Woburn Abbey. Woburn Abbey is a historic country house located in the English county of Bedfordshire. It has been represented in art in various ways throughout history. One of the earliest depictions of the abbey is a drawing by the Flemish artist Anthony van Dyck, which dates from around 1632. The drawing shows the abbey as it would have appeared in the 17th century, with its grand façade and formal gardens. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Woburn Abbey became a popular subject for landscape painters, who were drawn to its picturesque setting and historic architecture. One of the most famous paintings of the abbey is by J.M.W. Turner, who painted several views of the abbey in the early 19th century. Turner's paintings of Woburn Abbey are notable for their use of color and light, as well as their romanticized depiction of the abbey as a symbol of past glories. Another notable painting of Woburn Abbey is by Thomas Gainsborough, who painted a portrait of the 4th Duke of Bedford and his family in the grounds of the abbey in the late 18th century. The painting is notable for its depiction of the abbey as a backdrop to the family group, as well as its use of light and color to create a sense of harmony and balance. In recent years, Woburn Abbey has continued to be a popular subject for artists and photographers. The abbey's historic architecture and picturesque setting make it a popular destination for landscape photographers, who often capture the abbey at different times of the year. The abbey has also been used as a backdrop for films and television shows, including the popular British series Downton Abbey. The abbey's historic architecture and picturesque setting have made it a popular subject for artists and photographers, who have captured its beauty and historical significance in their work. Woburn Abbey occupying the east of the village of Woburn, Bedfordshire, England, is a country house, the family seat of the Duke of Bedford. Although it is still a family home to the current duke, it is open on specified days to visitors, along with the diverse estate surrounding it, including the historic landscape gardens and deer park, as well as more recently added attractions including Woburn Safari Park, a miniature railway and a garden/visitor centre. Woburn Abbey, comprising Woburn Park and its buildings, was set out and founded as a Cistercian abbey in 1145. Taken from its monastic residents by Henry VIII and given to John Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford, in 1547, it became the seat of the Russell family and the Dukes of Bedford, who demolished the original abbey building and built their house on the monastic site, although the name Abbey was retained. The Abbey was largely rebuilt starting in 1744 by the architects Henry Flitcroft and Henry Holland for the 4th Duke. Anna Russell, Duchess of Bedford, originated the afternoon tea ritual in 19th-century England. In April 1786 John Adams visited Woburn Abbey and other notable houses in the area. After visiting them he wrote in his diary Stowe, Hagley, and Blenheim, are superb; Woburn, Caversham, and the Leasowes are beautiful. Wotton is both great and elegant, though neglected. However in his diary he was also damning about the means used to finance the large estates, and he did not think that the embellishments to the landscape, made by the owners of the great country houses, would suit the more rugged American countryside. From 1941 Woburn Abbey was the headquarters of the secretive Political Warfare Executive which had its London offices at the BBC's Bush House. Following World War II, dry rot was discovered and half the Abbey was subsequently demolished. When the 12th Duke died in 1953, his son the 13th Duke was exposed to heavy death duties and the Abbey was a half-demolished, half-derelict house. Instead of handing the family estates over to the National Trust, he kept ownership and opened the Abbey to the public for the first time in 1955. It soon gained in popularity as other amusements were added, including Woburn Safari Park on the grounds of the Abbey in 1970.