Leighton Buzzard as the Grand Union Canal was opened there. More recently, Leighton Buzzard station was the location for part of the film "Robbery", which is based on the so-called "Great Train Robbery" (1963), whereas the actual robbery took place just outside the town, at Bridego bridge, Ledburn. In the "Domesday Book", Leighton Buzzard and Linslade were both called Leestone. Leighton Buzzard contains All Saints' Church, an Early English parish church dating from 1277. The church has a 190 ft spire and has been described as the 'cathedral of South Bedfordshire'. The church was damaged by fire in the 1980s, but has
Leighton Buzzard came from Old English "Lēah-tūn", meaning 'farm in a clearing in the woods'. The "Buzzard" was added by the Dean of Lincoln, in whose diocese the town lay in the 12th century (arguably it was "Beau-desert", which later turned into "Buzzard".) Having two communities called "Leighton" and seeking some means of differentiating them, he added the name of his local Prebendary or representative to that of the town. At that time it was a Theobald de Busar and so over the years the town became known as Leighton Buzzard. The other Leighton became Leighton Bromswold. Leighton Buzzard is also famous