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 – The Building of 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 Doctor’s Collection (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.
The Annual General Meeting of the Ampthill and District Preservation Society will be held after the Talk.
