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The opening hours are:

• Wednesdays to Fridays: 2 - 4:30 pm
• Saturday, Sunday & Bank Holidays: 10 am - 5 pm
• Mondays and Tuesdays: CLOSED

In addition to our museum of local history, we have a tourist information section and walk leaflets and gifts for sale.

Entry is free so come and visit us in Old St Mary's in the churchyard on Bedford Street..

15-year-old Elizabeth Skelton worked the original sampler in 1762 at Woburn School, next door to the Heritage Centre.

Just over two hundred years later, in 1970, Margaret Sykes, then living at 11 Market Place, Woburn, bought the sampler from a Norfolk antique dealer.

In 2001 Gill Green of 1 Leighton Street, Woburn, borrowed the sampler from Mrs Sykes and charted the design. Equivalent materials were acquired from the Country Cross-Stitcher at 19 Bedford Street, Woburn and Ann Haynes of 26 Bedford Street, Woburn worked this reproduction for the Heritage Centre.

by John Clarke

During the last 800 years, there have been 68 known names for inns and beer houses in Woburn. 

The first recorded was St. George’s Hospice, when “Hospice” meant hospitality rather than the modern meaning of a care home for the terminally ill, it was built by the monks of Woburn Abbey to provide accommodation for travellers visiting Woburn. It has, since the 16^th century, been known as St. George’s Inn, The George (this is where George Street comes from), The Bedford Arms, The Inn at Woburn, and now The Woburn Hotel.

After the dissolution of Woburn Abbey, the records of The Court of Augmentation (an audit of all Abbey's properties) indicate there were four inns in Woburn, The St, George, The White Hart  (which stood where 8,9 & 10 Bedford Street are now), The King’s Head (which seems to have been where Woburn Lower School is now) and The Belles (which was to the north of the present Staunton House).

Long’s Hotel was known in 1650 as Long’s Inn and also The Woolsack and was the subject of a dispute of ownership between William Long and Edward Staunton. The dispute went to The Court of Chancery which found in Long’s favour. Many Woburn residents remember it as The Magpie which it was until 2010 when it was re-named Long’s Hotel.

Many premises have been known by the same name, when a tenant moved from one property to another they took the name with them. This happened with The Bedford Arms, which was more properly named The Goat on The Bedford Arms and was located at 13 & 14 Bedford Street, it was the main coaching inn in Woburn, with the coming of the railway and decline in the coaching trade the tenant moved to The George and re-named it The Bedford Arms, dropping “The Goat” part of the name.

Not all of the inns and beer houses operated at the same time and equally not all premises that sold beer were named. Many households during medieval times brewed beer for their own consumption, the water was not always safe to drink so it was boiled to make ale and if they had a surplus they would sell it, but not before it had been tasted by the Ale Tasters (appointed by the Manorial Court) had declared it fit for sale.

The histories of many of them can be found on the Bedford Archives website http://bedsarchives.bedford.gov.uk/CommunityArchives/Woburn/WoburnIndexOfPages.aspx

In the Heritage Centre, we sell 8 circular walk leaflets. All start and end at the free car park in the village. This month we are sharing below photos from the Walk 5

This walk comprises two walks in one so you can choose which one is best for you.

• A short walk into the Woburn Deer Park

plus

• a longer walk of 5 miles around the Deer Park and Abbey grounds

Woburn Open Garden Weekend is an annual event that takes place in the village of Woburn in Bedfordshire, UK. The event typically takes place over a weekend in June, and it offers visitors the chance to explore some of the village’s most beautiful and unique gardens.

During the Woburn Open Garden Weekend, visitors can purchase a ticket that grants them access to a range of private and public gardens in the village. The gardens on display vary each year and can include everything from small cottage gardens to grand estate gardens.

Many of the gardens are owned by local residents, who generously open their gardens to the public for the event. Visitors can explore the gardens at their own pace, taking in the beautiful flowers, plants, and landscaping while learning about the history and design of each garden.

In addition to the garden tours, the Woburn Open Garden Weekend also includes a range of other activities and events, such as plant sales, craft fairs, and refreshments. The event is organized by volunteers and is a popular community event that attracts visitors from across the region.

Overall, the Woburn Open Garden Weekend is a fantastic opportunity to explore the beauty and diversity of Woburn’s gardens while enjoying a fun and festive community event.