Cx And Xm Rally 14th - 16th September

[Mark Bodsworth]

To help represent XM's it has been decided that this years CX rally at Little Horwood will also include the XM. Im hoping we can outnumber the amount of attending cx's. The event will also include (if all goes to plan) a convoy to Woburn Abbey and Safari Park http://www.woburnabbey.co.uk/. If attendance is good hopefully it will lead to a seperate XM rally in the future. See you all there.
(scrathes head as to how Im going to get a cx and an xm there)

[Mark Bodsworth]

Convoy will be Saturday

[medwaycitroen]

Will hopefully be there with at least one XM. SHould we bring an S2 or S1?

[citroenxm]

I think you should take the S reg S2... The later the more desirable.. in my opinion, but how ever, I am an avid S1 enthuisist (cannot spell that to save my life)

Wish I could go, I'd bring both my S1 24v manual, and well I'd had to drive down in the 12v V6 S1.. just need a trailer, but I'm also way to far away..

Regards
citroenxm

[bigjohnh]

Mark etc.

Do I need to be a member of the CCC or something to attend this rally as I find myself at a loose end that weekend and would like to come along with my series 1.5?

Please could someone let me have details of the rally etc.

Thanks

John

[techmanagain]

Everybody's very welcome! Just bring your XM and about £6 in your wallet and you'll get in!
Probably catering on site by members but as it is beside the village pub, you will have no problem. Got a tent or caravan? Bring it and stay the weekend. Showers available on site.
Traders and members with lots of spares on site from Sat am..
Little Horwood is well signposted from road between Buckingham and Milton Keynes. Very sharp turn by pub side wall and next to church (signposted) so it's easy to find.

[bigjohnh]

Hi everyone,

Yes I fully intended to camp and self-cater, I will probably bring a horde (3) of kids as they love camping and Citroens. Can I camp Friday and Saturday nights? Where is it exactly? Many more questions to follow as I think of them.

John

[Mark Bodsworth]

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=l&hl=en&ge...98505&z=11&om=1

[Mark Bodsworth]

Behind the shoulder of mutton pub
Church St, Little Horwood, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK17 0PF

camping fri and sat nights

Convoy sat

[Mark Bodsworth]

Places of interest

Woburn Safari Park
Woburn, Milton Keynes, Bedfordshire, MK17 9QN
Tel: 01525 290407

Woburn Abbey
Woburn, Milton Keynes, Bedfordshire, MK17 9WA
Tel: 01525 290666

Whipsnade Wild Animal Park
Dunstable, Bedfordshire, LU6 2LF
Tel: 01582 872171

The Leighton Buzzard Railway
Page's Park Station, Billington Road, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, LU7 4TN

Woburn Heritage & Information Centre
Tel: 01525 373888
A museum of local history plus a tourist information point housed in Old St Mary’s Church,
The Centre also sells walk leaflets and books plus gifts and cards.
Bedford Street, Woburn.

Monthly Framers Market 16th September
The 3rd Sunday of each month sees the Woburn Farmers market held on 'the Pitchings'. A great variety of fresh produce is available from the many stalls.

Bletchley Park
The Mansion, Bletchley Park, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, MK3 6EB
Tel: 01908 640404

Ascott
Wing, nr Leighton Buzzard, Buckinghamshire LU7 0PS
Tel: 01296 688242

[Mark Bodsworth]

HOTELS

The Retreat B & B
(01296) 712272
Nash Road, Little Horwood
Milton Keynes MK17 0PX

The Bell Hotel
(01296) 714091
Market Square , Winslow
Buckingham MK18 3AB

Lowndes Arms
(01908) 501706
High Street, Whaddon
Milton Keynes MK17 0NA

Puzzletree Bed & Breakfast
(01296) 712437
3 Buckingham Road, Winslow
Buckingham MK18 3DT

[Mark Bodsworth]

Woburn Abbey

Home of the Dukes of Bedford
This abbey was once inhabited by a group of Cisterian Monks. This means that it was a strict Roman Catholic monastery. These abbeys were to some a peaceful area of retreat. By the time 1543 rolled around it was no longer a peaceful retreat, though. The Abbot Hobbs was found guilty of "Treasonable utterances against the King" and he was hanged on an oak at the gate of the Abbey. For some mysterious reason, the successive generations of Russells maintained the ancient oak tree where the last abbot of the monastery was hanged which still remains to remind us of his death.
King Edward VI confiscated the land owned by the Cistercian monastery and granted it to John Russell, the first Earl of Bedford in 1574. The abbey itself is an 18th-century mansion although the house's history began in 1145 when Hugh deBolebec built an abbey here for Cistercian monks. Some of the old stone had been incorporated into the foundations of the mansion. The abbey was confiscated in 1538 under the orders of King Henry VIII for 'treasonable utterances' and given to Sir John Russell for services to the crown in 1547. It became the family seat of the Russell family in 1619. It had been home to the Dukes and Earls since 1627 when Francis, succeeding his cousin as Fourth Earl, decided to build on the remains of the Cistercian abbey.

The next major building period was in 1786 under the direction of Henry Holland (also in 1787-88) and although some of Holland's work had to be demolished in 1949 his influence remains in the Canaletto room and Library. Henry Holland was also closely involved in the design and construction of Broadlands.
The 13th Duke of Bedford, succeeding to the title and to severe death duties (inheritance taxes) in 1953, determined to realise to the full the potential earning power of a "stately home" and opened it as a paying tourist attraction. He was a resourceful publicist, and, by the end of the 1950's, Woburn Abbey was a name well known to the British public; by the 1960's it was almost as well known abroad.
Deer Park and Grounds
Woburn's 3,000 acre deer park was landscaped by Humphry Repton in the early 19th century, some of which was used for the Woburn (experimental) Farm, and contains an abundance of wildlife, including nine species of deer. One of these, the Pere David, descended from the Imperial Herd of China, was saved from extinction at Woburn and is now the largest breeding herd in the world. Majestic oaks, gently landscaped parkland and lakes make this one of the most beautiful of parks. Over 1,000 deer roam here, including the Pere David deer, saved from extinction at Woburn.
As you enter the Park you will pass the splendid range of farm buildings, designed by Robert Salmon and Henry Holland, built in 1780. These incorporate the Bedford Estates Office and the Bloomsbury Stud. The famous purple and white colours of the Bloomsbury Stud have been carried with great success on racecourses around the world. To the left you will see the Dairy completed in 1900.
The Gardens
There are 40 acres of pleasure gardens and a Pottery, as well as the 40 shop Antiques Centre which is probably the most unusual such centre outside London, having been designed and built utilising many shop fronts and facades, rescued from demolition sites in various parts of Britain.
The gardens at Woburn were also landscaped by Humphry Repton. His style can be seen in the natural use of the grounds. The gardens contain many rare and champion trees. Woburn is the most fully realised of Repton's projects. A large Red Book was presented to the 6th Duke of Bedford in 1802. Repton proposed a lake, a serpentine river, an American Garden, extensive planting, a bridge, and a Thornery. Today, the garden's character is Victorian. There is a hornbeam maze, herbaceous borders, ponds, a woodland garden and a Chinese diary overlooking a pool. The curved greenhouse is used as a camellia house.
"There is a handsome flower-garden here, designed by the present duchess; and near it is the most magnificent sculpture gallery to be found in any private house in England." [Source: Gardeners' Magazine and register of rural and domestic improvement, 1829]
The House
Woburn Abbey has been home of the Dukes of Bedford for over 300 years and is now lived in by the present Duke's heir, the Marquess of Tavistock and his family, in the Family Rooms.
The house contains one of the most important private collections of furniture, porcelain, silver and paintings, by many famous craftsmen and artists, including Claude, Cuyp, Gainsborough, Murillo, Rembrandt, Reynolds and Deniers to name only a few and in one room of the Private Apartments, the magnificent Venetian Room, there are 21 paintings of Venice by Antonio Canale (Canaletto). There are over 250 paintings to enjoy on the three floors of the House. In the Private Apartments, the Venetian Room is one of the most beautiful dining rooms in the world with 21 pictures of Venice by Canaletto. The paintings were commissioned by the 4th Duke while on The Grand Tour in 1731. Beautiful porcelain from France, Japan, Germany, England and China can be found in the vaults, including the famous Sevres dinner service presented to the 4th Duke of Bedford by Louis XV.
Woburn has been home to distinguished visitors in the past, including Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, who used a suite of rooms here.

[bigjohnh]

Mark,

How late can we arrive, I anticipate arriving around 7 - 8 pm on Friday, will this be OK. Will I be able to get in? Will there be any room?

John

[Mark Bodsworth]

Yes that'll be fine. Theres always been plenty of room in the past.
See you there!!

[Mark Bodsworth]

Woburn have confirmed and are providing parking and special rates for the house and grounds etc. Just hope more than 5 cars turn up lol