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Prehistoric burial mounds and earthworks on the chalk hills around our town bear
witness to its importance since earliest times. The town sits in a gap through the Chiltern Hills on the site of
a small Roman settlement called Durocobrivis, which was established at crossroads formed by the Roman Watling Street
and the prehistoric Icknield Way.
The site was abandoned in Saxon times but it was here that Henry I founded an Augustinian priory in 1131, built
a palace and established a new market town. The town became a place of considerable importance, hosting regular
royal visits and jousting tournaments. It was at the priory, in the 16th century, that the annulment of Henry VIII's
marriage to Catherine of Aragon was pronounced, followed by the dissolution of the priory itself soon afterwards.
Parts of the original priory church, with its fine Norman nave and magnificent west front, survives as the town's
parish church.
Dunstable picked itself up from the ruins of the Reformation and again became a busy town with the advent of stagecoach
travel. Several coaching inns remain from this prosperous period, which itself declined with the coming of the
railway age and the consequent shift of the straw plait and hat making industries from Dunstable to Luton with
its main line railway station.
Once again Dunstable
rode out its misfortunes and, at the turn of the century, began to welcome new industries including printing and
engineering and, most notably, the motor trade. Today, many companies with household names have premises on the
town's modern industrial estates.
Do you have any long lost friends or family ? why not
use our find friends and family service ?
See inside site for details
Inside this site
- Old photographs, Beecroft School and Brewers Hill School photos, lost friends service, mobile phone unlocking,
local business adverts, from an accountant to a plumber to registered child minders to weathervanes, wrought iron
gates and railings, electricians, mobile phone unlocking, hairdressers, kennels, gas heating engineers, garage
services, slimming clubs, computer repairs, desk top publishing, video repairs, tv repairs, wedding videos / photography,
cake makers, wedding services, bridal wear, asbestos surveyors, etc. etc.links to local sites, up to the hour news,
daily horoscopes, the latest F1 news and much much more.
If you have any queries regarding this site, please contact.
Martin Rollings webmaster@dunstable.org.uk
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