Stockwood Mossman Collection

See more details about the centre here:
Stockwood park discovery centre
My great grandfather was a coachbuilder based in Holloway, in Marlborough Rd in the late 1800s to early 1900s, and I have some picture of coaches that he built.  It was interesting seeing some similar models in the collection, but I did not manage to see any with the 'Lugg Bros' logo on them.  We took a few photos so thought I would share them as an additional part of the days out.

Interestingly they lived in Hanley Rd, close to Hornsey Road, but I think this was only painted 'fictitiously' of the period, which was a shame, I have yet to find out any history about the business.

Discovery Hall:

The Discovery Hall has transport exhibits associated with Luton and houses The Mossman Collection.   The Mossman Carriage Collection is a collection of horse-drawn vehicles and is the largest collection of such vehicles in the United Kingdom, and includes original vehicles dating from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.  The collection was donated to the Luton Museum Service in 1991 and has examples of horse-drawn road vehicles and carriages used in Britain dating from Roman timess up until the 1930s.  The collection includes vehicles used by tradesmen and ordinary people as well as luxury vehicles and state coaches used by the British nobility and on the large British estates. Many of the exhibits have also been used in television productions and films including Ben Hur and Carry on Dick.  I will post some of the carriages on another post.

http://www.lutonculture.com/stockwood-discovery-centre/

Stockwood Park & Discovery Centre

Last summer we decided to go to Stockwood Park, we went many years ago, so long ago that it had changed quite a bit with a new building for the Mossman Collection of carriages and a cafe.  Last summer there had been several dry weeks, so the gardens were maybe not looking their best at the end of August.

History
The park was originally the estate and grounds to Stockwood House, which was built in 1740 by John Crawley, one of Bedfordshire's leading landowners.  The enclosed walled gardens provided shelter for growing fruit and vegetables for the house. One of the walled gardens now displays a series of gardens illustrating the changing styles of gardening through the ages. During World War II the house was converted into a children's hospital. The House was eventually demolished in 1964.



Something for everyone
Gardens:
If you are a garden enthusiast there are a number of different gardens to wander around, including formal Period Gardens (Medieval, Elizabethan, Dutch and Italian) and a wartime garden. Once part of the original Stockwood House walled areas, the Period Gardens reflect the changing styles of gardening in this country. The 'Improvement Garden' is a classical garden in which the sculptures (by acclaimed artist Ian Hamilton Finlay) are an integral part of the landscape and can be seen on permanent display.  Newer areas include a contemplative Sensory Garden, a colourful World Garden, and a Medicinal Garden highlighting the usefulness of plants - designed with environmentally green and sustainable principles in mind.  This is not a complete list of the gardens that can be visited and there are also greenhouses to explore.

Galleries:
If you are keen on history, then the old stable block has a number of galleries depicting the development of the local area from pre-historic times through to the last hundred years. Located in the original stables of Stockwood House, these galleries explore the history of the region from prehistoric times to the evolution of Stockwood House and the Farley estate. The first gallery introduces Stockwood looking at its history for the last 200 years. The Landscape and People Gallery explores the changes to the local environment. The  Discover Archaeology Gallery introduces early inhabitants of the area and shows how the past is uncovered. There is a separate Roman and Anglo Saxon Gallery where you can see the legacy that these people left us. Well worth a visit is the Medieval Gallery where you can walk the streets of Luton in the 1400's. The final gallery – the Rural Trades Gallery – shows some of the craft and trade objects collected from Bedfordshire villages in the 1930's-1950's. There is a forge located next to this gallery and a collection of vintage stationary engines are also located at this end of the site.

This is a great attraction provided by Luton Council that amazingly has free entry. Away from the formal displays there are plenty of open spaces to sit and relax.  There is a children's play area, a cafe and a gift small shop. A great place to spend a few hours browsing and to return to for future visits at different times of the year to fully appreciate the variety of gardens.  There are also regular events and special exhibitions at different times during the year and the annual Country Fair on the Easter weekend.

Discovery Hall:

The Discovery Hall has transport exhibits associated with Luton and houses The Mossman Collection.   The Mossman Carriage Collection is a collection of horse-drawn vehicles and is the largest collection of such vehicles in the United Kingdom, and includes original vehicles dating from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.  The collection was donated to the Luton Museum Service in 1991 and has examples of horse-drawn road vehicles and carriages used in Britain dating from Roman timess up until the 1930s.  The collection includes vehicles used by tradesmen and ordinary people as well as luxury vehicles and state coaches used by the British nobility and on the large British estates. Many of the exhibits have also been used in television productions and films including Ben Hur and Carry on Dick.  I will post some of the carriages on another post.

They have a 'long term' project to restore the last surviving Luton tram.....

How to get there:
Leave Ampthill heading south along Dunstable Street, carry on through Flitwick and Westoning and join the southbound M1 at junction 12. Keep on M1 until junction 10 and exit towards A1081/Luton Airport. Stay on A1081 and at the big roundabout take the second exit onto London Road. In less than half a mile turn left  onto Cutenhoe Road, keep left and you will shortly see the signs for the Discovery Centre and car parks. The satnav postcode is LU1 4LX – jouney time is about 30 mins (17 miles) depending on traffic.

On arrival
There is plenty of parking only a short walk from the entrance. There are also large grassed areas next to the car park where you could have a picnic or the kids could run around and play ball (ball games not allowed in the Centre), there is seating around the park and plenty of space to eat a picnic or use the cafe.

http://www.lutonculture.com/stockwood-discovery-centre/

Higgins Museum, Bedford

A few weeks back we decided to pop along to the The Higgins, Bedford, and can honestly say it was a good couple of hours, as the entrance is free, definitely worth the visit.  It was also mentioned in the Standard recently too :standard top 10 places to visit

History
The Higgins now houses three attractions, Cecil Higgins Art Gallery, Bedford Museum and Bedford Gallery in one building in Castle Lane, dating back 200 years. Charles Higgins and his family moved to Bedford in the 1820s, founding a brewery at Castle Lane and building the family home next to it. The family business was very successful and they were important, influential figures within the town for over a hundred years. The brewery remained in the Higgins family until the late 1920s when Cecil Higgins, then over seventy, decided to sell it to Wells & Winch Ltd. in order to focus on his ambition to found a museum. Cecil, who had run the family business for many years, devoted his later life to collecting fine and decorative arts with the aim of founding a museum. The Cecil Higgins Art Gallery opened in 1949 in the house that had been Cecil's family home. Bedford Museum moved into the former Higgins & Sons Brewery building in 1981. The Art Gallery housed the family collection of ceramics, glass and objets d’art. Cecil Higgins left a trust fund to be used for museum purposes, but principally for acquiring works of art ranging from decorative arts to watercolours, furniture and prints.

The Bedford Museum was formed in the 1960s from the collections of Bedford Modern School and Bedford Borough Council and was originally housed in in a former garage and showroom on the Embankment. In the 1970s the former Higgins & Sons Castle Brewery buildings became available. John Turner was appointed Curator in 1974 and he led the transformation of the brewery buildings into the new town museum, which opened its doors to the public in 1981. The museum was merged with the Cecil Higgins Art Gallery in 2005, but both buildings remained essentially separate until the museum closed for redevelopment. The original home of the Higgins family has been developed into The Higgins Bedford. The building, following its recent redevelopment, now contains both the art gallery and museum, which house both permanent and temporary exhibitions. The Museum contains displays of social history, archaeology, natural history and ethnography collections telling the stories of the people and places that have shaped Bedford, and its relationship with the wider world, from prehistory to the present day.

The art gallery and museum are situated in a complex set of historic buildings. As well as the Higgins family home and the Higgins Brewery buildings, there is the Hexagonal Gallery which is the oldest part of the site, and Bedford Gallery, a Grade II listed building. The Hexagonal Gallery was built around 1804 upon the foundations of earthworks from Bedford Castle. The Bedord Gallery was built in the early 1840s. It was originally designed as a club known as the Castle Rooms, for members and supporters of the Whig Party. From 1848, the building was used for various religious gatherings In the early part of the 20th Century it became a billiard hall. For some time during World War Two, the BBC Music Department is believed to have used Bedford Gallery as a rehearsal room and recording studio.

Things to see
Check out the temporary exhibitions, as well as the permanent one, all are on the web site.

One of the temporary exhibitions was Bedford's War Machines and there was a lovely miniature scene created by Bedfrod's U3A, I just could resist taking a couple of photos.

The Higgins Bedford was refitted throughout during the redevelopment. Visitors can now enjoy watercolour, print and decorative art collections of international significance, including major collections of works by William Burges and Edward Bawden.  More local collections tell the story of Bedford and its people through archaeological finds, natural history, geology and social history.

The William Burges Collection’s can be found in the high-ceilinged hexagonal gallery. Burges, one of the most imaginative architects of the 19th Century, filled his buildings with richly-painted furniture, metalwork, ceramics and stained glass, all with his unique take on medieval style. One of the showpieces of the redevelopment, the William Burges Gallery features the art gallery and museum's world-renowned collection of painted furniture designed by Burges for his own use.

The artist designer Edward Bawden was one of the most influential artists of his generation. For the first time the Higgins’ collection of murals, prints, illustrations, wallpapers, textiles and watercolours, which made up the contents of Bawden’s studio, are housed together in this new gallery. There are regular changing exhibitions providing an insight into this artist’s work.

Other exhibits on display include items from the Higgins' collections including textiles, furniture, metalwork and glassware. The Higgins’ home remained in the family for almost a hundred years and contains displays that introduce the family and explore Cecil Higgins’ collection in terms of how the objects might have originally been used.

There is a gallery devoted to the Settlement of the local area. This gallery highlights the human journey through time. Objects, collections and people tell their own story about Bedford, its rivers and its countryside. The journey begins millions of years ago when the land was covered by ancient seas, inhabited by strange creatures, and reveals the forces of nature that have shaped the landscape. When the seas receded, new creatures including early humans began to inhabit the area. Through the objects on display it is possible to gain an understanding of how people worked, lived, played and worshipped from the earliest times up to the Middle Ages. Intertwined within this thread are invaders from now lost empires, seafarers who came to raid and trade, powerful religious houses and vanishing castles. The gallery focuses on some of the most important stories drawn from the Museum's archaeological collections.

A further gallery continues the story of Bedfordshire and its people's history. It explores Bedford and its growth from a small but busy medieval market town to a centre of industry and business today. Bedfordshire's agricultural and engineering heritage is celebrated with a focus on J. & F. Howard's Britannia Ironworks, W. H. Allen's Queen's Engineering Works, and the brickworks. The town and countryside and the people who live in Bedfordshire have all changed significantly over the centuries. The displays feature local people and show how they have responded to events, including the Agricultural Revolution, the coming of the railways, the growth of Victorian Bedford, the Second World War, newcomers looking for work and modern commercial and technology industries.

How to get there:  Leave Ampthill on B530 heading north up Bedford Street. Carry on the B530 until you eventually come to a set of traffic lights on the outskirts of Bedford – at the lights turn left into Ampthill Road (A5141) and drive straight along the A5141 until you reach a roundabout. Take the second exit onto Rope Walk. At the next roundabout, take the second exit onto Longholme Way – after a short distance you will cross the river, take the next left into The Embankment. Keep going along The Embankment until you reach the junction with Newham Road (on your right) – turn at the mini-roundabout into Newham Road. You will come to a junction, turn left into Castle Lane – follow this road round to the left and you will find The Higgins on your left.  The Sat Nav postcode is MK40 3XD but there are brown signs if you don't have a sat nav. It takes about half an hour (9  miles) depending on traffic conditions.

Arrival: There are 4 car parking spaces at the entrance of The Higgins for visitors with Blue Badges.  There is pay and display parking spaces along the Embankment (max. stay 2 hours) and the nearest public car park is at Lurke Street, just 5 minutes walk from The Higgins.  Alternatively, there is a Park and Ride service from Elstow, with frequent buses into the Town Centre.  On Saturdays 2 hours are free in Council owned car parks.
Parking in Bedford

Wrest Park

Wrest Park

Arrival: Once you have parked it is only a short walk to the entrance, which is in the shop.  There is also a cafe, childrens' play area and toilets in this part of the grounds.

History: Wrest Park is a country estate in Silsoe, Bedfordshire.  It comprises a Grade I listed country house, and Wrest Park Gardens surrounding the mansion.  Although there was an earlier House on the site, it was demolished in the 1830's and the present house was built in 1834–39, to designs by its owner Thomas de Grey, 2nd Earl de Grey (1781–1859), an amateur architect and the first president of the Royal Institute of British Architects, who was much inspired by French architecture.   Thomas was responsible not only for designing the new house at Wrest Park but also for carefully furnishing its interiors – again in a French theme.  De Grey also developed the gardens created by his ancestors.  The gardens and dairy contain a significant collection of 18th- and 19th-century statues.

 

Wrest Park was used as a hospital during the First World War until in September 1916 the mansion was badly damaged by fire.

In 2007 English Heritage obtained funding for the restoration of a number of the key features of the Wrest Park estate, including the mansion's formal entrance area, the garden statuary, railings and gates, and to alter the height of the carriage drive.  There are plans for the lakes and canals to be restored.  The long term objective is to restore Wrest Park House and gardens to their original splendour.

Inside the House 

Unfortunately, although it is a spectacular house, there are only a few rooms open to the public, and even these may be limited if there is an “event” going on.  The Conservatory is small but worth a visit, beyond that there is a small exhibition area with a few displays of historical information relating to the House.  As yet we have not been without event, so not able to comment, so worth checking before you set out, and there is no reduced fee.

The Conservatory

The Gardens 

Most visitors to Wrest Park come to see the impressive gardens, which were partially created by Lancelot "Capability" Brown.  He was involved with the family and gardens at Wrest Park for 20 years.  At Wrest Park, Brown created a man-made series of lakes that look like one flowing river, removing avenues and planting tree clumps to make the surroundings appear more natural.  There is a memorial column dedicated to Brown.

There are over 90 acres of gardens showcasing French, Dutch, Italian and English styles side by side.  Wrest Park's also has sweeping landscapes and plenty of woodland walks.  The appearance of the grounds does change depending with the seasons.

There are a number of hidden gems in the gardens.  These include the Orangery (now restored to its former glory), an ornate marble fountain, the 18th century Bowling Green House, a Chinese Temple and Bridge, the Bath House and Cascade and over 40 statues dotted around the grounds.  The Chinese Temple and Bridge originally formed part of a tableau imitating scenes found on Chinese willow pattern plates.  The Bath House was built c 1770 when plunge pools were popular.

The Long Water is encased on either side by walkways leading to the spectacular Archer Pavilion.  Built by Thomas Archer between 1709-11, this baroque pavilion, with its stunning interior, is the focal point of the gardens.

The Dairy Sculpture Gallery showcases some of the estate's most beautiful statues, now restored to their former glory.  The dairy which used to supply butter and cream for the de Grey family, was converted into an intimate gallery, bringing together precious garden statues too fragile to remain outside.

The bath house is my favourite part of the garden, even though it is a ‘ruin’.  Note that the Orangery is booked for events too.

The Bath House

How to get there:  Leave Ampthill on A507 heading east.  After a couple of miles take the turning to Silsoe on your right and follow this road until you reach a T junction in the centre of Silsoe.  Turn right onto High Street and after a short distance turn left by the Church into Park Avenue.  Carry on down the Avenue into the grounds of Wrest Park – you will see the visitors' car park signposted  to the right.  Pull into the car park where there are plenty of parking spaces.  The Sat Nav postcode is MK45 4HR but there are brown signs if you don't have a sat nav.  It takes about a quarter hour (4.5  miles) depending on traffic conditions.

Gt Barford walk along the river

We had a lovely sunny Saturday afternoon recently so we decided to take a drive over to Gt Barford and take a walk along the river.  We searched around the internet and found a walk:

great barford walk

We parked in the road just by the church in New Road, you will immediately see Barford's fifteenth-century bridge is a popular mooring.  We walked back towards the Anchor Inn, Great Barford crossed the road and walked along the river.    It starts with a cut lawn I guess maintained by the beautiful house just above.  We then followed the river along for a while following the footpath until we reached a bridge.  We crossed the river on to an island and then cross another small bridge and pass a lock-keeper s cottage on the left. The overgrown cottage is really interesting. We were interested to see an old cottage, that looks as though it was recently abandoned, but couldn't find out much about it on the internet. Would love to hear a bit more about the history.

It was a lovely peaceful walk.  And we even saw a goose creche, never noticed this before 2 geese look after all of the little'uns whilst the rest go for a graze!

We turned around and waked back to where we parked and went on the other side of the river to see the lock and weir.  But you can continue and cross the lock and eventually arrive at Willington Lock and then on to the Danish Camp and Bedford or just turn back and return to Great Barford.  



So here are a few pictures of the walk and a bit about Gt Barford that I picked up from the internet:

Great Barford is a village in Bedfordshire,  a few miles north-east of Bedford. It lies on the north bank of the River Great Ouse. Great Barford was mentioned in the Domesday Book as an important site, probably as a means of crossing the river that skirts the village.   Although the area of the original ford was dug up in 1973, the bridge has existed since at least the 15th century. The village is nowadays by-passed by the busy A421 road on the way between Bedford and St Neots, the by-pass opened in 2006 and has improved the quality of village life with much less traffic. The village has two contrasting areas, the more sprawling less attractive newer part that is situated to the north of the more picturesque older and original village, which lies beside the River and has a large variety of buildings some dating to the 17th century.  The older part of the village is known for its All Saints Church, with a 15th-century tower, and its similarly ancient bridge. The surroundings and historic buildings make it a favoured destination for canoeing, angling and picnics.  There is also a popular scout camp by the river in the village near the church, which offers 1.25 acres of camping field together with a slipway and landing stage with access to the River Great Ouse.

Facilities

The Anchor Inn is situated by the river Great Ouse at the picturesque village of Great Barford, with view of the river and the famous bridge with its 17 arches, first built in 1427.  The pub serves a selection of cask ales, lagers and beers and has a comprehensive wine list. It also has a restaurant that seats 40 guests and does bar meals.  The more informal dining area is in the main bar, that is very popular with a good choice of a snacks, main menu and daily specials boards. All food is prepared on the premises, from locally sourced produce with an aim to provide good, wholesome, traditional fare. There is another pub in the newer part of the village, the Golden Cross Pub & Chinese Restaurant is situated in the centre of the village at the cross roads of  High Street, Roxton Road, Bedford Road & Green End Road. it has an ample parking area, and is adjacent the main east-west X5 bus stop. Not just a Local Pub serving fine cask ales, lagers, wines and spirits, run by the owners in the same building is a first class Chinese Restaurant seating up to 60 people with a full menu take away service.  Moving north up the High street from the bridge, you pass many interesting buildings some of them listed, and will also find the village shop and post office.

Local Area

Starting from the bridge there is a public footpath which follows the banks of the river to Bedford. There are also other footpaths that pass through farmland and pastures to neighbouring villages.  Over the road from The Anchor is the village green, a beautiful spot to sit and watch the many boats that pass through Great Barford during the summer months.

Woburn Safari Park

Woburn Safari Park along woth Woburn Abbey is the biggest 'tourist attraction' around here.  I have visited many occasions - I had a season ticket for a year, and have been at least once a year as my son was growing up, and even helped with the Alameda school trip a few years ago.

With the school trip we were treated to a guide on the coach too, so even better.  

I have not been for a few years, although I would say it is a place that you can enjoy whatever your age.

Over the years the place has changed and I thought I would share some pictures of a visit this year.

The lions have always featured in the Park for as long as I can remember - I went in the 70s and they were there then!

The monkeys have changed over the years, and these cheeky ones will soon climb on your car if you stop, best to keep moving slowly...

These little chaps are in an enclosure that have lots of trees and you enter and wander around with them up in the trees.

Feeding time with the wallabies, how cute are these with their little joeys in their pouch, you walk around their enclosure. 

The lemurs you visit on foot also, and so fascinating and comical

A recently added attraction - I remember seeing these giant tortoises on a trip to the Seychelles a few years ago, different climate...but still fascinating!

And of course meerkats - did we even know of their existence before the advert.

Tropical birds in a large conservatory, great on a chilly day!

There really is something for everyone, plenty of picnic areas, or food to buy there if you prefer.  Play areas for little ones, and areas for the slightly older children.  Go Ape is also in the grounds at an extra charge for the even bigger kids!  If the weather stays dry you really can spend an entire day there.  It can get a bit chilly up there, so take an extra layer just in case, you are always nearby your car once you have parked up.  You can go around the safari again, or even leave it until later if it is busy when you first arrive.

It is only a 15 minute drive from Ampthill, and even better to drive via Eversholt through the deerpark to see the Abbey.

Clophill scarecrow festival

Clophill is a village just down the road from Ampthill, it is a pretty village with a long road through and some interesting narrow lanes that go up quite a steep incline, every other year it has a open gardens and it also has a scarecrow festival (not sure if this is every other year too).

We popped along for a look at them today and here are some of my personal favourites, there were loads of them and so good, great fun, and got everyone out walking.

This first one I notice that the house is even partially painted, so much detail, with the two relaxing nearby.

There were teas and cakes and sausage baps in the church.