The exterior views of Woburn Abbey and the tranquility of the deer park can be enjoyed all year round.
The Abbey is built mainly of a local stone called Totternhoe Clunch, a soft
and porous material, which creates problems in the upkeep of the fabric.
However, there is a restoration programme of the house with regular, recorded
inspections carried out on the walls, roofs, painting and woodwork by our
own maintenance team. You can find out more about the restoration programme on this website.
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The Parks Department is responsible for the maintenance of the 3,000 acres
within the walls. Each year they plant one hundred standard oak trees, plus
any replacements for trees lost or damaged in gales.
There are ten species of deer in the park, looked after all year round by the Head Verdurer. Amongst them is the Père David, which originated in China and then became extinct in their homeland in the early 1900’s.
In 1985, Lord Tavistock donated 22 deer to the Chinese Government and they
have adapted successfully to their new environment, now boasting a population of
360 in their home just south of Beijing. This was the first ever successful
reintroduction of an indigenous species, where it had become extinct
in the wild.