European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 7, 1958, Darmstadt, Hesse                                To the centuries old Palace examine the collection of Gold and some Are expected to visit the Abbey this by Robert staff writer photos by Ted Rohde of Flag right its the great this Side of Disneyland f Toft costs Only half a Crown just three and a Nickel to tour one of Sta Eliest Homes and meet a real e ladies and Palace of the Dukes of for almost 300 its but it remained for the to open the Gates and Bally into one of Britain most tourists 44 Miles Northwest of on the site of old monastery and is surrounded by of Parkland containing the of Deer in Captivity and the Enuine american Bison in t georgian with is superbly furnished i a treasure House of paintings by and Velasquez and a collection of porcelain and Juhe Abbey has a lot More the 13th has As theres an amusement in snack a zoo for Pony Llama rides and on one of the 14 lakes that Dot something sure Lor 41yearold Duke pointed out autograph session in the abbeys Nir weve tried to make Abbey the perfect Days Outing from eight to from the Way visitors Are flock a lot of other people be ism Jutt Woburn is the perfect Days out year visitors poured the stately Gates and the Duke More than this injected a Ducal dash of the old Barnum technique to help keep the spinning at Woburn and he has in sending the hitherto staid boosting Britain stately Homes thing started when the pres inherited the Bedford title Back at the same he inherited a the government in taxes and death Woof five million pounds or roughly Ulburn not Othin might have gone along quietly at this Point except for the fact Tif the Duke took one look at Woburn promptly fell in love with the up his opened the Gates invited the Public to enjoy the Almon of Woburn with him at 2v4 head or 3h shillings on Sun he invited Marilyn Monroe to a bed at Woburn that once rested cobs h and later Queen and More he invited the world Congress of nudists next International conference in starting in Duke dreamed up a Tot of jul Blocky gimmicks besides he july 1958 once held a Bison Barbecue for a group of american More recently he sought to display 18 of Woburn Art masterpieces at department stores in Canada and the and the biggest thing Hes toying with the idea of building a Motel at in the heart of the  tourists but dont some of England More conservative nobility frown at such antics let pm said the i love this place More than anything in the world and i dont care what do to keep it of the original  the Duke has paid off about 50 per cent so but mainly by Selling other properties owned by the the original one of the executors of Henry was granted some 30 Man Sions in various parts of England Back in the 16th Century for service rendered to the in the Bloomsbury District of London Bedford Russell Square the family name and Tavistock Square rep resent part of the present Dukes land we grossed pounds almost million last year on the visitors to to but it costs some a year for Upkeep the Duke at least were keeping the estate from just rotting when i took the Abbey Over it was More than a furniture repository which had been used As a top secret British Headquarters during the every room was piled from floor to ceiling with it was a tremendous Job to get it All but somehow my wife and i managed to get the work opening the Abbey to the Public has been a serious business with its a full time Job and i enjoy every minute of it i want to make sure the people who visit Woburn enjoy every minute of it Bedford lives with his wife and the couples five children in a Wing of the Abbey closed to the Dukes eldest son is currently in the preparing to enter Harvard University in the we can live quietly Here and never know that All those visitors Are out the Duke not that i dont like the idea of their being out there things would be much worse if they we rent Woburn is open every Day of the week except monday and the Duke can generally be wandering around greeting explaining some particular facet of the abbeys a Friendly person with a warm personal the Duke has an Apt word for everyone and enjoys himself thoroughly on the behind that easygoing manner theres a Sharp business Are so Many wonderful things Here it would Lake me six Days to see them said one woman approaching the Duke in the in so glad you Are enjoying he re i Hope youll come Back five times portraits of ancestors line and Ballyhoo the stars and stripes bedroom of the suite once occupied by Queen ii