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By Linda J. Safran, a 12th generation descendant of Rev. Peter Bulkeley who lives in Baltimore, Maryland. She was captivated by the architecture and the people of Odell during a visit to All Saints Parish in 2002. As a volunteer, she now helps with the stateside effort to raise funds for its restoration.
 If you are interested in the history of Concord and will be visiting England, consider a day trip to picturesque Odell, the birthplace of one of Concord's founders and its first minister, Rev. Peter Bulkeley. Visit All Saint's Parish where he preached from 1621 to 1635, and where his father preached before him. The parish receives many Americans whose ancestors had links with Odell.
All Saint's was founded by 1220 and completed in the early 15th century. The church in Odell (rhymes with "yodel"), Bedfordshire, stands in a commanding position on a mound overlooking the road at the eastern end of the village. It is a fine perpendicular style building, the fabric of which has remained largely unaltered over the centuries since it was completed. The church is listed in England's Thousand Best Churches by Simon Jenkins, where it is described as "unrestored and charmingly atmospheric."
 Odell is one of smallest of the Ouse Valley villages, with about two hundred households. Situated in Bedfordshire near the borders of Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire, Odell is ten miles from Bedford which can be reached by commuter train from London Blackfriars Station or Kings Cross Thameslink. This picturesque farming village makes a perfect pilgrimage destination for anyone who cherishes Concord's history and for anyone who would like to experience a charming English countryside village.
One aspect of the church particularly noteworthy are the fragments of historic medieval glass which had been in the tracery lights of several windows at aisle and clerestory level.
In 1995, Professor Richard Marks of the Centre for Medieval Studies at the University of York drew attention to the importance of this glass and its deteriorating condition, and as an interim measure a faculty was obtained for the removal of the main portions to Canterbury Cathedral Studios for safe-keeping, on the basis that it would in due course be conserved and reinstalled. They are in the process of conserving some of these priceless windows and reproducing those that are beyond repair. To learn more about the parish's historic medieval glass windows, click here.
For more information about arranging a tour from Bedford Station to the parish with a stop at the village pub, contact parish volunteer, Ann Hudson. Contributions to All Saints for tours will be appreciated.
(See a previously published article on Peter Bulkeley and early Concord history here.)
Photos: Courtesy of All Saint's Church, Odell
 
 
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