Woburn, Bedfordshire

History

Woburn was first recorded as a hamlet in 969 and is found in the Domesday Book of 1086. It is best known as the location of Woburn Abbey (a stately home), founded by Cistercian monks in 1145 and granted to the first Earl of Bedford in 1538 after the dissolution of the monasteries, and Woburn Safari Park. The village may have been called "Woburne Chapell" in Medieval times, in order to distinguish it from the abbey. Woburn has been burned down and rebuilt three times. A mediaeval chimney fire spread due to the prevalence of thatched roofs and closely built houses. Then, during the English Civil War, the Cavaliers burned down much of the village and in 1724 a third fire destroyed much of the town, which was re-built in the Georgian style that remains today.

During the nineteenth century, Woburn was an important staging post on a nationwide coaching network. The town had 27 inns and the first 24-hour post office outside London. However, with Woburn Sands rather than Woburn being selected for a railway station, Woburn's importance attached to its strategic location decreased. The population fell from 2,100 in 1851 to 700 about a century later.

Under the 8th Duke of Bedford, a new parish church was completed in Woburn in 1868. It was equipped with a crypt beneath, which was originally intended as the burial place of the Dukes of Bedford and their family. In the end the dukes continued to use the ancient mausoleum at St Michael's, Chenies, and the crypt of St. Mary's parish church in Woburn is now used for events and meetings. The hatch through which coffins would have been lowered into the crypt is still visible.

Modern Woburn

Woburn is a residential village and tourist attraction. Aside from Woburn Abbey and Woburn Safari Park, tourists visit Woburn's Georgian centre and the Woburn Heritage Centre local history museum. Woburn hosts a popular Village Festival around the last weekend in August every year attracting thousands of visitors. Facilities for residents include a heated outdoor swimming pool open in the summer months, the Village Hall, St. Mary's Church, Woburn Lower School and various independent shops. Woburn also has a monthly Farmers' Market on the third Sunday of the month organised by the Village Traders.

Tiger Moth airplane rallies continue at Woburn Abbey with the 2013 rally seeing over 80 vintage and classic aircraft in the air above the stately home. Woburn Abbey has also played host to many outdoor live music concerts including Dire Straits, Elton John and Neil Diamond. In July 2007 the Abbey hosted the three-day Woburn Live concert featuring Classic FM Live, Van Morrison and Ronnie Scott's Big Band on three consecutive evenings. Woburn was chosen by Center Parcs as the named location for its fifth holiday village at a cost of £250 million. The actual location is 7 miles (11 km) away between Millbrook and Steppingley; Center Parcs Woburn Forest sits on an ancient wood called Millbrook Warren. It opened to guests in spring 2014. Notable people who live in Woburn include; the Duke of Bedford, and, the family of Sir Jackie Stewart, the 3 time world F1 champion.

Sports and leisure facilities

Apart from the new Centerparcs, Woburn has its own lido. In addition to the good walks and cycling opportunities afforded by the Estate and the local roads, Woburn lies across the routes of both the Greensand Ridge Walk and the Greensand Cycle Way.

Woburn Golf Club, 2.5 miles (4.0 km) west of Woburn, has hosted the Women's British Open ten times between 1984 and 2016.