Woburn Abbey

The Long Gallery

This was designed in the mid eighteenth century by Henry Flitcroft. During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries the Long Gallery would have been used for exercise and was where the full-length standing portraits would have been hung. Flitcroft changed its structure by turning it into three bays by the use of Corinthian columns. The plaster ceilings in each of the bays are beautifully moulded.

During the winter of 1980-1 the Long Gallery was completely redecorated by the Abbey's own maintenance team of carpenter, decorators and electrician. All the paintings and furnishings were removed, the old wallpaper was stripped and underneath was discovered the original boarding and scrim. The ceiling was carefully washed before being painted in four different shades. The wallpaper is hand-blocked using the original block; it was designed in 1720 and was discovered at Temple Newsman from where it takes its name. The bell-pulls on either side of the fireplaces were designed and worked by Lady Tavistock and her friends; the design was copied from some of the caning round the fire place and the doors, and the border can be seen on the carpet in one of the paintings. As each bay was completed the paintings, which had been gathered from other rooms and cleaned, were rehung; some had never been on public view before, notably the Priwitzer portraits of the 4th Earl's children in the middle bay. It was decided that the window-seats in this bay, which had suffered badly from woodworm and the ravages of time should be restored and then re-upholstered by our textile conservator, as they had been specially designed for the Gallery in 1750.

Another interesting piece of furniture in the first bay is an oak chest (c.1550). Above the chest is the most famous painting in the house, the Armada portrait of Queen Elizabeth I by George Gower; the Queen is presented as Empress with her hand on the globe, on the wall behind her are two scenes of the Armada being attacked by Drake's fire-ships and coming to grief in the stormy sea. In the last bay are two portraits of dashing soldiers; one is Henry Danvers, Earl of Danby, and painted c.1598, artist unknown. Danby, who is depicted outside his tent dressed in armour and battle scarred, was a page to the soldier-poet Sir Philip Sidney. Over the staircase is another portrait by Gheeraedts of an unknown soldier sometime called the Earl of Rutland; it is exquisitely painted.

From the windows you can see a flight of steps and a balustraded wall, which is where the east wing stood, joining the partly demolished north and south wings. In the distance behind the large Cedar of Lebanon, is the area where the Riding School and Tennis Court once stood.