Statue of John Bunyan, Bedford

John Bunyan (1628-1688) was an English Christian writer and religious dissident, who was born, and lived in Bedfordshire and was twice imprisoned in Bedford County Gaol.

Follow out in your lives the lesson which The Pilgrim's Progress teaches, and then you will all of you be even better monuments of John Bunyan than this magnificent statue which the Duke of Bedford has given you.

[7] Even Punch covered the unveiling: Bunyan the Pilgrim, dreamer, preacher, Sinner and soldier, tinker and teacher, For heresy scoffed, scourged, put in prison— The day of Tolerance yet un-arisen— Who heard from the dark of his dungeon lair The roar and the tumult of Vanity Fair, Ans shadowed Man's pilgimrage forth with passion, Heroic, in God-guided poet fashion, Has now his revenge; he looks down at you In a ducally-commissioned Statue was part of Mr Punch's opinion.

[7]: 116–117 A certain amount of discussion in the press revived an old idea that Bunyan had plagiarized the Pilgrims Progress from a work by a medieval French monk, Guillaume de Guileville, The Pylgrymage of the Sowle.

[10] In the twentieth century, according to Paddy Ashdown, red footprints were painted from the statue to a nearby ladies public convenience, and back to the plinth.

The pose is reminiscent of one of the figures in the picture in the house of the Interpreter the Pilgrim's Progress, "...it had eyes uplift to Heaven, the best of Books in his hand, the law of Truth was written upon his lips...".

[12][13] The figure, which incorporates a substantial base inscribed "John Bunyan" stands on a square plinth of Aberdeen granite.

[14] There are three bronze relief scenes from The Pilgrim's Progress set in the plinth:[3] Christian at the wicket gate; his fight with Apollyon; and losing his burden at the foot of the cross of Jesus.