Success For Woburn Abbey And Gardens At National Tourism Awards

Receiving the award

Woburn Abbey and Gardens won a major award at the National Coach Tourism Awards 2014 on the 15th May.

The awards, held at the Blackpool Tower Ballroom, was organised by trade magazine Coach Monthly and recognises excellence and innovation across coach tour operators, tourist destinations and attractions, and industry suppliers. Woburn Abbey and Gardens won the award for “Coach Friendly Visitor Attraction of the Year”.  
    
In giving Woburn Abbey and Gardens the award, the judges said "Woburn Abbey’s comprehensive approach to providing an excellent service to tour planners, the appointment of a dedicated groups co-ordinator, free coach parking, and a clear and easy-to-use groups section on the website stood out in a sector where competition to attract groups is strong." The judges also commented on Woburn Abbey’s offer to arrange out-of-hours experiences, and the free entry and generous £10 refreshment voucher for drivers.

Lisa Weaver, Groups Co-ordinator, and Stephen Manion, Operations Manager, collected the award in front of more than 400 tourism industry professionals. The awards presentation was hosted by the editor of Coach Monthly magazine, Stuart Render, and ex EastEnders actress and television presenter Brooke Kinsella MBE.

“The National Coach Tourism Awards is the only national awards scheme to focus specifically on the coach tourism community,” says Stuart Render. “This is therefore a well-deserved and a significant achievement. Our winners are at the forefront in delivering excellence across all sectors of the industry, helping to raise the quality of customer service and quality across coach operators, destinations, visitor attractions and tourism industry suppliers.”

Commenting on the award, Stephen Manion said: "It has been an incredible month for the Woburn Estate with this award coming soon after success for The Woburn Hotel at the MK Food and Leisure Awards. It is a credit to everyone who works here and the hard work that everyone puts in to provide the highest quality experience for our visitors."

For further information on group bookings visit www.woburnabbey.co.uk or call Woburn Abbey and Gardens on 01525 290333.

Perennial Announced as Official Show Charity for the 2014 Woburn Abbey Garden Show

The Woburn Abbey Garden Show, which takes place on the 21st and 22nd June, will have an official 'Show Charity' for the first time this year. Woburn Abbey is delighted to announce that the Show Charity for 2014 will be Perennial, a national charity supporting people who work in horticulture when they are facing adversity in their life. Perennial was established in the 19th century and is celebrating their 175th anniversary this year.

Woburn Abbey Garden Show

Perennial will be offering unique VIP experience packages at the show that support their fundraising efforts which provide information on the assistance they can offer to those working in horticulture.

Martin Towsey, Estates Gardens Manager, is delighted to be working with Perennial: “We are pleased to be able to support this charity, especially in this anniversary year, and hope that visitors to the Garden Show will enjoy finding out more about what they do. Perennial was born out of the great estates like Woburn, supporting the estate gardeners in times of need, so it’s fantastic that we are able to help with their fundraising campaign.” 

Visitors to the Woburn Abbey Garden Show will be able to learn new gardening skills, talk to experts, and purchase an array of unusual plants and garden items, all within the stunning grounds and gardens of Woburn Abbey. Gardening experts Pippa Greenwood, Martin Fish and Alistair Fraser will share their knowledge through a series of talks and Q&A sessions during the event. Top UK nurseries will be there, including Heucerholics, Nobottle Nurseries, Flit Bonsai and Palm Exotics. Whether you have a courtyard garden, a window box or a large country garden, there will be inspiration for every outdoor space.

The Food Hall will be filled with various refreshments from stalls including Breckland Orchard, Buckingham Brewery, Deli Vegetaria, and Friar's Farm. Pet Piggies are returning to the show with a chance to see some very cute micro pigs, and a range of artists will be exhibiting their work including Rachel Carter, Alistair Howie and Abigail Mill.

For the past ten years The Duchess of Bedford, along with Martin Towsey and his team, have been working hard to restore Humphry Repton’s original plans for the ‘Pleasure Gardens’. A newly restored feature from these original plans and a contemporary addition to Woburn Abbey Gardens will both be opened by The Duchess of Bedford at the Garden Show on the 21st and 22nd June 2014. Woburn Abbey’s RHS qualified gardeners will also offer guided tours of the gardens throughout the weekend, included within the admission price, giving visitors a behind the scenes look at the ongoing restoration project.

Tickets for the Woburn Abbey Garden Show are now available to purchase online. For more information, visit www.woburnabbey.co.uk or call 01525 290333.

Woburn Abbey Team Uncovers the Story of Local Soldier and Needs Your Help to Discover More

Sculpture Gallery

Whilst undertaking research for their forthcoming exhibition “Valiant Hearts: Woburn War I – Woburn and its Stories”, archivists at Woburn Abbey have uncovered the story of former Estate employee, Corporal Harry Gibbons.

After he left school, Harry Gibbons worked on The Woburn Estate as an Under ‘Keeper  and lived in Steppingley. On the 10th November 1914, at the age of 19, Harry voluntarily enlisted at the Bedfordshire Training Depot that had been established by the 11th Duke of Bedford in Ampthill. After 7 months of rifle practice, entrenching and route marches, he was posted to fight in France. During his service, Harry was admitted to hospital twice during his service – once, to a hospital in Etretat, for bronchitis and the second time, to a hospital in Boulogne, for a gunshot wound to the back. Both times he recovered and, thanks to the care he received from The Duchess of Bedford and her team of nurses, was able to return to the front.

It was whilst with the 4th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment and as part of the ‘Hundred Day Offensive” that Harry went into battle at Moerves, France.. On the 27th of September, as the British were making advances towards the Hindenburg support line – the last major defensive position taken up by the German Army during the war sadly Corporal Harry Gibbons lost his life.

Corporal Gibbons is remembered in the Moeurves Communal Cemetery, in the Church in Steppingley, and, since the restoration of the plaques in 2013, on the Memorial in Ampthill Park.

The team at Woburn Abbey are asking the local community for their help to discover more such stories of local people during World War I.

If you can identify any of the soldiers in this photograph, taken outside of Woburn Abbey Sculpture Gallery, please send an email to ValiantHearts@woburn.co.uk or call 01525 290 333. More information about the forthcoming exhibition can be found at www.woburnabbey.co.uk/valianthearts.

Learn Something New in 2014 At Woburn Abbey Gardens

If improving your gardening skills was one of your New Year Resolutions for 2014, Woburn Abbey Gardens have a number of courses, study days and events on offer. From drop-in activities at the monthly Come and Grow events, to study days lead by experts, and the 5 week Introduction to Horticulture course in the autumn – there is something for everyone.

During the first weekend in January, visitors observed Woburn’s gardeners mulching the annual bedding and demonstrating the taking of hardwood cuttings in their Camellia House. New and experienced gardening enthusiasts alike were able to pick up new skills and put their questions to the Woburn Abbey Gardens team. During the next year, there will be eleven more of these events – each with its own theme and seasonal tasks – taking place on the first weekend of every month. These sessions are included with standard gardens entry and you can join a free guided tour of the gardens at 12 noon on both days of each event.

Woburn Abbey Gardens are also offering a total of nine study days between May and October; each lead by their RHS qualified gardeners or other experts from their field. The season starts with two days in May – Kitchen Gardening (Wednesday 7th) and Propagation (Wednesday 14th), and the Bees Study Day in July (Sunday 27th) will teach you how to give these insects a helping hand at home. From September, there is a series of Study Days that can be booked separately, or together to make up a ‘Introduction to Horticulture’ course. Between the 17th September and the 15th October, the weekly Study Days will cover subjects including: Planning Your Garden; Planting Your Garden; Pruning and Propagation; Composting; and Trees and Shrubs.

Woburn Abbey Gardens won the Georgian Group Architectural Award in 2013 for their restoration work on the gardens designed by Humphry Repton. His life and work, particularly his designs for Woburn, will be examined on the 16th October.
For more information, visit www.woburnabbey.co.uk, call 01525 290333 or email StudyDays@woburn.co.uk
 
2014 Event Highlights

• 21st-22nd June 2014 – Woburn Abbey Garden Show

• 26th and 27th September – Bat Walks

• 29th November – Luminaries Woburnensis

Come and Grow
1st and 2nd February - Pruning Evergreen Shrubs including Dogwood
1st and 2nd March - Pruning Roses and Wisteria
5th and 6th April - Snow Drop Planting and Seed Sowing
3rd and 4th May - Hazel Plant Supports and Pruning Forsythia/Philedelphus
7th and 8th June - The Cheslea Chop and Planting Seasonal Bedding
5th and 6th July - Pruning Buxus and Prunus
2nd and 3rd August - Pruning Wisteria and Propagating Herbs
6th and 7th September - Lawn Care, Pruning Lavender and Composting
4th and 5th October - Bulb and Tree Planting
1st and 2nd November - Preparing Herbaceous Borders and Turf Lifting
6th and 7th December - Pruning Fruit Trees and Double Digging

Study Days
Kitchen Gardening
Wednesday 7th May
Grow your own fruit, vegetables and herbs at home after taking part in this day long introduction to Kitchen Gardening.

Propagation
Wednesday 14th May
Examine the conditions needed for propagating plants and practise seed and vegetative plant propagation techniques.

Bees
Sunday 27th July
Uncover some incredible facts about these important insects and find out how to give bees a helping hand at home.

Planning Your Garden
Wednesday 17th September
Learn how to identify different types of plant and the situations that suit them. Draw up your own scale plan for a border.

Planting Your Garden
Wednesday 24th September
Discover the horticultural skills needed to prepare a site. Try planting to a site plan with correct spacing and positioning.

Pruning and Propagation
Wednesday 1st October
Explore basic pruning, pruning for shape and technical pruning skills and investigate various propagation techniques.

Composting
Wednesday 8th October
Our gardeners will guide you through the process of making a leaf mould and discuss techniques you can use at home.

Trees and Shrubs
Wednesday 15th October
Find out about the different requirements of a variety of trees and shrubs.  Discover which would best suit your garden.

Humphry Repton
Thursday 16th October
Take an in-depth look at the career of Humphry Repton and what made him such a remarkable landscape gardener. Explore his most realised designs in Woburn Abbey Gardens.

The Year Ahead At Woburn Abbey and Gardens

Woburn Abbey Garden Show

Woburn Abbey Outdoor Theatre

Woburn Abbey Tri For Life

Woburn Abbey and Gardens is looking ahead to a busy year following the announcement of their 2014 programme of events and exhibitions. From a World War I exhibition to a triathlon in the Deer Park, a Garden Show to a trail of Chinese Wallpapers in the Abbey, there’s something for everyone on offer.

Woburn Abbey is opening two new exhibitions on the 11th April. The first, 'Valiant Hearts: World War I - Woburn and its Stories' commemorates the centenary of the outbreak of World War I. The exhibition will tell the stories of the 11th Duke and Duchess of Bedford, Woburn Abbey itself, and people from the local area during the war. Visitors will be able to see original records and letters, and find out what it was like to train at the local garrison or be treated in the Woburn Military Hospital.

The second exhibition, 'Peeling Back The Years: Chinese Wallpaper at Woburn Abbey' will examine the decorative history of the building and give you a chance to discover the story of the 4th Duke's bedroom through its layers of wallpaper. As visitors explore the Abbey they see documents showing how these wallpapers were made, sold and hung.

Having won the Georgian Group Award for Restoration of a Georgian Garden or Landscape this year, the gardeners are continuing their plans to restore more historic features in the Gardens. The Woburn Abbey Garden Show is back for its 5th year, with a wide variety of stalls, demonstrations and talks from horticultural experts on offer. There’s also a chance to take part in a free Gardens tour every month as part of their series of ‘Come and Grow’ events.

For the more adventurous, the Cycletta or Tri For Life events offer a reason to get in shape whilst raising money for charities like Macmillan, Great Ormond Street and Rays of Sunshine. The Woburn Country Fair takes place in June with a weekend of fun filled country pursuits taking place in the appropriate surroundings of the Woburn Abbey Deer Park.

Woburn Abbey is also putting on two open air productions from the Pantaloons Theatre Company in July, with performances of ‘History of Britain' and the Shakespearian classic, 'The Tempest'.

The events calendar also includes historical re-enactments, car rallies, and gardening study days. Visit www.woburnabbey.co.uk or call 01525 290333 for more information.

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Woburn Abbey & Gardens is a member of the Treasure Houses of England, ten of the most magnificent palaces, stately homes and castles in England. http://www.treasurehouses.co.uk

Location

Woburn Abbey, Woburn, Bedfordshire MK 17 9WA

Just south east of Milton Keynes, Woburn Abbey is signposted from junctions 12 and 13 of the M1. It is also easily accessible from the A5.

Repton Descendents See Their Ancestor’s Designs Realised at Woburn Abbey Gardens

Woburn Abbey Gardens are home to the greatest number of realised designs by landscape gardener, Humphry Repton, in the UK. Their annual study day on his life and work takes place in November, and their Gardens team were honoured this year to find three descendents of Humphry Repton himself in attendance.

Joanna, Carol and Angela, cousins who journeyed to Woburn from Scotland, London and France respectively, are great great great great great granddaughters of Humphry Repton. Inspired to further research their family history, the three women attended the study day as a starting point on their journey to learn more.

Humphry Repton was commissioned by the 6th Duke of Bedford in 1802 to create a new vision for the grounds and gardens at Woburn Abbey. He saw himself uniting the disciplines of science, art and horticulture in this new profession of landscape gardening, and collated a series of drawings, paintings and plans in his ‘Red Book’ of designs. Only some of these projects were completed during his lifetime, but the recent and ongoing renovation project at Woburn Abbey Gardens is realising many features to be enjoyed by visitors in the 21st Century.

“It was a great privilege to be here” Said Joanna, from Dumfries, who organised their places after spotting the study day flyer on a previous visit to Woburn Abbey Gardens in the summer. “I’m a jewellery designer, and feel I work in a similar way with my vision and attention to detail. I feel an affinity with him.”

For Angela, who made the journey across the channel from Paris, the day allowed her to make new discoveries about her ancestor, “I didn’t realise he was such a talented artist”.

Carol, based in Muswell Hill, felt that the talks during the day brought Humphry Repton to life. “I’m interested in the fact he considered himself an artist but still worked amongst the labourers. It’s great that his designs are being opened up and preserved for future generations at Woburn Abbey Gardens.”

To see Repton’s designs for yourself and explore the exhibition on his life and work, Woburn Abbey Gardens are open from 10am to 4pm on Friday, Saturday and Sundays throughout the winter and then daily from the 11th April 2014.

Or see the gardens in a whole new light at the festive Luminaries Woburnensis on Saturday 7th December from 6pm – 10pm. The next Humphry Repton Study Day will be held on the 16th October 2014.

Christmas at the Treasure Houses of England

Expect a fabulous feast of festive entertainment and events this Christmas at the magnificent Treasure Houses of England.  Shop in style with magical Christmas markets and discover beautifully and stylishly decorated Treasure Houses for a unique and inspired day out, not to mention the opportunity to pick up some beautifully bespoke presents for your nearest and dearest.

Beaulieu

Christmas at Beaulieu is a time of magic with fun, activities and entertainment for all.  Beaulieu’s festive celebrations (21 December – 5 January) will feature carol singing around the Grand Piano in the decorated Palace House complete with a magnificent Christmas tree.  Victorian characters will be on show- to divulge fascinating details on life – upstairs and downstairs at Christmas time.

Blenheim Palace

Blenheim Palace’s will be decorated for a ‘Dickensian’ Christmas (9 November – 13 December) with plenty to see and do, from late night shopping, storytelling, carol singers, Santa’s grotto and more. The renowned Living Crafts for Christmas (15 - 17 November) will also take place showcasing a series of high quality and contemporary creations from over 150 British designer-makers. For festive fun and splendor visit Britain’s Greatest Palace this Christmas.

Burghley House

Burghley House’s Crafts for Christmas - (28 November –1st December) will be the perfect place to pick up some very special presents featuring a wide range of new products and ideas. Graham Pickett Antiques will also be at Burghley in their usual Old Kitchen location with fabulous furniture and divine collectables.

Castle Howard

Enjoy Castle Howard in all its festive glory and take in the magical Christmas atmosphere of the candlelit house.  There will be yuletide entertainment, festive foods and gifts from 23 November to 22 December, plus a late night Carols and Candlelight event on 19 December will include a late night market, Christmas parade and carols in front of the house as dusk falls.

Chatsworth

From 9 Nov until the 23 Dec, Chatsworth will be magically transformed for the Christmas season, with the lower floors of the house decorated in the theme of 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.  With events such as twilight evenings, Christmas markets and nativities starring real farmyard animals, as well as beautiful festive displays, there is something for everyone at Chatsworth this winter.

Hatfield House

Don’t miss Hatfield’s Frost Fair (22 – 24 November) held in Marquees on Palace Green, childhood home of Elizabeth 1 you’ll find wonderful original and unusual crafts and gifts for the family and home alongside exclusive ranges from The Hatfield Gift Shop.  Plus drop in to workshops, including creative Christmas decorating using fresh flowers and greenery.

Holkham Hall

Catch awe-inspiring Holkham Hall on two weekends (7/ 8 and 14/15 Dec) and get festive with a traditional Christmas in true Holkham style! See the magnificent state rooms beautifully decorated, complete with handmade decorations. Or walk through the snowy winter wonderland, where there’s a chance for children to see Father Christmas in his magical grotto.

Leeds Castle

Christmas is growing at Leeds Castle this year. Nature has crept into the magnificent castle rooms to create a glittering Twelve Days of Christmas from 7 to 24 Dec. Meet real reindeer on the castle island and children will love our new husky sleigh rides. Our first Christmas Market with German style chalets and traditional carousel rides is here from 7 – 22 Dec, open daily from 11am to 6pm with late night shopping until 9pm on 12, 13, 19 and 20 Dec.

Woburn Abbey

Book now for Woburn Abbey’s Luminaries Woburnensis on Saturday 7th December. Explore the magical gardens illuminated after dark and discover the trail ice and fire sculptures. Visit the gift hall to pick out that perfect present and snuggle up with a hot drink to listen to the live band.


www.treasurehouses.co.uk

A Strictly Showstopper The largest and most comprehensive exhibition of dresses from BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing

Strictly dresses

This summer Woburn Abbey is hosting an exhibition of the glamorous gowns and celebrity costumes from the BBC’s world famous show, Strictly Come Dancing.
Running from Saturday 13th July to Sunday 29th September, Woburn Abbey’s historical state apartments are set to provide a dramatic and contrasting backdrop for the exhibition. Visitors will be able to view some of the iconic dresses designed by Strictly Come Dancing’s current costume designer Vicky Gill and created by dress suppliers DSi.

Denise Van Outen

Dresses from the last series will be featured, including the stunning full length scarlet dress worn by last year’s finalist Denise Van Outen, the Union Flag dress worn by Olympic Gold Medallist Victoria Pendleton and Flavia Cacace’s iconic Charleston dress. The exhibition will allow visitors to see, up close, the intricacies and flawless designs of the dancer’s wardrobe and discover behind-the-scenes details of the dresses.

Jonathan Irby, General Manager of Woburn Abbey commented: “Whether a fan of traditional ballroom or connoisseur of contemporary Charleston, we hope the combination of stunning Strictly Come Dancing dresses with Woburn Abbey’s classic art and architecture will score the exhibition a perfect 10!

“This is the largest and most comprehensive collection of dresses from BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing that has ever gone on display and Woburn Abbey is extremely proud to host the exhibition. It is spread throughout the house and included within the standard admission price for visitors to Woburn Abbey.

 http://www.woburn.co.uk/abbey/