Biggleswade A small  historic Bedfordshire Market Town Biggleswade has a  rich history and much of its character comes from buildings that have remained  largely unchanged over the years. The town centre features the Market Square  where a general market is held each Saturday. It is surrounded by shops, many in  attractive converted buildings such as the old Market house. The river  Ivel runs along the northern and western boundaries of the town causing  development to be very one-sided, with housing estates in the east and  south. Road and rail communications are good. Biggleswade is situated on  the A1 and has fast trains into London Kings Cross. The population is  currently 10,500 but there is much housing development. Leisure  facilities include a sports centre and a heated indoor swimming pool. The town  is a fair sized industrial centre for engineering and various light industries.  There are two main industrial estates. Biggleswade is in the heart of the  market gardening area of the county of Bedfordshire. It acts as a centre for a  number of nearby villages.