Woburn Heritage Museum

About the museum

Woburn Heritage Museum is housed in the former parish church of St Mary, which stood on this site for centuries. In 1868 a larger church was built on Park Street, and the old church was reduced to a mortuary chapel. The building was left empty and neglected in the 1960s until local fundraising saved it. Its tower dates to the 16th century, and in 1830 the wooden lantern on top was replaced by a stone top and a clock by the royal clockmaker B. L. Vulliamy.

The Woburn Heritage Museum Trust was formed in 1984 to save and restore the old church and use it for the community, and the museum opened in the same year. The trust became a Charitable Incorporated Organisation in 2018. The museum is an accredited museum, is run entirely by volunteers without external funding, and also serves as a tourist information point.

The displays include 28 graphic boards covering the history of Woburn from ancient times to the present, a kitchen range made in the village, early Woburn cricket bats, a Victorian rocking horse and a three-storey Georgian-style dolls’ house completed in 1998 with ten rooms. A board tells the story of the funeral journey of Eleanor of Castile in 1290, when Woburn was an overnight stop. An index of the names on the headstones of the surrounding churchyard is kept at the front desk for family history research.

Highlights

• 28 graphic boards on the history of Woburn
• Georgian-style dolls’ house with ten rooms, completed in 1998
• Kitchen range made in Woburn and early Woburn cricket bats
• Display on the funeral journey of Eleanor of Castile and the Eleanor Cross
• Index of churchyard headstones for family history research
• Mouse trail for children

Permanent exhibitions

• History of Woburn – Twenty-eight graphic boards on the history of the village from ancient times to the present, with artefacts, a village-made kitchen range and early cricket bats.
• Georgian dolls’ house – A three-storey dolls’ house at 1:12 scale with ten rooms, electric lighting and hand-embroidered carpets, completed in 1998.
• Eleanor Crosses display – A board on the funeral journey of Eleanor of Castile in 1290 and the cross that stood in Woburn.

Founded

1984

Operated by

Woburn Heritage Museum CIO (registered charity 1176930)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Entry is free; donations are welcome.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The museum states that it is fully accessible to wheelchair users. The entrance is at the rear of the building, and one disabled parking space is available on site.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

A mouse trail with clues leads children of all ages to 14 little wooden mice hidden around the museum.

Getting there & parking

From the car park, walk back to the crossroads, turn right and cross the High Street at the zebra crossing. The churchyard is about 50 yards on the left, past the Old Parsonage and before Woburn School.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

A small shop sells cards, toys, mugs, walk leaflets, local books, and second-hand books and jigsaws.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit