Heritage

Tales from Greensand Country – a film by RYG Films.

Commissioned by Greensand Country Landscape Partnership This 10-minute film is an entertaining introduction to Greensand Country and a peek into the lives of its residents over the centuries. RYG FILMS were commissioned as part of the ‘Celebrating Greensand’ programme – a collection of curated work designed to uncover the stories of Greensand Country. The film was supported by a team of volunteers from across Greensand Country. The volunteers underwent training in Historical Research, Oral History and Archiving in January 2021 and have worked together as a team to research stories and gather information, which has informed the making of the film.

There are numerous historical sites and heritage centres in the area. The Ridgmont Station Heritage Centre contains a collection of railway artefacts, whilst the Woburn Heritage Centre is a museum of local history. There are many parish churches, predominantly built of the local sandstone and notable buildings such as Ailesbury Mausoleum, situated in the churchyard of St Mary’s Church, Maulden and believed to be the earliest mausoleum in England and St Mary’s Old Church in Clophill originating from Saxon times.

Nearly all of Bedfordshire’s Grade I listed manor houses are located within Greensand Country, including Woburn Abbey, Haynes Park, Moggerhanger Park, Southill Park, Wrest Park, Warden Abbey and the ruins of Houghton House. Grade II listed manor houses include Ampthill Park, Shuttleworth Mansion House, Segenhoe Manor, Flitwick Manor, Heath Manor, Crawley House, Hazells Hall and Aspley House. Many of these estates boast extensive historic parklands, which are characteristic of Greensand Country and offer space for visitors to roam amidst stunning scenery.