a market-town of England, Bedfordshire, on the right bank of the Lea, 31 miles N.N.W. of London. It consists of three long irregular streets diverging from the market-place. The chief public edifice is the church, a fine old building of the Gothic and later English styles, containing a hexagonal font, and a number of interesting monuments. There are also a town-hall, a market-house, a literary and mechanics' institute, besides several chapels and schools. The inhabitants are principally employed in straw-hat making, brewing, and trading in agricultural produce. Market-day, Monday. Pop. (1851) 10,648.