John Bunyan
Bunyan - the Elstow Tinker

People > Bunyan, John

Bedfordshire Times February 1984

ANY self-respecting Bedfordian knows about our most famous statue, that of John Bunyan which stands in St Peter's Street.

Most of us also know that Bunyan was imprisoned in the county jail, which was at that time on the corner of the High Street and Silver Street and is now marked by a pavement plaque, We might even know that Bunyan's most famous work was Pilgrim's Progress, part of which was written whilst he was a prisoner in the county jail, and that he was a preacher with John Gifford's independent church and imprisoned for not attending religious services at a recognised place of worship.

What we might not know about John Bunyan, however, is that he spent some four or five years in Newport Pagnell, in the course of military service, and that when he returned to civilian life at Elstow it was to earn his living as a tinker.

Bunyan's second wife Elizabeth lived just a few hundred yards from the prison whilst Bunyan was there, and looked after his four children from his first marriage. During his twelve years of imprisonment, Bunyan occupied his time with writing.

It is also reputed that Bunyan spent some of his time making 'many hundred gross of long tagg'd laces.’ He had periods of unofficial parole and towards the end of his imprisonment was appointed pastor of his church.

During Bunyan's term of imprisonment there were a number of fellow religious prisoners, many of whom were Quakers. A record from the minute book of the justices notes the imprisonment in 1658 of John Impey and Anne Squire for living in sin (the couple were, in fact, married according to Quaker custom !).

The jail during Bunyans time saw the usual turnover of criminals, a few of whom are worth a mention. John Bubb was sentenced to death in 1666 for killing a man by striking him in the eye with a tobacco pipe. A petition, accompanied by statements from two surgeons, one a woman, succeeded in their appeal, and 8ubb was pardoned.

Elizabeth Pratt was committed for trial on the charge of witchcraft. The most damning evidence against her was that she had been examined by two women for the recognised signs of being a witch, and in particular for a 'devil's teat' to prove that she had suckled the devil. Elizabeth Pratt was never tried as she died in prison before the trial.

Reproduced by permission of the Bedfordshire Times

Page last updated: 23rd January 2014