Clophill House

Bletchley Park

Wilton Avenue, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. Tel 01908 640404.

Home to the famous WW2 Enigma codebreakers and one of the worlds first computers, now open as a museum and heritage site. Displays include WW2 centre including an enigma machine, classic vehicles, model railways, model boats, diplomatic wireless display, toy museum, etc. Free guided tour. Open daily.

Website: www.bletchleypark.org.uk

Chicksands Priory

Chicksands Priory dates from 1150 when it was founded as a priory of the Gilbertine Order for both nuns and canons. After the dissolution of monasteries it passed to the Snowe family and then in 1576 to the Osbornes who owned it for 400 years subsequently. The Comptons, who built Clophill House, were bailiffs and stewards of the Osbornes and managed the Chicksands estate in the 17th century.

Parts of the original mediaeval bbuilding remain within the later rebuildings of 1740 by Isaac Ware and 1813 by James Wyatt who added gothic revival features. The site includes a walled garden and orangery.

In 1936 it was sold to the government and became a military base. It was a centre for eavesdropping on enemy radio transmissions, when the site was dominated by a huge circular radio aerial known locally as the Elephant Cage. Messages recieved here were passed to the codebreakers at nearby Bletchley Park. The "Friends of Chicksands" are able to arrange private tours of the buildings by arrangement.

Links:
Chicksands Priory
www.galaxybedfordshire.gov.uk
Wikipedia Entry

Houghton House, Ampthill

The shell of a 17th century mansion with magnificent views, Houghton House was built as a hunting lodge for Mary, Dowager Countess of Pembroke. A mixture of Jacobean and Classical styles, with two Italianate loggias, the house was later converted to become the principal family seat of the Bruce family. The striking location may have been the inspiration for the 'Palace Beautiful' of 17th century Christian writer John Bunyan's religious epic 'The Pilgrim's Progress'. Now a picturesque ruin, abandoned since 1794, it enjoys stunning views over the surrounding countryside. It is maintained by English heritage and entrance is free.

Website: English Heritage

Moggerhanger Park

Tel: 01767 641007

Moggerhanger Park is a Georgian Grade 1 listed building designedby Sir John Soane, with grounds landscaped by Humphry Repton.

The historic rooms are open throughout the Summer months, with the grounds, gift shop, exhibition and visitor centre open all year.

Regular events at Moggerhanger Park include open-air theatre, fireworks and the display of bluebells in the woodland walks on the estate.

Fully Guided Tours run on the first Sunday of each month at 2.30pm throughout the year and daily
(some restrictions apply) at 2.30pm from Monday 15th June to Friday 11th September.
Group tours are also available with lunch, tea or buffet meals by arrangement.

Tickets are available from from the desk in the Exhibition Room 10 minutes prior to the tour starting.

Tours remain (since 2007) at £5.00 per adult, and children under 16 are free of charge (accompanied). Moggerhanger House is participating in many schemes offering 2 for 1 entry.

Website: www.moggerhangarpark.com

Shuttleworth House & Park, Old Warden

Shuttleworth House, on the site of Warden Abbey - the earliest Cistertian monastery in Bedfordshire - is a Victorian country house made in Jacobean style in 1872 and set in 500 acres of parkland. Now a college providing post-secondary education vocational courses in agriculture and rural businesses as well as providing venues for conferences and weddings and hosting the annual Bedfordshire Steam & Country Fayre in September.

The park hosts numerous other attractions as well. These include the famous "Swiss Garden", created in 1820, a late Regency garden and an outstanding example of the Swiss picturesque with a thatched cottage at its heart. There is also the Bird of Prey Centre, the Shuttleworth Air Collection (see below) and, for children, the Jubilee Play Centre.

Shuttleworth Collection &Swiss Garden opens 10.00 to 17.00 daily from April to October, 10.00-16.00 November to March.

Bird of Prey Centre opens daily from February with flying demonstrations at 11.30, 13.30 and 15.00.

Links:
Shuttleworth Park
Shuttleworth House
Swiss Garden
Birds of Prey Centre
Jubilee Playground

Toddington Manor

Toddington manor dates from 1560 when Lord Henry Cheney built the huge palace of which todays manor house is the only surviving portion. The original house had a 210ft long frontage with turrets on each of the four corners where only one survives. The house was associated with the Duke of Monmouth, the illegitimate son of King Charles II who led a rebellion against King James II, funded by the sales of jewels from Henrietta Maria, Baroness Wentworth, who owned Toddington and was in love with him. In 1740 the house was reduced to its present size and much rebuilt in 1806.

The 10-acre gardens at Toddington Manor have been largely replanted since 1979, with only a few mature trees surviving from the original garden. There is a herb garden, rose garden, swimming pool garden and herbaceous borders. The estate also includes 100 acres of woodland, streams and two lakes. Awarded a gold star in the "Good Gardens Guide" from 1994 onwards.

Address - Toddington, Bedfordshire, England, LU5 6HJ Tel: 01525 872576

Opening times - May to July. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. Open 1pm to 5pm. Also open Bank Holiday Monday 25th May 2009 from 11am to 5pm (entry is £4.50 and includes admission to other local gardens) and by appointment for groups. Special events include gardening courses with Head Gardener Linette Applegate.

Admission - Adult £5.00

Links:
www.toddingtonmanor.co.uk
www.gardenvisit.com

Woburn Abbey & Park

Set in a beautiful 3,000 acre deer park, with 10 species of deer roaming free, Woburn Abbey has been the home of the Russell family for nearly 400 years. Today it is occupied by the 15th Duke of Bedford and his family.

The Abbey lies at the heart of an Estate whose activities are many and varied. We have the award-winning Safari Park, the world renowned Golf Club (which boasts all 3 of its courses in the UK's top 100 (Golf World, November 2004), the Inn at Woburn and the Woburn Abbey Antiques Centre, which is the largest outside London.

Website: www.woburnabbey.co.uk

Wrest Park

This is one of the most magnificent gardens in England, yet one of the least well known. Unlike 'Capability' Brown's natural landscape styling, favoured during the late 18th century, Wrest Park's formal gardens provide a fascinating history of gardening styles, laid out over 150 years and inspired by the great gardens of Versailles in France.

Wrest Park was the home of the De Grey family - the Earls of Kent - whose serried monuments fill the nearby De Grey Mausoleum - from the 13th century until 1917. The gardens are celebrated for their rare survival of a formal early 18th-century layout of wooded walks and canals, centred on the architectural highlight of the pavilion designed by Thomas Archer in 1710. Subsequent generations added garden buildings such as the Bath House and the Chinese Pavilion, valuing the special atmosphere of the established garden even when more fashionable landscapers would have swept it away.

The old manor house was demolished when the present house was completed by 1834. This was designed by Thomas, Earl de Grey, an entusiast for 18th-century French architecture. It is set further north than the site of the old house, and new formal gardens were laid out between the mansion and the woodland garden. The Orangery, Italian garden and Parterre with magnificent lead statues date from the 19th century.

Wrest Park has recently reverted to the full control of English Heritage who are embarking on a major programme of restoration. The house itself is currently closed for public access but there are many events in the wonderful gardens, including the annual English Heritage St George's Day event here, the largest in the country.

2009:
21 Mar-30 Jun & Sept: 10:00-18:00 Sat-Sun & Bank Hol;
1 Jul-31 Aug: 10:00-18:00 Mon, Thur-Sun;
Oct: 10:00-17:00 Sat-Sun;

House may close Fri (Jul-Aug) and Sat if event call to check.
Last entry 60min before close.

Tel: 01525 860152

Links:
English Heritage
Guardian Article
Leisure Guide