGM
Many Mansions: The Architectural Records of Sir Albert Richardson and Eric Houfe, (Pamela Birch)
– Take a look at the archives of Sir Albert Richardson and Eric Houfe, revealing how their work, and their lives, intertwined with the evolving landscape of Ampthill.
