The Woburn Estate

Privacy

The Bedford Estates, LondonThe Bedford Estates, London

Image of woburn abbey

Home of the 15th Duke and Duchess of Bedford, Woburn Abbey and Gardens are currently closed to facilitate a major refurbishment programme.  We look forward to welcoming you back to enjoy the Abbey and its surroundings in spring 2026 when this is completed.

Find Out More     Contact Us

Image of tiger profile image
Image of dukes
To celebrate the birthday of Mary, Duchess of Bedford, (1865-1937) we want to share with you one of her many interests, jujitsu! Jujutsu is a Japanese martial art, and can be directly translated to “Yielding-art” as the philosophy behind the art is to use the opponent’s force against themselves, rather than combatting the force directly. Mary learned the art of jujitsu from a companion called Emily Watts who taught self-defence to high society women. Emily later wrote a book entitled ‘The Fine Art of Jujutsu’ and dedicated it to the Duchess ‘with Grateful Affection’. Mrs Watts’ aim was not to show the best in the art, but to demonstrate all the various throws with the help of her pupils and friends. All but two of the individuals photographed are women, and the book contains 141 photographs of different manoeuvres in total. Mary kindly lent the tennis courts at Woburn for the purpose of photographing this series at the start of the 20th century, and is the woman standing in this photograph. A few years later, martial arts and self-defence techniques became popular amongst socially aware women in Edwardian Britain, and the term ‘Suffrajitsu’ was coined by a journalist to describe this trend. It was seen as an effective and practical method of self-defence for women to employ, particularly in the wake of increasing incidents that retaliated against the Suffragette movement, such as the Black Friday Raid. #WoburnAbbey #jujitsu #martialarts #suffragettes #flyingduchess #womeninsports
To mark the first day of Autumn, we are sharing this tranquil autumnal view of Woburn Abbey as imagined by Humphry Repton, the first self-proclaimed landscape gardener. This timeless image is one that feels familiar on the grounds of the Abbey to this day. #WoburnAbbey #autumn #landscape #nature
Today marks the beginning of ‘The Reflected Self’, a temporary exhibition at @compton_verney This exhibition will explore the history of portrait miniatures from 1540-1850 and is running until 23rd February 2025. The art of portrait miniature painting flourished in Britain for over 300 years. These exquisitely painted, portable portraits performed several functions: as emblems of love and loyalty, as diplomatic gifts exchanged between foreign courts or as markers of royal favour. As well as exploring the history of miniatures, the exhibition highlights their enduring appeal for artists and designers working today. In each room, specially commissioned films bring to life the highly personal nature of these artworks, whilst works by contemporary artists demonstrate their ongoing relevance and ability to captivate. The exhibition highlights the leading miniaturists from throughout the centuries, and will showcase some examples from the Woburn Abbey Collection. We are pleased to be able to showcase items from our collection to the public as the site remains closed for major refurbishment. #portrait #portraiture #exhibition #WoburnAbbey #comptonverney #woburntreasures
#OnThisDay in 1761, King George III married Charlotte of Mecklenberg-Strelitz. Depicted in this portrait is the Lady Elizabeth Keppel, later Marchioness of Tavistock, one of the bridesmaids at the wedding. She is portrayed in her silver dress worn for the ceremony with a black attendant who is assisting the Lady Elizabeth with decorating the bust of marriage, known as Term of Hymen, with garlands of flowers. The identity of the attendant is unknown, but two sittings are recorded in the artist’s pocketbooks. Some historians have suggested she was a servant, but she may have been an artist’s model. It is befitting that Joshua Reynolds, the dominant artistic personality during the King’s reign, was to paint this portrait. This is one of Reynolds’ best known compositions and demonstrates his ability to embed a contemporary portrait with pictorial traditions. For example, the statue to Elizabeth’s right depicts the god of marriage with the verses from Catullus painted on its base. Furthermore, it has been noted that this bust of marriage is holding a crown, and that its face resembled Queen Charlotte herself. Careful consideration into the imagery of the portrait demonstrates the importance that the wedding held in society. #WoburnAbbey #portrait #onthisdayinhistory #bridgerton #queencharlotte
#OnThisDay in 1533 Queen Elizabeth I was born. When Elizabeth was two years old, her mother was executed and her marriage to King Henry VIII was annulled, declaring Elizabeth an illegitimate child. At the age of 10 years old she was reinstated to the line of succession and, after both of her siblings had died in 1558, Elizabeth succeeded to the throne at the age of 23 and reigned for 45 years. Elizabeth’s life leading to her reign had taught her to pay careful attention to how she presented herself and how she was perceived by others. The unforgettable Armada portrait demonstrates how she had proven herself to be a strong and powerful ruler of the nation. The portrait commemorates the most decisive victory of Elizabeth I’s reign, the failed invasion of England by the Spanish Armada in July 1588. The portrait summarises the hopes and aspirations of the nation during this moment in history. There are three versions of this iconic portrait, one is at @royalmuseumsgreenwich and the other @nationalportraitgallery . They all have slight differences, and the one in the Woburn Abbey collection depicts what is believed to show the seascapes as they were originally painted in the 16th century with the advancing Spanish ships being disrupted by Francis Drake’s fire-ships on the left; and the fleeting Spanish fleet shipwrecked on the right. Several members of the Russell family were prominent in her court and in politics at the time. Francis, 2nd Earl of Bedford (c.1527-1585) was a Privy Councillor in 1558, Governor of Berwick-on-Tweed and Warden of the East Marches of Scotland 1564-67 and Elizabeth I’s Ambassador at the Baptism of Prince James at Stirling Castle, 1566. Various acts of state were carried out at his home, Chenies, including the arrangements for the imprisonment of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scotland. The Earl’s daughter, Anne, was a maid-of-honour to Queen Elizabeth I, and later married Ambrose Dudley, brother to one of the Queen’s favoured courtiers. #onthisdayinhistory #QueenElizabethI #tudor #portrait #WoburnAbbey
See here a beautiful addition to the bog garden here at Woburn Abbey. This sculpture was made by one of Britain’s leading contemporary sculptors, Simon Gudgeon. Simon grew up on his family farm in Yorkshire, and is inspired by the natural world, finding comfort in what lay closest to his heart. He is known for his signature smooth style that evokes nature and tranquillity. This piece ‘Firebird’ is a unique sculpture made of bronze, and was acquired for the Woburn Abbey Collection in 2018, where it merges beautifully with the surrounding foliage. #contemporaryart #sculpture #landscapegarden #countryhouse #WoburnAbbey
Extensive conservation and restoration works are moving steadily onwards here at Woburn Abbey. It is wonderful to see the South range clear of scaffolding as works move northwards! In the foreground, we can see the sensitively cleaned architectural niche containing a sculpture of Juno, with new lead weatherproofing on the ledge. The scaffolding creeps up the North Range of the Abbey in the background. #bts #restoration #conservation #WoburnAbbey
Afternoon tea, a quintessentially British tradition, is an art form that blends culinary delight with social elegance. It is not merely a meal; it is an event that offers a pause in the day to savour both the flavours on the plate and the company at the table. Today, Afternoon Tea is still enjoyed by the Bedford family, with the present Duchess of Bedford, who lives at Woburn today, choosing a marmite and cucumber sandwich and a salver of dainty cakes to share with afternoon company. A tip from Woburn Abbey’s House Manager, and former Butler, is to counter-intuitively put the marmite on the bread first, then the butter. This helps stop the cucumber going mushy. #afternoontea #duchessofbedford #afternoonteaweek #twinings #tea #tradition
To mark Afternoon Tea week, we are sharing seven fascinating aspects of afternoon tea, from its historical roots to the contemporary twists that keep this ritual fresh and exciting. In 1846-7, consumption at Woburn Abbey is recorded as 276lbs of tea – today this would be considered the equivalent of over 60,000 cups! This would have included the generous allowance given to domestic staff, who were given tea, soap, ale and candles as part of their wages. Recipe books, or ‘Receipt books’ were frequently taken with them by cooks and confectioners as they moved to new employ, so unfortunately no recipes survive to tell us what snacks Anna Maria may have enjoyed with her afternoon tea, but it is regarded that it traditionally comprises both sweet and savoury snacks. #afternoontea #duchessofbedford #afternoonteaweek #twinings #tea #tradition
To mark Afternoon Tea week, we are sharing seven fascinating aspects of afternoon tea, from its historical roots to the contemporary twists that keep this ritual fresh and exciting. #didyouknow the evolution of afternoon tea in the Victorian period was facilitated by technological advances in the kitchen, making it easier to produce a variety of snacks, and a large kitchen staff. Unfortunately, no recipes survive to tell us exactly what snacks Anna Maria may have enjoyed with her afternoon tea, but it is regarded that it traditionally comprises both sweet and savoury snacks. See here an image of the east front of Woburn Abbey, demolished in 1949. As well as the room in which Duchess Anna-Maria served her afternoon teas, known as the ‘Museum Room’, this side of the Abbey contained the great kitchen, and many of the domestic offices which supported the running of the Abbey. #afternoontea #duchessofbedford #afternoonteaweek #twinings #tea #tradition
Follow Us