Houghton House
Houghton House was built in 1621 by Mary, Countess of Pembroke and sister of the poet Sir Philip Sidney. In 1675, the house provided the inspiration for 'House Beautiful' in John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress. Bunyan's work is loosely based on his own journey between Bedford and Luton, and the steep slope leading into Ampthill was the model for the 'Hill of Difficulty'. Houghton House passed to the Duke of Bedford in 1738 and became a ruin after the removal of the roof in 1794.
Read more about this topic: Ampthill
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