Woburn Abbey

In this edition, Phil visits Woburn Abbey in Bedfordshire, ancestral home of the Dukes of Bedford for nearly 400 years. 'It's not your typical Location, Location, Location home!' admits Andrew, the 15th Duke. And with its magical shell grotto, sumptuous state rooms and 3000-acre deer park, it's hard to disagree. Woburn started life as a Cistercian Monastery, until it was transformed by the 4th Earl Francis Russell. On his journey through Woburn's history Phil 'meets' some of the other ancestors, including the 'flying' Duchess who turned part of the Abbey into a military hospital during the First World War, and the 'showman' Duke who saved Woburn from a crippling tax bill in the 1950s by throwing open his doors to the public - even welcoming nudists! Phil joins the skilled team of masons charged with restoring the Abbey to its former glory - and the crack cleaning squad who keep the house spick and span.