Homes to Rent and Buy in Odell

Odell is about seven miles north-west of Bedford, right next to Harrold and close to the Great Ouse. It’s tiny, with under 300 people at the 2011 census, and the whole village is a conservation area.

All Saints’ Church is Grade I listed. It was built in the 15th century in one go, with a massive west tower in the Northamptonshire style. Odell also has an unexpected American connection: Peter Bulkeley, born here in 1582, went on to found Concord, Massachusetts. And between 1975 and 1981 the Greenbelt Festival was held at the church and castle, with up to 15,000 people.

The Bell on the High Street is a thatched pub by the green, with a large garden near the river. Harrold-Odell Country Park is just down the lane, and there’s a circular walk from the Bell round Odell Great Wood.

There’s no school in Odell, so younger children usually go to Harrold Primary Academy next door, and older ones to Sharnbrook Academy. Buses run to Bedford on the 25. It’s a village for people who want real peace and quiet.