Shortstown is a small residential parish on the eastern edge of Bedford in Bedfordshire, originally laid out in the 1910s to house workers for the airship works at nearby Cardington. The village still sits under the shadow of the enormous Cardington airship sheds, a striking local landmark with strong ties to early British airship history and occasional use as film and TV locations, which gives the area an unusual industrial-heritage character.
Today Shortstown combines its original model-village core with substantial modern housing, a primary school and community facilities, and a largely commuter population travelling to Bedford, Milton Keynes or London. It is part of the Borough of Bedford and is known for a close-knit community feel, local events and the visible reminders of its aeronautical past.
Postcode districts covering Shortstown
Most populated places nearby
- Milton Keynes 14.7 miles
- Northampton 20.9 miles
- Luton 15 miles
- Cambridge 24.6 miles
- Bedford 2.3 miles
- Stevenage 17.7 miles
- Hemel Hempstead 25 miles
- Kettering 23.1 miles
- Kettering Town 23 miles
- Welwyn Garden City 23.4 miles
- Dunstable 16.2 miles
- Wellingborough 17.6 miles
Neighbouring places
- Shortstown Built-up area 0.1 miles
- Cardington Built-up area 0.9 miles
- Kingsbrook Ward 1 mile
- Cotton End Built-up area 1.3 miles
- Elstow Parish 1.6 miles
- Cauldwell Ward 1.8 miles
- Cople Built-up area 1.8 miles
- Riverfield Ward 1.8 miles
- Castle & Newnham Ward 1.9 miles
- Bedford Built-up area 2.3 miles
- Wilshamstead Parish 2.3 miles
- Wixams & Wilstead Ward 2.4 miles
Example postcodes in Shortstown
MK42 0GG, MK42 0FB, MK42 0FN, MK42 0FJ, MK42 0UA, MK42 0LB, MK42 0JX, MK42 0QW, MK42 0DW … See all
Transport links
- Luton Airport 16.6 miles
- Stansted Airport 32.3 miles
- Bedford St Johns Railway Station 2 miles
- Bedford Railway Station 2.7 miles
Hotels near Shortstown Ad
- The Kingfisher Pub and Hotel 4 0.8 miles
- Holiday Inn Express Bedford 3 2.1 miles
- D'parys 2.7 miles
- Verve Hotel 4 3 miles
- Woodland Manor Hotel 3 4.1 miles
- Bedford Swan Hotel and Thermal Spa 4 2.2 miles
- The White Hart 4 6.3 miles
- Mercure Bedford Centre Hotel 4 2.2 miles
- The Crown Pub, Dining & Rooms 8.4 miles
- Cranfield Management Development Centre 8.7 miles
Schools in Shortstown
- Shortstown Primary School Primary
Local points of interest
- Moot Hall Museum 1.8 miles
- Redbourne College College 7.1 miles
- Wrest House Estate 7.3 miles
- Silsoe College - Cranfield University College 7.4 miles
- Flitwick Moor Nature reserve 7.9 miles
- Santa Pod Raceway Recreation 11.2 miles
- Woburn Abbey Estate 11.4 miles
- Toddington library Library 12.1 miles
- British School Museum Museum 13.2 miles
- Putteridge Bury Estate 14.2 miles
- Hayley Wood Forest 14.4 miles
- Theatre MK Theatre 14.4 miles