John Pestell’s interest in John Bunyan began at a young age. He spent the first few years of his life growing up in John Bunyan’s cottage in Elstow. Here, his family regularly welcomed visitors from all over the world, all keen to see where Bunyan had lived. John credits his fascination with Bunyan stemming from his father who was an avid admirer of him.
John has lived and worked in Bedford his whole life and his love of John Bunyan has never left him, writing a number of books about the man’s life and work – John Bunyan : exploring the world of John Bunyan, author of The Pilgrim’s Progress (2002) and Travel with John Bunyan (2002) which has been translated into Korean
John created two talks for the Friends of John Bunyan Museum Hidden History series on YouTube – Bunyan’s Pulpit and The Bronze Doors installed at Bunyan Meeting Church. He is a regular speaker and tour guide on the subject of The Pilgrim’s Progress and John Bunyan’s life. He is also a committee member for the Friends of John Bunyan Museum.
John attends Providence Baptist Chapel in Bedford as he has done his whole life, where he now volunteers as both Secretary and a Sunday School Superintendent. This church is situated near to several Bunyan heritage sites in Bedford and it is likely that the founders who first met together at a Bran Chamber locally in 1809, were among the spiritual descendants of John Bunyan.
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