About Us

There are records of a chapel in Woburn in 1245, possibly on this site. In the early 1500s Robert Hobbes built a church here and the first incumbent is recorded as 1558. The tower was built in 1635 for Sir Francis Staunton, using materials from the old church in Birchmore. The tower was originally topped with a wooden lantern and small bell.

In 1830, the wooden top was replaced by the fine "wedding cake" tower, designed by Ernest Blore who also designed the Town Hall at the centre of the village and the old vicarage on the corner of Crawley Road. The tower clock, by B.L. Vulliamy, Clockmaker to William IV, was installed at the same time and is the only public clock in Woburn. It strikes on the hour and still keeps excellent time.

In the 19th Century, the church extended down to the road, but Woburn was much larger than it is today and, as most people went to church, this building was proving too small for the population. Therefore in 1865, the 6th Duke of Bedford comissioned Henry Clutton to build the large "new" church on Park Street. Our church was reduced to the size we see today and the stones used in the building of the new church, which was finished in 1868. The new church had a spire which proved too heavy and was demolished in 1890.

Our building then became the mortuary chapel, as the new church has no graveyard. Funerals were held here until the 1960s. By then Woburn's population was only 700 and with so few funerals the church could not afford the upkeep of the chapel and, althought the graveyard has remained in use, the building fell into disrepair. In the late 1970s the building was deconsecrated and a Trust was formed to save and repair the building. In 1984 the Heritage Centre was opened with exhibits of local history and interest, all donated by local people.

Since 1984, the Heritage Centre has grown and thrived and, in addition to the museum, we are now a Tourist Information Point and a centre for local walks, books and leaflets as well as gift items.

In 2001 we received a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund enabling us to glaze the open sides of the porch, making the building warmer and providing extra space for displays. With the grant, we also rewired the building and turned the old bell ringers' chamber in the tower into a resource and store room. Also in 2001, the Heritage Centre became a registered museum and is now part of the museum hub centred on Luton Museums. In 2008, we received a second grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund to refurbish the museum and, in addition to our exhibits and photograhs, we have an archive resource of censuses and local history.

The Museum is open every day from Easter to September and only at weekends in October. It is a registered charity and is run entirely by volunteers. Our only income is from sales, donations and special events, such as our annual Open Gardens Day and Scarecrow Competition each June and participation in the Woburn Oyster Festival every September.