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Programme of  Visits 2010
Thursday 22nd April 2010 - St. Albans and Woburn Abbey

Thursday 20th May 2010 -  Marlow and Greys Court

Wednesday 23rd June 2010 - Ely and Oxburgh Hall

Wednesday 21st July 2010 - Deal andWalmer Castle and Gardens

Thursday 20th August 2010 - Newbury and Highclere Castle

Wednesday 16th September 2010 - Winchester and Hinton Ampner

Thursday 7th October 2010 - Chichester and Uppark House and Garden

Thursday 22nd April 2010  

St. Albans and Woburn Abbey

The first trip of the season will be to St. Albans for coffee or lunch and then to Woburn Abbey,  home to the Dukes of Bedford for over 300 years and currently occupied by the 15th Duke and his family.
Touring the Abbey covers three floors,  including the vaults,  with superb examples of 18th century French and English furniture and stunning works of art,  celebrated as one of the most impressive and important private collections in the world.
 The extensive Abbey Gardens were the inspiration of Humphry Repton and the Private Gardens (simple and formal and mainly 19th Century Italianate) include a Circular hornbeam maze with a Chinese Pavilion at its centre,  herbaceous borders,  rose garden,  a camellia house and lots of good statues.

 Afternoon Tea is available in the Duchess’ Tea Room.

 The cost of this outing £20.

 

  Thursday 20th May 2010

Marlow and Greys Court

The charming town of Marlow is the venue for our coffee stop where you can have lunch or just stroll around. In the afternoon we travel on to Greys Court, a mellow-bricked house whose lineage stretches for over 900 years. It's very much a family home with a warm and friendly atmosphere and it contains a fine collection of furniture, pictures and porcelain. The house has been closed for two years for renovation but it is opening in April. The upper floor can be viewed for the first time and we have been promised that there will be much to enjoy. The walled gardens are divided by ancient brick and flint walls and the plants include beds full of peonies and clematis. Organic gardening is an important feature at Greys Court and the results prove its efficacy. Other items of interest are the Moon Bridge, the ice house, the Tudor Donkey Wheel and the brick maze. Back indoors, you can browse the Bookstall for national Trust goodies and mementoes or enjoy the teas and snacks in the Cromwellian Stables.  This truly is an historic house with much to see and to enjoy.

The cost of this outing is: £18   For NT members: £12

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.Wednesday 23rd June 2010. 

Ely and Oxburgh Hall

First to the ancient town of Ely for our coffee stop and perhaps a visit to the cathedral which is very old and impressive but there is an entrance fee. Then on to Oxburgh Hall, a 15th century moated manor house that is still believed to have some mysteries to reveal. Secret doors have already been discovered, such as the one in the library and there is a well-hidden priest's hole. The Hall has been home to the Bedingfeld family since 1462. Treasures include some intricate needlework by Mary Queen of Scots and Bess of Hardwick.  For a more energetic pursuit, you may like to try counting the steps of the spiral staircase in to the gatehouse. There is much to see in the grounds. The Bedingfeld family chapel has a stunning 16th century altarpiece and you can also visit the 15th century parish church and see the terracotta family tombs.

The woods and woodland trail are perhaps more for the energetic walkers. Other points of interest are the pet cemetery, the Muntjac deer and the owl in the oak yard. The gardens offer year-round colour, there is a rich orchard and a well-stocked kitchen garden.  The shop his all the usual attractive items and you can spend time browsing in the second-hand bookshop. Light snacks are available in the Pantry or a fuller menu can be enjoyed in the licensed Victorian Kitchen. There is something for everyone at Oxburgh Hall.

The cost of this outing is: £18  For NT members: £12


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Wednesday 21st July 2010.

Deal andWalmer Castle and Gardens

Hoping to repeat a very pleasant stop-over at Deal two years ago we will then visit nearby Walmer Castle and Gardens.

A Tudor castle and official residence of the Lords Warden of the Cinque Ports,  including the Duke of Wellington,  William Pitt and HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother,  it is surrounded by beautiful gardens and has a rich history and a charm all of its own.   
The Gardens,  like outdoor rooms,  have variety and interest and include the Queen Mother’s Garden,  created for her 95th birthday,  a kitchen garden full of seasonal vegetables and fruit,  a glasshouse filled with flowers and temperate plants and the Broad Walk with its famous undulating yew hedge.

 There is a tea room for afternoon tea.

 The cost of this outing is £18 or £12 for English Heritage Members. (EH cards must be brought on the day).

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Thursday 19th August 2010.

Newbury and Highclere Castle

We stop first at Newbury for our coffee break and in the afternoon we make our way to nearby Highclere Castle. The castle is magnificent: the Saloon has a 50 feet vaulted ceiling, balcony and intricate carving. The enormous library contains 7,000 books but Lady Carnarvon's sitting room is quiet and comfortable. Celebrity guests include the Queen and Prince Phillip and actors Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie who were there to make the television production of Jeeves and Wooster. The surrounding park has all the features of "Capability" Brown's inimitable designs - undulating landscape and cleverly cited trees to enhance the view. The spacious orangery is home to thirty varieties of pelargonium and there are ferns and citrus plants. Running along the side of the house is a border of North American wild plants which is said to be spectacular in August. There is a Monks’ garden and a Secret garden with Italian cedars and an imposing lime avenue and a giant artichoke.

All this magnificence is home to the Carnarvons whose ancestor the 5th Earl, together with Howard Carter, discovered the tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun. The fascinating exhibition there celebrates the 5th Earl's exploits and even contains the razor which ultimately caused his death. (A separate fee is charged for the exhibition).  Then, to add to your enjoyment, there is a range of sandwiches and cakes which are freshly made every day in the castle's kitchens. This could prove to be a memorable trip.  
The cost of this outing is: £20
Wednesday 15th September 2010.

Winchester and Hinton Ampner

 After a morning stop at Winchester for coffee/lunch we continue to Hinton Ampner Nr Alresford. 

Best known for its fine gardens, this is an elegant country house extensively remodelled after a fire in 1960 with an outstanding collection of furniture, paintings and objets d’art.  The final owner, the last Lord Sherborne, created the gardens, said to be a masterpiece of garden design and combine crisply manicured lawns and fine topiary, formal design and informal planting.

Produce from the walled garden is sometimes available for sale along with a wide range of plants.

There is a tea room which does serve a limited choice of light meals at lunch time as well as cakes for afternoon tea.

 The cost of this outing is £18 or £12 for National Trust Members. (NT  cards must be brought on the day.




Thursday 7th October 2010.

Chichester and Uppark House and Garden

After spending time in Chichester for coffee or lunch we continue to Uppark House and Garden.  After a devastating fire in 1989 the house has been restored to its former glory by skilled craftsmen and conservators.

H.G. Wells often stayed here when his mother was housekeeper to the Fetherstonhaugh family,  the owners from 1747.

Fine late Georgian interiors and Grand Tour collections of paintings,  ceramics and textiles in the house are complemented by the pretty regency garden with stunning views to the sea.  The East Garden has been restored to Humphry Repton’s picturesque style incorporating two Neolithic burial mounds into the design.

A restaurant in the East Pavilion has a wide selection of home made food all day.

The cost of this outing is £18 or £12 for National Trust Members. (NT cards must be brought on the day.