Saint Mary's Church has one of the oldest ecclesiastical foundations in Bedford, dating from the early 900s. The church that stands today is largely in Norman and Perpendicular styles with Victorian additions. The north aisle dates from the sixteenth century and the south aisle, added in 1853, offers the most obvious structural change to have occurred  from the date of Fisher's watercolour to the date of the photograph. The monuments in the church are good examples of  late seventeenth to early nineteenth century work; one brass commemorates Dr Giles Thorne, Chaplain to to Charles II, dated 1671.  The church  underwent considerable repair in the twentieth century and today is used as  the base of Albion Archaeology.