Tickets of sale from March 19

Judith Price

VISIT TO TATE BRITAIN to enjoy

A MAJOR EXHIBITION OF THE TRAILBLAZING SURREALIST PHOTOGRAPHER LEE MILLER

DEPART RIDDELL HALL AT 9.00 - RETURN APPROX 5.45

We will be greeted at the Tate where we will be shown to The Clore Lunch Room, which will be for our exclusive use.  Tea/coffee and biscuits will be served around 11am which will be followed at 11.30am by an hour’s lecture exploring the Exhibition's themes, and taking place in the Clore Auditorium.

This is followed a 12.30 by a generous buffet lunch consisting of a selection of sandwiches and wraps followed by fresh fruit and a selection of cakes.  soft drinks tea and coffee are also included. Alcohol may be purchased  

From 1.30pm onwards we have entry to the Exhibition for as long as we wish.

 PRICE:  Adult £59.00

 Adult with Art Fund £50.00.            

The cost of the coach will be in addition to this.

              Tate Member £40.00

This is an outstanding exhibition and her photographs have to be seen to be believed. Following her career as a model, muse to Picasso and photographer at Vogue, she became the first female to be allowed to go the ’The Front’ in the 2nd WW. This was through badgering her way through US channels. The British refused. Her lens tells it own story.

She was the first photographer into Auschowitz when it was liberated by the allies and her photographs have to be seen ….. I shall say no more.

This is an exhibition which needs to be seen by all so I do highly recommend it. 

An Informal Visit to THE BRITISH MUSEUM to explore the Mexican, Greek and Roman Galleries at your leisure, following up on our lecture by Stuart Harvey (Rome) and our February Study Day (Mexico and the Aztecs) 

There are many other things to see including free exhibitions to explore if you wish.

Depart Riddell Hall 9.00 am/ Return 5.30/6.00 pm

NO refreshments included in the price 
PRICE: £20
Tickets on sale Thursday 18th Sept.

Judith Price
07811 444950

Tickets on sale from September 18

Tickets on sale from July 17

Judith Price

Art Society Trip to BOLOGNA - 6 days 5 nights September 2025

Literature and booking forms will be available at the 19th September meeting.
Booking will open on a first come first served basis at the 17th October meeting.
Completed forms and deposit cheques will be required to confirm your bookings.
Roger de la Perrelle and Terry Ogborn

Click here for details

Visit to Syon House, Gardens and the Great Conservatory

The London home of the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland, built in the 16th century on the site of a medieval abbey, Syon House has been in the Percy family for over 400 years. It boasts one of the finest Robert Adam interiors in the country and has a magnificent collection of paintings and furniture. 
Syon stands amidst 200 acres of Capability Brown parkland.

We will be divided into two groups for our private guided tour of the house following our morning refreshments. These can be taken in our two groups in the The Clock Tower Cafe and the Courtyard Restaurant. Lunch as you please.

PRICE: £32.00 NO REFRESHEMENTS INCLUDED IN PRICE
Depart Riddelll Hall: 8.30 am

Return Riddell Hall 6.30pm approx.

Organiser: Judith Price  Tel: 07811444950

Plus Mail Train Ride and Museum of the order of St. John

Organiser:  Judith Price - tickets on sale February 20th

By Susan Cowling

A Great Victorian Engineering Project

The late 19th century was a period of great technological change as the industrial revolution brought new capabilities such as steam trains and, at a more mundane level, indoor plumbing and sanitation.

One of the greatest engineering achievements was the creation of the London sewer system by Joseph Bazalgette, a man whose work probably saved more lives than any other person in Victorian England,

This talk looks at the background to the project and then how he executed an engineering marvel, much of which is still in use today.

The talk is given by Roger Mendham, a keen and accomplished photographer who has gained Distinctions from the Royal Photographic Society and is currently the President of the Surrey Photographic Association.

An experienced public speaker, his talks are all richly illustrated and this talk incudes some wonderful historic images of the 19th century project and some of his own photographs of Joseph Bazalgette’s work.

Judith Price - Tickets on sale Sept 19th 

Click here for further details and restaurant suggustions

Judith Price - Tickets on sale July 18th

Judith Price - Tickets on sale June 20th

Coach leaving Riddell Hall at 8.30, returning 6.30pm approx.

Parham House & Gardens visit:

Parham's story

The name Parham (the "par" is pronounced like the "par" in parrot) is thought to derive from the Old English "perham", a compound word meaning "pear enclosure".

The land was granted by King Henry VIII to Robert Palmer of Henfield, and on 28th January 1577 the foundation stone of the current House was laid by his two-year-old grandson Thomas, a custom thought to bring good luck. When he grew up, Thomas sold Parham to Thomas Bishopp, whose descendants lived here for eleven generations until 1922, when it was sold to the Hon. Clive and Alicia Pearson.

Clive Pearson was the second son of Weetman Dickinson Pearson, 1st Viscount Cowdray. He married Alicia Knatchbull-Hugessen, daughter of 1st Lord Brabourne. They fell in love with Parham as soon as they saw it.

The House was in a very bad state of repair, and the Pearsons employed the architect Victor Heal to supervise renovation works during the 1920s and 1930s. Everything was done with the greatest care and sensitivity, with minute attention to detail and historical accuracy.

During the Second World War, the Pearsons took in many friends and relations, as well as 30 evacuee children from London. Canadian soldiers were based on the Estate from 1942 to the end of the war, with the officers based in the half of the House now open to visitors. In 1948 the Pearsons opened Parham to the public. They were amongst the first to do so regularly in the post-war years. Their daughter Veronica Tritton welcomed and continued this tradition until she died in 1993.

Parham, its beautiful gardens and its 875-acre estate are now owned by a Charitable Trust and Mrs Tritton's great-niece Lady Emma Barnard and her family live here. They are involved with every aspect of its care and preservation, and Parham is still very much a family home.

Depart Riddell Hall 8.45am

PRICE: £55 pp to include tea/coffee and biscuit on arrival.

Private Tour of the house - divided into 4 groups

Freshly prepared salad box Lunch of chicken & bacon Caesar salad or smoked salmon salad plus homemade cake of the day and a bottle of still water.

The gardens are free to explore unaccompanied.

Return Riddell Hall 5.30pm approx

Tickets on sale from April 18

This is their biggest Exhibition in their 300 year history and will feature world class designers and Icons of British Fashion; All displayed amongst the treasures at Blenheim. 

Free flow through State Rooms and Exhibition. Lunch can be purchased at a range of eateries
Depart Riddell Hall 8.00am
Return Riddell Hall 6.20pm approx
PRICE: £54 to include Coffee/tea flapjack and brownie on arrival.

Entrance to formal gardens and park.

Tickets on sale from February 15

Zoom visit with Roger Mendham

Monopoly – a game we know so well, or do we?

Monopoly is one of the most successful board games of all time, but how well do we really know it? This talk covers the origin of the game and then focusses on the classic 1936 London board.   How the properties were selected, the relationship between the members of each set and which ones don’t actually exist are just some of the questions addressed in this talk.

Expect some surprises and great images as we look at the history of these familiar locations and uncover some of the mysteries behind Monopoly.

Everyone will learn something new about this familiar old friend of a board game.

Biography

A keen and accomplished photographer Roger has gained Distinctions from the Royal Photographic Society and is currently the President of the Surrey Photographic Association. 

His photography concentrates on shapes, textures and colours and he has studied the history of photography from its earliest developments in the early 1830s to becoming a major art form in the late 20th and now 21st centuries. He is particularly interested in the role photography plays as a social historian.

An experienced public speaker, his talks are all richly illustrated and this talk incudes some great photographs that tell the story behind this classic board game.  

#(part of subscription)

Zoom Visit with Alexandra Epps (part of subscription)

The lecture will start at 11am, with entry to the Zoom platform from 10.30.

“From Seraphim and Cherubim to Archangels and Fallen Angels, these celestial heralds have long captured hearts and imaginations. Discover angels as public art, monument, memorial and flight of the imagination all hidden within the unique square mile of the City of London. Angels are all around us - we just need to know where to look!”

A CHRISTMAS CAROL - at THE OLD VIC - Thursday 14th December 2023 at 7.30pm

It’s an outstanding production performed in the round and not to be missed!

Tickets on sale from October 19

Price tbc - Tickets on sale from July 20

TOUR September 2023

The Chateaux & Gardens of Normandy

6 days from  29th September 2023.

Tuesday 26th September 2023
A Visit to LEONARDSLEE  LAKES & GARDENS
With a 1hr Art Tour (in groups of 10) around the Sculpture Park and Art Gallery. Lunch can be bought in the Clock Tower Cafe. 
Gardens and lakes can be explored after the Art Tour
Refreshments on arrival included in price 
Price: £40 Tickets on sale from June 15

THURSDAY 1st JUNE 2023

Visit to WADDESDON MANOR - a Fairytale French Chateau.

The price includes Tea/Coffee and cake on arrival then a self guided tour of the magnificent House followed by a Cream Tea Treat (lunchtime) The exquisite Gardens to be enjoyed as and when suits.

PRICE:

National Trust Members £34

Non Nat Trust Members £76.40

NB payment by Cheque or BACS Transfer - NO CASH

A visit to beautiful Mottisfont to see the house and gardens (something for all seasons) and followed by a visit to Romsey Abbey the burial place of the Mountbatten family. We will have a guided tour of The Abbey

Price TBC

Tickets on sale from 19 January 

With Pepe Martinez - cost included in membership 

Zoom visit with Stuart Harvey - The British in Rome - Tourists - Over the last 600 years.
cost included in membership 

Visit to Sadler’s Wells for Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty 7.30pm
There will be supper beforehand to include wine at Santore Italian Restaurant, Exmouth Market from 5pm to 7pm

Cost: £90pp

Depart Riddell Hall: 3.15pm
Return Riddell Hall  approx 11.15pm

The home of the Code Breakers in WWII

There will be audio guides for our use, free of charge as we don't have an official guide, there will be tea/coffee on arrival to purchase.

Included in the price is a full English tea in the Mansion at 2.15pm. There will be time afterwards to continue exploring if you wish. As we won't be leaving till 3.45/4pm.

Depart Riddell Hall at 8.30 am, return approx 6.15

Organiser Judith Price: Tel 01737 832189/07811444950

emial: judithaprice@hotmail.co

price £50.00 pp

A VISIT TO OSBOURNE HOUSE ON THE ISLE OF WIGHT. THE HOME

OF QUEEN VICTORIA FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF PRINCE ALBERT

THESE DATES CANNOT TO CONFIRMED OR TICKETS ISSUED UNTIL THE END OF JUNE WHEN RESTRICTIONS ON NUMBERS ETC WILL BE CONFIRMED BUT THE GOVERNMENT

AN EXHIBITION AT THE NATIONAL GALLERY - RAPHAEL - His Life was Short, his Work Prolific and his Legacy Immortal.

This important exhibition is displayed in 8 rooms of the National Gallery. An exhibition not to be missed.

Price: £38

Tickets on sale 17th March

THURSDAY 7th APRIL
VISIT - A WALK AROUND SHOREDITCH AND EAST LONDON ADMIRING THE FASCINATING GRAFFITTI ART AND A DEMONSTRATION AS TO HOW IT’S ACHIEVED. With Pepe Martinez 

TICKETS ON SALE at next meeting Thursday 17th February

A walk around the Borghese Gallery
with Stuart Harvey

a virtual tour on Zoom.
The link to join will be sent out next Monday 7th.

11 am with Vivienne Haxby

Matthew Bourne's The Nutcracker

Wednesday 8th December 2021 at 7.30 pm

At Sadlers Wells, Rosebury Avenue, Coach will be leaving the Riddell Hall at 3.30 pm

Tickets:£67  Not including refreshements. Judith will source some suitable eating venues for before the performance. We need to meet back at Sadlers Wells by 7pm in order to find our seats.

Tickets on sale at 9.30 am on Thursday 21 October, preference will be given to all those members who were unlucky two years ago and were on the waiting list for Red Shoes

Sadlers Wells Theatre

Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty

Thursday 8th December 2022

Judith will book the Italian Restaurant Santorini for a simple supper and a glass of wine (or two) -

Price to be confirmed

20 of the most important art works, 3.30 pm on Zoom with Aaron Hunter

Judith has booked Ightham Mote for Thursday 30th Sept leaving the hall at 9.10am. The coach is booked and the price for National  Trust Members will be £12.00, non-NT members cost will be £27.

Because of COVID we can’t have an organised tour, nor can we have prearranged morning refreshments. At the moment it will all be first come first served for coffee etc and lunch. Refreshments are not included in the price and are at your own expense. However the house manager is pretty certain it won’t be busy so that shouldn’t be a problem. They know we will all be coming so will be expecting us. 
The grounds are extensive so there is plenty to see as groups go into the house 10 or so at a time.

Judith will be selling the tickets from 9.30am on Thursday 16th September

11.30 am - Exhibition at the British Museum

THESE DATES CANNOT TO CONFIRMED OR TICKETS ISSUED UNTIL THE END OF JUNE WHEN RESTRICTIONS ON NUMBERS ETC WILL BE CONFIRMED BUT THE GOVERNMENT

Join professional Rome tourist guide Stuart Harvey on Zoom for an unforgettable virtual journey to explore the highlights of the Vatican Museums collection, including the spectacular art of Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel, where the Popes are elected in Conclave. We'll see ancient classical statues and mosaics, magnificent silk tapestries and beautiful frescoes by Raphael as we virtually stroll the corridors and rooms of these vast museums, to finish up at the sistine Chapel where we will examine Michelangelo's Creation frescoes on the ceiling and also his magnificent Last Judgement and its deep symbolism.

Stuart has worked in educational tourism for almost 30 years, and is both a London Blue Badge Tourist Guide and a qualified Rome Tourist Guide. Using video and photos to showcase Rome, his relaxed style of communication will give you an entertaining tour that is easy on the ear, but also informative and historically accurate. He has lived in Rome for nearly 20 years.

The tour is 1hr 30 mins long with a little comfort break in the middle. Time to make a coffee

Thursday 8th April at 11am
Virtual Tour with Vivienne Haxby
THE QUEEN’S PERSONAL JEWELLERY
Viv is a London Blue Badge Guide and is going to treat us to a tour of Her Majesty’s vast Personal Jewellery Collection. These are the pieces you frequently see her wearing and other members of the Royal Family, which she lends and decides on!  This is kept safe and secure in huge vaults underneath Buckingham palace NOT in the Tower of London. These are not the Crown Jewels.
We will learn the origins of all this Jewellery and how it can be ‘rearranged’ to form different pieces of Jewellery for what ever the occasion dictates.
Join us for what should be a ‘sparkling’ tour.

Judith has invited Sarah Cowling, who is a Blue Badge Guide for York, to give us a guided tour of her wonderful City on the 11th March at 11am.
 

George VI said that the History of York is the History of England’
We will join Sarah as she put’s that theory to the test, time travelling through 2000 years, from the Roman fort of Eboracum, via the Vikings, through winding medieval streets clustered around the mighty Minster. We will see the homes and playgrounds of elegant Georgians, and the legacy of Victorian ingenuity and industry. York is one of England’s most beautiful cities: join us for this ‘walk’ and uncover the many layers that make up its fascinating history.

Once again doors will open at 10.30 and she will be available at the end of the walk to answer your questions. This will be our 4thvirtual visit and these virtual visits are included within your annual subscription.

Includes supper in the Rosebery Room

THE ARTS SOCIETY EAST SURREY AREA

A Virtual tour with Lance Pierson on Zoom. Lance is an actor who regularly leads guided walks around London. He has turned his walk around Shakespeare's London into a tour we can enjoy from home. See the original site of the Globe Theatre and its sister the Blackfriars Theatre, two houses where he lived and the very spot where it is thought Othello, King Lear and Macbeth were written

Tickets on sale from Feb 20

Leaving the Riddell Hall at 4 pm for coach to London and a bowl supper.

Details Judith Price 01737 832189

Tickets on sale from July 18  - Click here for details

DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED TRIP TO PUGLIA.  PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE OF DATE   -    24TH  - 29TH SEPTEMBER 2019 
We now have the flight times and they are as follows:

Tuesday 24th September

Gatwick North Terminal to Bari

EZY 8365 leaving at 12.25 and arriving Bari at 16.15

Returning

Sunday 29th September

Bari to Gatwick North Terminal

EZY 8366 leaving 12.00 arriving Gatwick 14.00

Click here for visit detais

A combined visit beginning with coffee/tea and biscuits at The National Gallery followed by a conducted tour of The Banqueting House (inside and out) by two Blue Badge Guides.

You will take lunch as you wish: I suggest either of the two eateries at the National Gallery or the crypt café of St Martin in the Fields Church opposite.

After lunch we are going to the Queens Gallery for the Leonardo da Vinci Exhibition : A Life in Drawings.  This marks the 500th anniversary  of the death of Leonardo, and is the largest exhibition of his work in over 65 years.  So NOT to be missed!

Leave Riddell Hall at 9.00am

Return approx. 5.30pm

Organiser: Judith Price

Mobile: 07811444950 / email: judithaprice@gmail.com

THERE WILL BE NO REFUNDS UNLESS A WAITING LIST

The price will include tea/coffee and biscuits on arrival, lunch of quiche and salad, and afternoon tea and cake.
We will leave Riddell Hall at 8.45am and hope to return by 6.00pm at the latest.
 

Click here for details

ARTS SOCIETY VISIT
 
WEDNESDAY 24TH APRIL 2019 (Please note the change of date)
 
TATE BRITAIN & THE VAN GOGH EXHIBITION
 
The Visit to Tate Britain and the Van Gogh Exhibition will commence with a private lecture at 11.30am on the exhibition.
Following the lecture we have 2 timed entries reserved for our members.  12.30pm and 1.30pm. I will have tickets for both timings and you may choose whichever suits you.
 
Tea / coffee and biscuits etc and lunch are NOT included in the price but there is a very  extensive easily accessible cafe which offers a good range of hot and cold food, and most beverages including wine.
 
We will Leave Riddell Hall at 9.00am and hope to return at 5.30pm
 
THE PRICE will vary depending on memberships or not
Normal entrance with concession plus lecture and coach   - £19 + £10 + £13 = £42
Art Fund Concession plus lecture and coach                     - £11 + £10 + £13 = £34
Tate Member plus lecture and coach                               - free + £10 + £13 = £23
 

The tickets will go on sale again at the March meeting.
 

THURSDAY 11th OCTOBER

 WHITCHURCH SILK MILL & BOMBAY SAPPHIRE GIN DISTILLERY

PRICE £48 PP

A busy day with an early start but hopefully a wonderfully fascinating day visiting two very different venues.

Firstly we’re going to the Whitchurch Silk Mill (click here for details) where we will enjoy coffee/tea and a selection of biscuits on arrival at approximately 10.30am   That will be followed by a guided tour of the mill, in two groups.  We will have a light lunch of sandwiches (a selection) followed by tea or coffee and at approx. 1.10pm we will board our coach for the short journey to the Bombay Sapphire Gin Distillery. (click here for details)

At 1.30pm we will begin our Self Discovery Experience which will enable each member to take as much or as little time at each place as they wish, on the tour.  The estimated tour time is between 1 ½ and 2 hours.  Our tour will culminate with each member receiving a complimentary drink suited to their own personal taste profile!

 Leave Car park behind Tea Hut at Tattenham Corner  at 8.50 am - Return Riddell Hall at approx. 6.30pm

Organiser Judith Price judithaprice@gmail.com

Contact nos: 01737 832189 or mob 07811444950

NO REFUND UNLESS A WAITING LIST

Tickets on sale at the lecture on June 21 from Judith Price.

Pashley Manor Gardens, on the border of Sussex and Kent,has Romantic English landscaping and artistic planting framed by fine old trees, sculpture, fountains and ponds.

Delight in the sweeping herbaceous borders, elegant rose and historic walled gardens, the productive kitchen garden, enchanting woodland paths and tranquil vistas that form this award winning garden.
Relish the gardeners’ attention to detail; savour the homemade, local food in the café; relax on the terrace with refreshments; be captivated by the exhibitions of sculpture and art; peruse the gift shop and be charmed by the knowledgeable and friendly team.

As summer turns to autumn the gardens at Pashley, on the border of Sussex and Kent, are ablaze with colour, provided by hundreds of dazzling dahlias, during the Dahlia Days event.

Over 40 varieties of this diverse perennial are planted throughout the garden; pinks in the Rose Garden, sunny yellows in the Golden Beds, whites in the Elizabethan Garden, purples in the Pool Garden and more. The pièce de resistance is the hot reds and oranges, interspersed with darker burgundys and complemented by the second flowering of roses, canna lilies, late flowering perennials and other annuals, in the magnificent herbaceous borders, which are at their best at this time of year.

During Dahlia Days Bloms Bulbs will be at Pashley with a gorgeous display of cut/potted dahlias, giving advice and taking orders and Pashley’s gardeners will be giving talks on dahlias. Click here for more information.

Visit to Woburn Abbey  

leaving 8.30am from Riddell Hall

included Coffee/Tea and Biscuits

Cost per person £50

Contact : Judith Price

Tel: 01737 832189

Mobile: 07811 444950

e-mail: judithaprice@gmail.com

Tickets will l first go on sale at 9:45 am on 19 April 2018.

Click here to visit the Woburn Abbey website.

Please watch this space for further details.

Visit to Godinton House and Chapel Down Winery

PRICE £43 pp

To include:
Coffee/tea & biscuits on arrival at approx 10.30am
A private tour of the house (in 3 consecutive groups) click here
Lunch of bap with either cheese/pickle and salad, or ham/pickle and salad.
After an unaccompanied walk around the gardens we return to the coach for the short drive to CHAPEL DOWN WINERY for a private tour and wine tasting.
 
Leave Riddell Hall at 8.50am prompt & return 6.00pm approx.
Organiser Judith Price
judithaprice@gmail.com
contact nos: 01737 832189 or mob. 07811444950
Tickets on sale at the March and April meetings
NO REFUND UNLESS A WAITING LIST

NB Tickets will first go on sale at 9:45 am on 15 March 2018.

Visit The Foundling Museum and Imperial War Museum

VISIT ON 22nd MARCH

COST £33 pp

This is a double visit to The Foundling Museum and The Imperial War Museum. We will have coffee on arrival at a nearby cafe, where we will later also have lunch.The latter must be ordered at the time of booking your ticket (soup or jacket potato). The visit coincides with an exhibition at the Foundling Museum called "Lost Words". After lunch our coach will take us to the Imperial War Museum, where you will be free to look around.

Tickets from Judith Price 01737 832189

Contact:  Eva Hobday 

Tel: 01737 812406.

Mobile: 07973 417248

e-mail:  evahobday@gmail.com

NB DESPITE WHAT YOUR DIARY CARD SAYS THE DATE IS:

WEDNESDAY 6 DECEMBER

AND NOT THURSDAY 7th - apologies.

The coach will depart Riddell Hall at 1:15 pm and, depending on traffic, we would hope to be back by 6:45/7:00pm.

Tickets - £42.00 pp - first go on sale at 9:45 am on Thursday 19 October;  the price includes your concert ticket + return coach and driver’s tip.

What better way to start the festive season than by attending this popular Christmas Celebration conducted and presented by John Rutter, performed by the renowned Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and supported by the highly professional and much loved King’s Singers.

This classic festive favourite is not to be missed, with numerous sing-along carols and other joyful works – all in the magnificent surroundings of The Royal Albert Hall. 

Because of the huge demand for this event, we were initially only able to obtain tickets way up in the Circle which might not have been everyone’s choice because of the height.

However, the good news is we have now been fortunate in securing tickets in the Arena (ground floor) which we hope will please everyone.

The only change, but we believe well worth it, is a small increase in the original quoted price, from £38.00 to £42.00 pp.

We are grateful to the large number of members who put their names down as “interested in coming” at our meeting in September. It is now 4 years since our last visit to this concert, so do come and join us again for what is a very special Christmas event!

See you there!

Contact : Judith Price

Tel: 01737 832189

Mobile: 07811 444950

e-mail: judithaprice@gmail.com

Depart from  Riddell Hall - 8:15 am (please note this is an alteration to the time shown on the Tickets - if you have purchased a ticket, please amend it).

We hope to arrive by 10:30 am, latest, when coffee/tea & Danish pastries will be served. There will only be a quick comfort break on the motorway if required. 

Return to Riddell Hall: by c 6:00pm

NB Tickets £36.00 pp* first went on sale on 20 July:

There are currently 6 Tickets left which will be on sale at our meeting on 21 September.

David Tinkler Website Co-ordinator 2/9/2017.

Join us for what should be a delightful day out for everyone when we visit Beaulieu located in an idyllic setting in the heart of the New Forest.

Beaulieu comprises Beaulieu Abbey, Beaulieu Palace House, The World of Top Gear, The Secret Army Exhibition [about the Special Operations Executive (SOE) training at Beaulieu during WW II] and splendid Gardens but is possibly most famous as the home of The National Motor Museum (originally the Montagu Motor Museum).

Your ticket also includes refreshments on arrival at c 10:30 am as mentioned above; then a conducted tour of Palace House from 11:00 am. 

Lunch and the afternoon will be entirely your choice and you will be free to visit the Motor Museum, the Abbey, enjoy the serenity of the Gardens or perhaps return to the house - just as you wish. Your ticket will cover everything including, we understand, a wonderful Embroidery Exhibition scheduled for the date of our visit.

Palace House, once the gatehouse of the medieval Beaulieu Abbey, has been the Montagu family home since 1538 in grounds that overlook the picturesque Beaulieu River millpond. Palace House, remodeled and extended during the 1800s, is now a fine example of a Victorian country house. Inside, its ecclesiastical heritage sets the grand gothic tone for a home bristling with character and adorned with family treasures, portraits, and memorabilia.

The National Motor Museum, now world famous, has one of the finest collections of cars, motorcycles and motoring memorabilia in the world, from the earliest motor carriages to classic family saloons; from legendary F1 cars and land speed record breakers, to incredible examples of pioneering motoring for the history-buffs.

The gardens were originally the grounds of ancient Beaulieu Abbey and later Palace House and are now carefully managed by Beaulieu's green-fingered team. They include: Millpond Walk, Wilderness Garden, Victorian Flower Garden, Victorian Kitchen Garden and you may also wish to see favourite characters from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland sitting around their 'thyme for tea' herb planted table in the topiary display!

Finally, there is even a Monorail if you want a bird's-eye view!

We shall aim to leave at about 3:45pm to return to Riddell Hall, hopefully by around 6:00 pm.

There really is something for everyone at Beaulieu - so if all this sounds like you, be first in the queue for tickets on July 20th.

Price includes return coach journey and driver's tip, morning tea/coffee and Danish pastries on arrival at 10:30am, entrance to National Motor Museum, Palace House (guided tour) & Gardens and Beaulieu Abbey.

BUDAPEST 2017 (Sunday 10 - Saturday 16 September 2017).

easyJet Flight details:

10/9/17 from London Gatwick Airport – NORTH terminal

EZY842 DEPARTS 12:00 to Budapest - arrives 15:30 (local)

16/9/17 from Budapest Airport

EZY8424  DEPARTS 21:30 (local) arrives - 23:15 to London Gatwick  NORTH terminal

Places were allocated on 15 September but, after some changes, the waiting list is now exhausted!

For details please click on the following link for the FLYER click here:

David Tinkler - Tours' Secretary

15 September 2016 updated 20.11.2016

For a transcript of the original e-mail announcing the details please click here:

http://www.waltononthehilldfas.org.uk/DocumentStore/Transcript%20of%20SPECIAL%20NEWSLETTER%2031.8.2016.pdf

Contact:  Eva Hobday 

Tel: 01737 812406.

Mobile: 07973 417248

e-mail:  evahobday@gmail.com

NB Tickets £40.00* pp will first go on sale at 9:45 am on 15 June.

The coach will leave Riddell Hall at 08:50 am

We plan to depart South Bank at 4:15 pm and hope to be back at Riddell Hall by 5:45 pm.

The Royal National Theatre (generally known as the National Theatre) in London is one of  UK’s three most prominent publicly funded performing arts venues, alongside The Royal Shakespeare Company and The Royal Opera  House.

The National houses 3 separate auditoria: The Olivier, the main auditorium which seats 1,100 and two smaller venues, The Lyttleton and The Dorfman (formerly the Cottesloe Theatre). Between them, they stage more than 20 productions each year ranging from re-imagined classics to modern masterpieces and new work by contemporary writers and theatre makers.

Our guided tour (1 ¼  hours)  will explore the unseen areas of the theatre and give us a glimpse into the backstage world showing  preparations for the shows, including rehearsals, props and costume making which all happen on site. As this is a working theatre no two tours are ever the same.

The day will start with coffee and cake in The Kitchen, The National’s own Café in a specially assigned reserved area. Joining us will be Sarah Fordham, our Blue Badge Guide, who will stay with us in the morning as we start the guided tours in 3 groups at 15 minute intervals. As the groups start going through, Sarah will remain and share with us her extensive knowledge of the area and indeed any other information about London you might like to know before we have our afternoon walk around The South Bank with her and her colleague, Caroline Dale.

In Sarah’s own words: ”The South Bank is the home of The Royal National Theatre and The Festival Hall, but that is just the beginning as there is so much more. An area of incredible history, architecture, culture and regeneration with activities for all and restaurants to suit every taste. The catalyst for the regeneration of this former industrial part of the river was The Festival of Britain in 1951 which some of you might remember! We will walk along the river bank from the former County Hall, now home to hotels, an aquarium and the London dungeons to explore the old, the new and the future. Wonderful views across, up and down the river Thames. Prepare to venture inland to see what lies behind.”

The afternoon walk will start after lunch (not included). We then aim to depart at 4:15pm to be back at Riddell Hall by approximately 5:45 pm.

*Tickets include morning coffee and cake, all guided tours, return coach journey and driver’s tip.

Contact:  Judith Price

Tel: 01737 832189

Mobile: 07811 444950

e-mail: judithaprice@gmail.com

Timings:

Depart  - Riddell Hall: 8:45 am

Return - to Riddell Hall: 5:30pm

Tickets - price £40.00* pp - first went on sale at 9:45 am Thursday 18 May

      18.5.17: NOW SOLD OUT WITH A WAITING LIST      

*Incl: Guided Tour of the house, coach, driver's tip, refreshments on arrival, lunch and also afternoon tea & cake!

Do join us on this visit to Belmont House & Gardens where the focus is on the elegant 18th century house, designed by Samuel Wyatt, commanding stunning views over the surrounding Estate and rolling North Downs in Kent. Considered unique, it is steeped in history and contains mementos of the family's history and travels.

Coffee & Biscuits will be served on arrival, following which we will be divided into 3 groups for a guided tour of the house; but later we will all join up for lunch.

Built in 1769, Belmont is nowadays of interest for three main reasons. Architecturally, it is an unspoilt example of Samuel Wyatt's work; he was one of the most progressive architects of the late 18th Century. The house is a fine testimony to his understated neo-classical style. Historically, the house is important for its well-preserved records of a family who played a leading role in the development of the British Empire in the 18th & 19th Centuries. Lastly, it is distinguished for the collection of clocks made by the 5th Lord Harris; reputedly the finest collection in the UK.

In May we would hope the weather will be perfect for you to explore outside; the present layout of the grounds dates from the 1790s, though the planting has been altered over the past two centuries. The gardens consist of a walled garden, a pinetum containing a variety of trees (Blue Atlas Cedar, Mexican White Pine, Brewer Spruce and Coast Redwood amongst others), wooded areas, formal lawns and a large kitchen garden. Plants and produce from the Kitchen Garden are available for sale according to season.

Finally, at around 3:30 pm, there will be time for some tea and cake.

This should be a lovely day out and very good value too; so be first in the queue on 18 May to make sure you get a ticket, as numbers are restricted.

Contact:  Eva Hobday 

Tel: 01737 812406.

Mobile: 07973 417248

e-mail:  evahobday@gmail.com

Tickets - £30.00 pp * - will first go on sale at 9:45 am Thursday 16 March.

Please note: The Committee has recently agreed that, in future, a member can buy one ticket for themself  plus one ticket for another member. This applies to the first day of sales only. David Tinkler Website Co-ordinator 7/2/17

Coach departs Riddell Hall: 08:45 am.  

Depart Tate Britain for our return journey: 4:00 pm - we hope to be back by around 5:30 pm.

On arrival, we plan to stop for coffee/tea (not included) at the Djanogly Café  in the Tate building where an area has been reserved for us so that we may all sit together after purchasing refreshments.

The Hockney Exhibition has timed entries so we will divide into 2 groups. The first entry will be at 10:30 am, the second at 11:30 am.

This exhibition is organised jointly by Tate Britain, The Centre Pompidou and The Metropolitan Museum of Art and is therefore rather extensive and special.

As David Hockney approaches his 80th birthday, the exhibition gathers together a large and fascinating selection of his most famous works in paintings, drawings, prints, photography and video across 6 decades, some of which have never been seen in public before.

Should you wish, you may hire an audio guide before you enter.

There will also be time to explore and enjoy the rest of Tate Britain’s selection of art works on display. They are changed quite frequently and just recently we have been told that their large Turner Collection has been re-hung with “some works new to most people”.  In addition, there are also many other wonderful works of art to enjoy plus the opportunity to have lunch (not included). Snacks and hot meals are available in the Djanogly Café where we had coffee earlier.

After your day at Tate Britain, the coach will leave at 4:00 pm, arriving back at Riddell Hall at approximately 5:30 pm.

Tickets will be on sale from 9:45 am on Thursday 16 March.

For more information why not go direct to the Tate's web? Click here

See you there!  

*Price includes return coach fare and entrance fee to the David Hockney exhibition.

The picture is of Eltham Palace.

Visit was originally to be Eltham Palace and The Ranger's House

Contact:  Jonathan Ward

Tel: 01372 375758

Mobile: 07801 679048

e-mail:  ward_j@btconnect.com

Tickets were first sold 19 January; there are still some available and sales will continue in February.

Because the two venues are respectively run by English Heritage (EH) and National Trust (NT), NADFAS members who are also members of one or both of those organisations will qualify for an appropriate discounted price, making the net cost of tickets as follows:

Headline Price (ie non-EH & NT members) - £42.00

Price to those who hold EH membership    - £29.00

Price to those who hold NT membership    - £38.00

Price to those who are EH & NT members  - £25.00

Price includes return coach fare, driver’s tip, guided tour at Eltham Palace and refreshments on arrival.

The Coach will leave Riddell Hall at 09:00 am and is expected back by 5:30/6:00 pm.

NB No ticket refund unless a buyer can be found from the Waiting List      

Join us on what should be a very interesting, two-centre, Visit. We start, in the morning, at Eltham Palace where we will enjoy a guided tour. Later, lunch (not included) may be purchased in the recently refurbished café. Afterwards we will return to the coach for the comparatively short journey to Hall Place in Bexley.

Eltham Palace

“a unique marriage between a medieval and Tudor palace and a 1930s millionaire’s mansion”.

Eltham is recorded in the Domesday Book, with the Manor of Eltham belonging to Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, and half-brother of William the Conqueror! In 1295 Anthony Bek, Bishop of Durham, acquired it, rebuilt the Manor House, and built a defensive wall within the line of the moat. A cellar, and the remains of the Great Hall were excavated in the 1970s.

Bek presented the Manor to the future Edward II and Eltham then became the largest, most frequented royal residence: Edward III received John II of France there in 1364 when he returned to voluntary captivity in England. The magnificent surviving Hall, in parkland of c1300 acres, was built by Edward IV who gave a feast for 2000 people there in 1472. Henry VIII, stayed there a good deal of his time with sisters Mary & Elizabeth, but was the last monarch to spend much money on it, later preferring Hampton Court and Greenwich.  Elizabeth I visited Eltham occasionally and Cardinal Wolsey took his oath of office there. By the 17c the buildings were poorly maintained, and James I was the last king to visit. A series of tenants worked the soil but ignored the crumbling structures until an outcry resulted in limited action and restoration to preserve what once had been so great. 

In 1933, millionaire Stephen Courtauld and his wife returned the palace to its former glory, as it enabled them to develop their opulent lifestyle to the full, only a few miles from London. They could entertain regularly and display their extensive art collection. But, tired of the bombing, they left in 1944; the Army then used it for education until the 1990s when English Heritage assumed responsibility.

Hall Place

“a stunning Tudor house with magnificent gardens on the banks of the River Cray in Bexley”.

Hall Place is a fine Grade I listed 16c country house built for Sir John Champneys, merchant and former Lord Mayor of London. It comprised a central Great Hall, with a service wing and high status family accommodation. The outer walls are a distinctive pattern of flint and rubble - a good example of a masonry style popular in the late 15th & 16th centuries. A red brick courtyard was added (17c) with a staircase tower, then a spectacular plaster ceiling was created in the Great Chamber.

In the 18c it was acquired by Sir Francis Dashwood, a politician and Chancellor of the Exchequer (1762-1763) but he was also known as a ‘rake’ and founder of the immoral Hellfire Club!

From 1795, Hall Place was leased as a school and in due course linked to the water mains; much fine wood panelling and parquet flooring were also added.

In 1944, the US Army operated an ‘intercept station’ there to monitor enemy communications.

More recently, ownership has passed to the independent charity Bexley Heritage Trust who have an operational link with the National Trust.  

This Carol Concert has been arranged by Leatherhead DFAS but members of Walton-on-the-Hill DFAS are most welcome to attend - for details please click here then scroll down the l/h panel to 20/12/2016.

Contact:  Eva Hobday 

Tel: 01737 812406.

Mobile: 07973 417248

e-mail:  evahobday@gmail.com

Coach departs Riddell Hall 08:45 am.  

Depart Canterbury for our return journey 4:30 pm - we hope to be back by 6:15 / 6:30 pm.

Tickets - £40.00* pp -  will first go on sale at 9:45 am Thursday 20 October.

Canterbury Cathedral is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England and forms part of a Unesco World Heritage Site.

It is the cathedral of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, leader of the Church of England.

Founded in 597, this gothic cathedral has a rich repository of more than 1400 years of Christian history. There is the shrine to Thomas Becket, who was murdered there in 1170, the grave and heraldic tunic of Edward the Black Prince (1330-76) and The Crypt – the oldest part of the cathedral – with amazingly well-preserved carvings, just to mention a few of its many interesting features.

A half hour stop is scheduled en route, at a pre-chosen Service Station, for a refreshment break before we meet our guides in Canterbury at 10:45 am.

We will then split into 2 groups for a 1½ hour walking tour of the City where, according to the guides: “the going is flat and easy”.

From 12:30 pm we have free time in the City for lunch with a choice of many suitable places to be advised by the guides, and also a visit to the Christmas Market.

Next stop is a guided tour of Canterbury Cathedral which will commence at 2:00 pm and end at 3:30 pm.  There is then free time for further exploring until we depart about an hour later.

*Ticket price includes return coach trip to Canterbury, the cost of City guides and the guided tour of Canterbury Cathedral.

Members are invited to this Visit being organised by Betchworth DFAS - for details please click here:

Contact:  Jonathan Ward

Tel: 01372 375758

Mobile:  07801 679048

e-mail:  ward_j@btconnect.com

The Coach will leave Riddell Hall 8:30 am, expected back 6:00 /6:30 pm.

Tickets £43.00** pp will first go on sale at 9:45 am Thursday 21 July.

The Royal Navy has developed its strength from its foundation by Henry VIII in the 16th Century, reaching its peak in the early 1900s.  In 1545 the Mary Rose was sunk in the Solent by the French! Today, our sea power depends upon retention of motor, turbine and nuclear propulsion to deliver missiles, or torpedos, to act as a deterrent to our potential enemies. 

Do join us on our autumn visit to the Historic Dockyard at Portsmouth where you will see the New Mary Rose Museum, Lord Nelson’s Flagship HMS Victory which was successfully victorious at Trafalgar, HMS Warrior (1860) the first warship constructed from cast iron and wood, with both steam and sail power.  You may also visit the Royal Navy Museum, and take the Harbour Tour, and see other naval hardware attractions.

We hope to arrive between 10:00 and 10:30 am when coffee/tea and home made cookies will be provided in Boathouse 7   (included).

Most of the exhibits are self-guided, but there are guided tours of Nelson’s Flagship Victory departing every 10 mins and lasting approx 1 hour.

Self-guided tours in the Mary Rose Museum can take between 2 and 3 hours.

You will be free to break for lunch (not included) when you like - there are several options on site, eg Boathouse 7 (self-service) which serves a reasonably priced daily hot meal.   Other venues include The Georgian Tea Rooms, Mary Rose Café and Costa Coffee.

Please note: you will obtain the best result from your day if you plan your time allocation for each or all the exhibits, and we suggest you also allow time for a tea or coffee at the end of the afternoon,  bearing in mind that we aim to leave at c 4:30 pm.

This should be a very interesting and informative day out, so we hope you can be there.

**The price includes the return coach fare, driver’s tip, and morning tea/coffee.

Contact:  Eva Hobday 

Tel: 01737 812406.

Mobile: 07973 417248

e-mail:  evahobday@gmail.com

Tickets* will first go on sale at 9:45 am Thursday 16 June.

The coach will leave Riddell Hall at 08:45 am and is expected back at 5:30pm

Andrew will meet us at the Museum of London Docklands – one of London’s finest museums, full of information about the Thames, Docklands etc.  There will be an opportunity  to have some coffee or tea  (not included) before we start the walk.

Our morning walk includes (in Andrew’s words): “a visit to the delightful new roof garden on the top of Crossrail station, the remains of the West India Dock (London’s first), deliciously curvaceous Jubilee Gardens, two fine squares, Norman Foster’s huge station and inside One Canada Square”.

A break for lunch (not included) will be approximately for an hour between 1 and 2 pm with venues to be suggested by our expert guide.

Our afternoon walk will include (again in Andrew’s words): “more of West India Dock, a riverside stroll with the best views in London, Georgian Narrow Street where the celebrities live, legendary old Chinatown, Georgian police cottages, the houses for which I would sell my mother into slavery and then back to Museum in Docklands”.

There will be time to have a cup of tea (not included) and we aim to leave at 4:15 pm.

* Price £30.00 pp, includes the return coach fare, driver’s tip and guide’s fee.

THIS VISIT, ORIGINALLY ARRANGED FOR JUNE 2015, WAS POSTPONED DUE TO 'HIGHGROVE'!

Contact: Mary Cole

Tel:       01737 813844

Mobile    07889 189802

email:    colemarlow@googlemail.com

Tickets - £35.00** pp - will first go on sale at 9:45 am on April 21.

The coach will depart from Riddell Hall at 8:45 am.  Return approx 5:00 pm.

Chelsea Physic Garden

This walled Garden was founded in 1673 by the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries for its apprentices to study the medicinal qualities of plants, and it became one of the most important centres of botany and plant exchange in the world. It is, in fact, the second oldest botanical garden in Britain.

On arrival at Chelsea Physic Garden we will be served coffee/tea and cake (included) before our guided tours of the garden at 11:00 am. These will be in 2 groups and each will last approx 1 hour.

Around noon we break for lunch in the Tangerine Dream Café at the Garden which serves homemade light lunches, cakes etc. You may also visit the very nice Gift Shop & specialist Book Shop.

NB Because of the time factor it is necessary for everyone to make their lunch choice in advance. So, when buying your ticket for this Visit, you will also be asked to make a choice of a 2 course lunch costing £12.50 a head which is NOT included in the ticket price and must be paid for then please.  This lunch arrangement is necessary because we will have to rejoin the coach at 1:20 pm for the short journey to Royal Hospital Chelsea for our guided tours there, commencing at 1:30 pm.

 Royal Hospital Chelsea

The Royal Hospital is the home of the iconic Chelsea Pensioners who are all retired soldiers of the British Army.  It was founded in 1682 by King Charles II.

Here we will be treated to a guided tour of the hospital (in 2 groups) which will be conducted by 2 of the residents and last approx 90 mins.

At the end of the tour there will be time for you to visit the shop and perhaps have a cup of tea in the restaurant (not included) before leaving for home at around 4:00 p.m.

See you there!

** Price includes return coach journey and driver’s tip, coffee/tea and cake on arrival at Chelsea Physic Garden and entry and guided tours at both venues.

Contact:  Eva Hobday 

Tel: 01737 812406.

Mobile: 07973 417248

e-mail:  evahobday@gmail.com

Tickets - £38.00 pp* - as at 19 March there are still a few left.

The coach will depart from Riddell Hall at 8:20 am

We plan to leave West Dean Gardens at 4:00 pm and hope to be back by 5:30 pm.

Do join us for a very English day out in West Sussex when we shall be visiting two interesting venues – Goodwood House (c1600) set at the heart of the 12,000 acre Goodwood Estate, and West Dean Gardens nestling at the foot of the South Downs, and claimed to be one of the greatest restored gardens open to the public.

Goodwood House:

Goodwood, one of the finest country houses in England, has been the home of the Dukes of Richmond & Lennox for over 300 years. It has an outstanding art collection, formed by successive generations of the family, which includes paintings by van Dyck, Canaletto, Stubbs and Reynolds. There are also wonderful collections of Sevres porcelain, Gobelins tapestries and eighteen-century French and English furniture. The third Duke was the builder of the great Regency state apartments including the magnificent Egyptian dining-room and the glamorous Yellow Drawing Room.

We start our visit with coffee/tea and biscuits (included) served for us in the Front Hall.

There will then be a private guided tour of the house (without the presence of the general public) for 1¼ hours.

West Dean Gardens:

From Goodwood, our coach will take us to West Dean Gardens, only 3 miles away, where we will start our Visit with a 15 minute introductory talk.

The Gardens have stunning views of the South Downs and with architectural delights such as an opulent Edwardian 300-foot long pergola designed by Harold Peto and 13 Victorian Glasshouses.  You will find exquisite planting schemes for inspiration and also collections of rare, unusual and classic fruit, vegetables and herbs, something for everybody. Importantly, there are also plenty of seats dotted around the gardens for an occasional sit-down.

The Gardens Restaurant offers a range of homemade meals, light snacks, cakes and scones (not included) and there is a lovely Gift Shop and also a very good Plant Centre to browse.

After the  opening talk you will be free to enjoy the gardens until we depart at 4:00 pm.

* Price will include return coach journey and driver’s tip; coffee/tea and biscuits on arrival at Goodwood and entry to both venues.

Contact: David Tinkler

Price: £745.00 pp * (single supplement applies)

For full *PROPOSAL and BOOKING FORM please click on...

http://www.waltononthehilldfas.org.uk/AboutUs/Documents.aspx

...then click on the appropriate line.

I am now very pleased to confirm that we will be going ahead with our proposed Tour to Glasgow and environs next year. 

At the May Lecture meeting I said that we had certainly achieved the minimum 40 travellers required to meet the basis on which the price had been quoted. Shortly afterwards, most unfortunately, 3 couples had to withdraw for quite understandable reasons – even this far ahead some family events had started to get into their diaries causing a clash of dates. 

Therefore, we now have a list of 38 names (11/6/2015) and so the price has increased by £20.00 per head based on a minimum of 35 travellers (single supplement unchanged). Even at the new price, there is a good deal included for the price.  

We will of course be promoting the Tour further with W-o-t-H DFAS members and, if necessary, other nearby DFAS groups in anticipation of once again increasing the numbers beyond 40 and thus allowing us to revert to the original price of £745.00 pp.  

I believe some members may have been deterred from ‘signing up’ because they don’t consider Glasgow, itself, sounds an interesting prospect – but that is certainly NOT the case these days. The Tour does of course take us out of Glasgow – eg to Loch Lomond (West Dunbartonshire), Dumfries House (Cumnock, Ayrshire) Hill House (Helensburgh) and the Royal Yacht Britannia (moored at Leith near Edinburgh).  

At the SUMMER LUNCH (18/6/2015) we will be showing a montage of pictures of all the main places to be featured in Glasgow and beyond. This should help correct any misapprehensions, and I hope that more members will now wish to book as a result. 

W-o-t-H DFAS members are a hardy crowd and I received only 2 messages from people saying that they would prefer a later morning start. Indeed, several others replied saying they would much rather leave early in order not to lose the best part of a day’s sightseeing - so we now propose to take the early BA flight from Gatwick Airport, returning to Gatwick from Edinburgh on the final day. The BA Timetables are not yet published but - and no promises - there is an indication that they may have a flight which will give us all an extra hour in bed. 

A BOOKING FORM can be found in the Documents section as above and, as our hotel reservations are held until early July, I will look forward to receiving completed BOOKING FORMS and deposits on Thursday 18 June at the MEMBERS’ SUMMER LUNCH meeting.

There is a lot packed into this offer, so DO take the time to study the PROPOSAL which can be found by going to 'About Us' and clicking on 'Documents'.

DAVID TINKLER
Vice Chairman & Tours' Secretary

11.6.2015

FOOTNOTE: Glasgow has now become so popular that many hotels are refusing to take Group bookings. SUCCESS approached over 10, and only one - Jury's Inn - was prepared to offer space! Jury's gets good write-ups so it was decided to proceed with them:

https://www.jurysinns.com/hotels/glasgow?tmad=c&tmcampid=48&tmplaceref=e&tmclickref=jurys%20inn%20glasgow&gclid=CLPZo5bZkMUCFSWWtAodSDEApg 

Contact: Mary Cole

Tel: 01737 813844

Cell: 07889 189802

email:  colemarlow@goooglemail.com

Depart Riddell Hall at 8:45 am Return approx 5:45 pm – 6:00 pm

Tickets £53.00* pp (including 3 course lunch and refreshments on arrival) – will first go on sale 9:45 am Thursday 21st January

On arrival in the City, we will be met by our guides and will take a short walk to the Old Bank of England, Fleet Street for coffee/tea & biscuits and a comfort stop.

Our tour of Legal London commences in the precincts of the Middle and Inner Temple and will include entry to the Temple Church.

We will hear a brief history of the Knights Templar and the church they built, and this will explain how two bodies of lawyers came to occupy this area of London. The Guides will also mention some of the famous and possibly infamous people connected to the Inns and we will also be shown where Tony Blair and Cherie Booth met as pupil barristers.

As well as seeing a beautiful garden with Shakespearian associations we will hear an outline of what would-be barristers have to undergo in terms of legal training in order to realise their ambition to plead cases in a court of law.

At approximately 12:15 we will break for a 3-course silver service lunch to be taken in the Elizabethan Middle Temple Hall.

After lunch we will view the interior and precincts of the Royal Courts of Justice, the purpose-built home of the High Court (civil cases) and the Court of Appeal since 1882.  We will also hear how the law courts came to be built in the Strand.

We then visit the precincts of Lincoln’s Inn, the wealthiest of the Inns whose members have included

Thomas More, Oliver Cromwell and Margaret Thatcher.  It has strong literary connections – Milton was a student here, John Donne was preacher to the Inn in the early 17th century and there is a famous reference to its Old Hall at the start of Dickens’s Bleak House.

Before we return to the coach for the journey home we will have an opportunity to browse, and maybe purchase, an item/s from the Silver Vaults.

We plan to leave from Lincoln’s Inn Fields at approximately 4:15 p.m. arriving back at Riddell Hall at around 5:45 p.m.

Tickets will be on sale from 9:45 a.m. on Thursday 21st January 2016 - see you there!

* Price includes return coach journey and driver’s tip; coffee/tea and biscuits on arrival in Old Bank of England; Guided Tours; entry to Temple Church; an a 3-course silver service lunch in Middle Temple Hall

Contact:  Eva Hobday 

Tel: 01737 358444

Mobile: 07973 417248

e-mail:  evahobday@gmail.com

Tickets: £27.00 pp

These will first go on sale at 9:45 am on 15 October - not 17 September as shown on the Diary Card.

Coach departs Riddell Hall 5:30 pm and is expected back c10:30 pm (the Concert itself starts at 7:30 pm)

Southwark Cathedral stands at the oldest crossing point of the tidal Thames at what was the only entrance to the City of London across the river for many centuries. It is the mother church of the Anglican Diocese of Southwark.  Although it has been a place of Christian worship for more than 1000 years it has only been a Cathedral since the creation of the diocese of Southwark in 1905.

The annual Christmas Concert comes in two parts:

   Mozart’s Spatzen-Messe with orchestra and Choir

   Interval

   Christmas Carols by candlelight

All performed by the splendid Southwark Cathedral Choir and Chameleon Arts Orchestra.

Our tickets are especially reserved for us in the Central Nave. In the interval, there is a marquee erected for the audience where drinks and mince pies will be served (not included in the price).

There are also many wonderful monuments, tombs and artworks to see in Southwark Cathedral, and a visitor information booklet will be handed out on the coach for your perusal.

The ticket price includes the return coach trip, driver’s tip and your ticket to the concert.

Contact:   Eva Hobday

Tel:  01737 358444

Mobile:  07973 417248

Email:  evahobday@gmail.com

The coach will leave Riddell hall at 8:45 am

We plan to depart from Guildhall at approximately 4:00 pm and hope to be back at Riddell Hall at 5:30 pm

Tickets - £37.00 pp * - first go on sale on Thursday  September 17th

St Paul’s Cathedral:

Situated on Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, this magnificent English baroque church was designed by Christopher Wren in 1673. An Anglican cathedral, it is the seat of the Bishop of London and the mother church of the Diocese of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. It was the tallest building in London from 1710 to 1962.

Important services have included funerals of Lord Nelson, The Duke of Wellington and Sir Winston Churchill and many significant royal celebrations over the years including the wedding of Prince Charles to Lady Diana Spencer and more recently the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, 80th birthday and Diamond Jubilee. It is also a busy working church with daily services.

We will start our visit with coffee/tea and cake (included) in the restaurant in The Crypt. 

Our guided tour will be at 11:15 am and will take roughly 1½ hours.

You are then free until 2:00 pm to have lunch (not included) in one of the very many restaurants or snack bars nearby, or indeed to visit The Whispering Gallery, 257 steps up from the Cathedral floor!

The coach will pick us up at 2:00 pm and take us to The Guildhall.

Guildhall Art Gallery and Roman Amphitheatre: 

The collection showcases the art collection of the City of London and originates from 1670. It is housed in a purpose-built exhibition space and has been shaped by bequests from individuals as well as acquisitions and commissions. It includes a significant and extensive collection of Victorian paintings and also many paintings illustrating the history and topography of London.  One of the most remarkable paintings is John Copley’s monumental Defeat of the Batteries at Gibraltar which stretches over two floors and around which the Gallery was actually designed.

The amphitheatre was discovered in 1988 during site preparations for the new Gallery. It was the “Wembley Stadium” of Roman London with 7000 spectators sitting on tiered wooden benches and would have been one of the most visible buildings on the Roman skyline.

It was opened to the public in 2002 and the entrance now is 20ft below the modern pavement.

On our arrival at the Gallery, we will have a 90 minute guided tour of the Gallery and the Amphitheatre.

We plan to leave at approx 4:00 pm returning to the Riddell Hall at 5:30 pm

Tickets will be on sale from 9:45 am on Thursday September 17th.

See you there!

* Price includes return coach journey and driver’s tip, coffee/tea and cake on arrival at St Paul’s Cathedral, entrance fees with guided tour at St Paul’s and entrance fee with guided tour at Guildhall.

Contact: Mary Cole 

Tel: 01737 813844 

Cell: 07889 189802 

email:  colemarlow@goooglemail.com 

Tickets – price £38.00 pp* - will first go on sale at 9:45 am on July 16th

(English Heritage members will receive a discount on production of their membership card) 

Depart Riddell Hall: 8:30 am - Return: approx. 6:15 - 6:30 pm

   ________________________________________________________________________

We do hope you will join us at this ‘double header’ Visit to central London. 

The day starts with coffee & biscuits (included) at the Cavalry and Guards Club in Piccadilly one of London's distinguished private military clubs with a fine history of its own. During the coffee break we will be given a brief talk on the history of the club. 

We then take a 10 minute walk, via a subway, to Apsley House for our tour at 11:00 am.

Once known as 'Number 1 London', Apsley House is a beautiful Georgian building with glittering interiors. It was the London home of the first Duke of Wellington and, with the family still in residence, it retains its place as one of the last great aristocratic town houses in the capital. 

We will split into two groups - one going to Apsley House first and the other to Wellington Arch (and vice versa) and, as we go round, we will learn about the many aspects of the Duke’s life and work.   

The house has changed very little since Wellington’s great victory at Waterloo in 1815 and contains one of the finest art collections in London, with paintings by Velazquez and Rubens, as well as a wonderful collection of silver, porcelain, medals and memorabilia.

At the time of our Visit, the Wellington Arch will be showing a special Battle of Waterloo 200th Anniversary exhibition which we will include on the tour. 

Afterwards, we re-join the coach at The Queen Mother Gates of Hyde Park (to the rear of Apsley House) at 2:00 pm for the short journey to Cathedral Walk/Cardinal Place in Victoria where we stop for lunch (not included) at one of the many eateries nearby. We then re-group at 3:20 pm by The Phoenix PH (corner of Palace Street and Cathedral Walk) for the short walk to The Queen's Gallery. 

At Queen's Gallery we will see ‘Painting Paradise: The Art of the Garden’ an exhibition revealing the way gardens have been celebrated in art across four centuries. ‘Whether a sacred sanctuary, a place for scientific study, a haven for the solitary thinker or a space for pure enjoyment and delight, gardens are where man and nature meet’. The exhibition, which brings together paintings, botanical studies, drawings, books, manuscripts and decorative arts, explores the changing character of the garden from the 16th to the early 20th century.  It includes works by Leonardo da Vinci, Maria Sibylla, Merian and Carl Fabergé, plus some of the earliest and rarest surviving depictions of gardens and plants.  

We expect to leave at about 5:00 pm and hope to return to Riddell Hall by c6:15 - 6:30 pm. 

This should be a most interesting and varied day out, so make sure you’re first in the queue for tickets on 16 July! 

*Price includes return coach travel, driver’s tip, entry fees plus coffee & biscuits on arrival.

ANYONE PURCHASING TICKETS MIGHT CARE TO CONSIDER  PRINTING OFF THIS PAGE TO TAKE ALONG ON THE DAY.

Contact:  Eva Hobday 

Tel: 01737 358 444

Mobile: 07973 417248

e-mail:  evahobday@gmail.com

The coach will leave Riddell Hall at 9:45 am

We plan to depart from Savill Garden at 3:30 pm and hope to be back at Riddell Hall at around 4:30 pm.

Tickets - £32.00 pp* - first go on sale at 9:45 am on June 18th.

Frogmore House:

Situated in Windsor Great Park, Frogmore House has been used by the Royal Family for generations. It is only open to the public on certain days of the year with the special permission of The Queen.

The house was bought in 1792 by George III for his wife Queen Charlotte as a country retreat. Queen Victoria had great affection for Frogmore and spent a lot of time there enjoying the house and gardens, writing how she loved the tranquillity of the place, so much so that, at her request, she is buried there with Prince Albert. 

Queen Alexandra gave birth to her first child in 1846 at Frogmore and Queen Elizabeth  The Queen Mother loved to picnic in the gardens – a tradition continued by the Royal family today.  She also spent part of her honeymoon there in 1923.

Although no longer a royal residence, Frogmore House is frequently used by the Royal Family for entertaining.

We will start our visit with a guided tour which will take roughly 1½ hours. The coach will then take us on the short journey to The Savill Garden arriving at about 12:45 pm.

The Savill Garden:

This is one of the finest royal gardens within Windsor Great Park. There is much to see over 35 acres of woodland and ornamental gardens designed for year-round interest and colour. There are also seats scattered within the gardens to contemplate the beauty around you and to rest your legs!

Should you wish to have some lunch (not included) there is a large café/restaurant with a good selection to choose from and also a coffee shop with homemade cakes, sandwiches and other delicacies.

There is also a well-stocked gift shop with a wide variety of unusual and interesting items plus a large plant centre for you to enjoy and possible get tempted…

We plan to leave at 3:30 pm (subject to weather) returning to the Riddell Hall at about 4:30 pm.

Tickets for this visit will be on sale from 9:45 am on Thursday June 18. 

See you there!

* Price includes return coach journey and driver’s tip; entrance fee with guided tour of Frogmore House and entrance fee to The Savill Garden.

(picture: The Rundale Palace, Latvia, where we have a guided tour Day 5)

BALTICS 2015 Tour (DAY 6): WED 24 - MON 29 JUNE - 6 days (5 nights) with Success Tours Limited 30.10.2014: SOLD OUT Contact David Tinkler Tel: 01737 858382 Cell: 07720 597907 e-mail: david.tinkler@virgin.net

(picture: The Rundale Palace, Latvia, where we have a guided tour Day 5 - today!)

BALTICS 2015 Tour (DAY 5): WED 24 - MON 29 JUNE - 6 days (5 nights) with Success Tours Limited 30.10.2014: SOLD OUT Contact David Tinkler Tel: 01737 858382 Cell: 07720 597907 e-mail: david.tinkler@virgin.net

(picture: The Rundale Palace, Latvia, where we have a guided tour Day 5)

BALTICS 2015 Tour (DAY 4): WED 24 - MON 29 JUNE - 6 days (5 nights) with Success Tours Limited 30.10.2014: SOLD OUT Contact David Tinkler Tel: 01737 858382 Cell: 07720 597907 e-mail: david.tinkler@virgin.net

(picture: The Rundale Palace, Latvia, where we have a guided tour Day 5)

BALTICS 2015 Tour (DAY 3): WED 24 - MON 29 JUNE - 6 days (5 nights) with Success Tours Limited 30.10.2014: SOLD OUT Contact David Tinkler Tel: 01737 858382 Cell: 07720 597907 e-mail: david.tinkler@virgin.net

(picture: The Rundale Palace, Latvia, where we have a guided tour Day 5)

BALTICS 2015 Tour (DAY 2): WED 24 - MON 29 JUNE - 6 days (5 nights) with Success Tours Limited 30.10.2014: SOLD OUT Contact David Tinkler Tel: 01737 858382 Cell: 07720 597907 e-mail: david.tinkler@virgin.net

(picture: The Rundale Palace, Latvia, where we have a guided tour Day 5)

BALTICS 2015 Tour (DAY 1): WED 24 - MON 29 JUNE - 6 days (5 nights) with Success Tours Limited 30.10.2014: SOLD OUT Contact David Tinkler Tel: 01737 858382 Cell: 07720 597907 e-mail: david.tinkler@virgin.net

SEE THE SUCCESS TOURS' FLYER IN 'DOCUMENTS' VIA THIS LINK: http://www.waltononthehilldfas.org.uk/AboutUs/Documents.aspx

PLEASE NOTE THE VISIT TO CHELSEA HAS NOW BEEN POSTPONED FOR 12 MONTHS, TO THURSDAY 23 JUNE 2016.

THIS IS BECAUSE, RATHER AT THE LAST MOMENT, WE WERE ALLOTTED A DATE TO VISIT THE PRIVATE GARDENS AT HIGHGROVE HOUSE THIS YEAR - ON WEDNESDAY 3 JUNE.

Contact Mary Cole:

Tel:      01737 813844 Cell:     07889 189802

e-mail: colemarlow@googlemail.com 

Tickets - £53.00 pp * - will first go on sale at 9:45 am on Thursday 16 April 2015.

Depart Riddell Hall: 8.15 am - anticipated return: 7:00 pm 

Our journey is planned to take 2hrs 30 mins, plus a stop at Membury Services on the M4 for coffee. We are scheduled to arrive at Highgrove for 11:40 am.

We do hope you can join us for a much sought after visit to the gardens at Highgrove, the home of Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall.  

When we arrive, it will be necessary for all of us to undergo a security check, so do ensure you bring along a Driving Licence or some other form of photographic ID. 

After these formalities, we will be served a 2 course lunch (included) in The Orchard Restaurant, so please make Mary Cole aware, in advance, of any special dietary requirements you may have. The lunch menu may be viewed via this link:

http://www.highgrovegardens.com/pdf/menus/prebookmenu2015.pdf

Our group will then be divided into two parties for the garden tours – the first setting off at 12:55 pm, the second at 1:20 pm. Each tour lasts 2 hours and will be led by one of Prince Charles’s expert garden guides, through two miles of garden. 

Afterwards, we will all have the opportunity to return to the restaurant for a cup of tea (not included), perhaps with something to eat, and a chance to visit the shop. 

Please note that some of the paths are uneven, so stout footwear is advised; also tours take place regardless of the weather! Members - particularly those with walking difficulties - should be aware that the garden routes are not made up and have bumpy and uneven surfaces; also there are no seating facilities during the tours. 

Tickets will first go on sale at 9:45 am on Thursday 16 April and will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. This should prove to be a really popular event, so do make sure you’re in the queue early if you want to be in with a chance.

 *Includes return coach travel plus driver’s tip, entry fee and 2 course lunch at Highgrove

The picture is of Fenton House

Contact Eva Hobday

Tel: 01737 358444

Mobile: 07973 417248

Email: evahobday@gmail.com

Depart Riddell Hall 8.30 am, expected back approx 5.45 pm

Due to the restriction on parking facilities around Hampstead’s narrow lanes and also limited space at Keats & Fenton Houses, we can only take one, smaller, coach for this visit  (seating 26 max).

Tickets £35.00* each will first go on sale at 9:45 am Thursday 19th March.

We start with coffee and pastries in a pub more than 200 years’ old, in a charming room - once the 18th Century painter George Romney’s studio –   situated in the heart of historic Hampstead.

Next stop is Kenwood House for a guided “Tour of the Highlights” of this magnificent 17th Century house. After a £5m restoration by English Heritage there is much to see; the Robert Adam rooms and in particular his masterpiece, The Great Library, now back to its original splendid appearance. There is also a wonderful collection of paintings by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Turner, Reynolds and Gainsborough, all in re-presented settings.

After the guided tour you are free to look around more extensively, perhaps also visit the gardens and even walk down to the lake. There are also facilities for lunch (not included) both inside and out in the Brew House Café which is attached to the house by the Old Service Wing.

At 2 pm the coach will take us to Keats House where we will enjoy a guided tour of this small and fascinating house full of the poet’s memorabilia.

Our last stop is Fenton House.  This 1686 townhouse is brimming with world class decorative and fine art collections ranging from the sixteenth to the twentieth centuries. A guided tour will be provided for us.

If weather allows, there are panoramic views across London from the top floor balcony. The House stands in 2 acres of grounds including a 300 year old orchard, a rose garden and a kitchen garden. There is also a trailer in the garden where you can purchase a cup of tea - and homemade cake….

Our departure from Fenton House will be around 4.00 - 4.15 pm, depending on the weather (and garden visit) and we should be back at Riddell Hall by no later than 6.00 pm.

_____________________________________________________________

* The price for NT members of £35.00 includes return coach & driver’s tip, morning coffee/tea & pastries and entrance fee to all houses. There is an additional charge of £7.25 pp for non NT members.

Contact Mary Cole

Tel: 01737 813844

Cell: 07889 189802

email:  colemarlow@goooglemail.com

Tickets  £38.00* each first went on sale at 10:00 am Thursday 19th February 2015, and there is now a waiting list.

Coach departs Riddell Hall at 9:10 am - expected back by 5:45 pm.

__________________________________________________________________

Do join us on what should prove to be a most interesting ‘two centre’ Visit.

Although Wimbledon Tennis is well known to all of us, and some members will have been lucky enough to have had tickets to the Championships over the years, how many of us have actually had a look ‘behind the scenes’, walked in Centre Court, learnt about the club's history or visited their unique Tennis Museum ranked 19th out of 919 London attractions by Tripadvisor? Well now’s your chance!

Because of a restriction on numbers at one of the venues, we will be running two ‘simultaneous’ Visits in the morning, one to Wimbledon Tennis and the other to Southside House, then swapping around and doing the same thing after lunch! We shall therefore be dividing the party into two groups for the whole day, by having regard to which side of the coach you are sitting on (so please sit next to the person/s with whom you would like to spend the day!)

Each Group will have two tours:

All England Club: After coffee/tea on arrival for the ‘morning group’ (not included, but available at the nearby Wingfield Cafe), there will a tour given by a Blue Badge Guide lasting c90 minutes after which there will be time to look around the Tennis Museum and shop. The ‘afternoon group’ will have the chance to purchase a cuppa at the the end of their tour. 

and

Southside House: Again, after tea/coffee on arrival (included) for the morning group, there will be a guided tour of this very charming house, located in Woodhayes Road on the edge of Wimbledon Common.  This tour will also last c90 minutes after which, weather permitting, there will be an opportunity to explore the lovely gardens. Tea/coffee is also ‘included’ for the afternoon group.

As implied, each group will do one of the tours in the morning and the other in the afternoon and there will be ‘seamless’ transfers by coach between the two destinations! But, the two groups will meet up at lunch time, see below.

The All England Lawn Tennis Club needs no introduction; people who have been on the tour in the past rate it highly, so it should prove to be a really fascinating look behind the scenes and provide a very interesting insight into its history.

Southside House provides an enchantingly eccentric backdrop to the lives and loves of the Pennington Mellor Munthe families who had associations with the Swedish Royal Court, Edward Prince of Wales and numerous other European Royal families.

The house was rebuilt in the William & Mary style, and behind the long façade are the old rooms with much of the furniture brought there by the Penningtons together with a superb collection of art and historical objects. It is described by connoisseurs as an unforgettable experience and, by BBC TV, as “one of London’s Hidden Gems”.

Then, after you’ve toured the house, don’t miss the gardens, described by the Historic Houses Association as every bit as fascinating as the house, with a series of sculptural “rooms” linked by water and intriguing pathways.

Lunch (not included) is best taken at one of the two historical, well known and well loved pubs, both located opposite Southside House and on the corner of Wimbledon Common – The Hand in Hand (c 1830) and the Crooked Billet (c 1750). The coach will pick-up and drop-off outside these pubs and you will be advised of timings, on the day.

This should be a most stimulating and engaging day out. We therefore look forward to seeing you in the queue for your tickets on 19 February!__________________________________________________________________

* Ticket includes: return coach journey & driver’s tip, one session of tea/coffee for each group and entrance fees to both venues.

NB THE INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE HAS BEEN EXTENSIVELY REVISED AS OF 6 JANUARY 2015.

Contact Mary Cole
Tel: 01737 813844
Cell: 07889 189802
e-mail: colemarlow@googlemail.com

Tickets - £15:00 pp** - which went on sale on 20 November are all sold out, and there is a Waiting List.

Coach departs Riddell Hall at 2:00 pm, expected back around 7:30 pm

We’re very sorry to advise members that, for reasons totally beyond our control, we have had to change our arrangements  significantly, so please re-read this page for the revised details.

This was to have been a 'two centre' Visit, but unfortunately we have now been advised that the House of Commons will be closed on the morning of 16 February for a Ceremony of the Silk.

It could be many months before we can rebook, so we have decided not to go to Tate Britain but confine the Visit to The House of Commons only; and as organiser, Mary Cole will be individually telephoning all those who have purchased tickets, to advise them of the revised plan.

On arrival, at The Houses of Parliament we all have to pass through Airport-style security and then, following these procedures, coffee/tea and cake (included) will be available in the Jubilee Café, with some time afterwards for you to spend at the shop or take advantage of the rest rooms, before our Tours commence.

The Tours, lasting 75 minutes each, will now take place in 3 groups at 5 minute intervals: 4:40 pm, 4:45 pm and 4:50 pm.

We will be guided by experts who will give us the full Parliamentary Tour which includes Westminster Hall, the House of Commons, the House of Lords, Central Lobby and Her Majesty The Queen’s Robing Room - used at the State Opening of Parliament - plus many other wonderful sights.

We will depart for home at c 6:15pm  and hope to be back at Riddell Hall by 7:30 – 7:45pm.
_____________________________________________________________
**Price includes return coach, driver’s tip, coffee/tea & cake on arrival.

Southwark Cathedral stands at the oldest crossing point of the Thames at what was the only entrance to the City of London across the river for many centuries. It is the mother church of the Anglican Diocese of Southwark and, although it has been a place of Christian worship for more than 1000 years, it has only been a Cathedral since the creation of the Diocese in 1905. The annual Christmas concert is in two parts: Handel's Messiah (Part 1) an interval Christmas Carols by candlelight All performed by the splendid Southwark Cathedral Choir and Chameleon Arts Orchestra. Our tickets are exclusively reserved for us in the Central Nave. In the interval, drinks and mince pies (not included) will be served in a Marquee erected especially for the audience. There are also many wonderful monuments, tombs and artworks to see in Southwark Cathedral and a visitor information booklet will be handed out on the coach for your perusal. Those who have been to this event in previous years will confirm that it is a very special evening - so demand for tickets is likely to be high. _______________________________________________________ * price includes return coach journey, driver’s tip and your concert ticket

Blenheim Palace is the residence of the Dukes of Marlborough. It is one of England’s largest houses, built between 1706 and 1722 and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. It was also the birthplace and ancestral home of Sir Winston Churchill. The Christmas theme this year is “Glitter and Gold”, the title of the biography written by Consuelo Vanderbilt, the American Railway heiress who married Charles 9th Duke of Marlborough. The visit will start with coffee/tea and cake (included) in the Marlborough Room which will be beautifully decorated in keeping with the chosen theme. There will then be a talk by a Palace Historian about “Christmas past and Present”, for approximately 45 minutes. This will be followed by a guided tour of the highlights of the palace which should finish by 12.30pm. The remaining time is free for you to explore at your leisure. Lunch is not included, but there are two restaurants: “The Oxfordshire Pantry” serving sandwiches, soup, cakes and refreshments and “The Water Terrace Café”, run by Searcy’s, which serves sandwiches and soups etc as well, but also hot meals. Finally, for those feeling particularly festive, there is a Champagne Bar too. The Gardens are designed by Capability Brown and are included in your ticket. The Formal Gardens which are near "The Water Terrace Café" are well worth a visit and so are many other parts; all depending on the weather of course. The East Courtyard Shop is stocked with beautiful gifts and a wide range of food products, locally produced crafts, garden & home wares and children’s toys – and is not to be missed! ___________________________________________________________ *The price includes: return coach journey & driver’s tip; coffee & cake on arrival; access to the palace & gardens; the talk & guided tour - but not lunch.

"St. Pancras Station has been re-born!" So says Andrew Davies who many of you will remember from previous walks - indeed the picture above was taken on just such an occasion! So please join us, again, on 22nd October and be captured by Andrew's deep knowledge and enthusiasm. "This glorious Victorian extravaganza combines both the ornate Midland Grand Hotel and the engineering triumph of train-shed. We will explore the history and development of St. Pancras, and visit the wonderful, sparkling new King's Cross Ticket Hall and the new Visitor Centre". Other scheduled highlights include: # a detailed examination of St. Pancras - Victorian brick & ironwork at its best # 2 new sculptures # a delightful portrait of Sir John Betjeman # the saga of the new clock # Harry Potter and Boudicca # King's Cross # a stroll along John Nash's Regent's Canal # Camley Street Natural Park and the London Wildlife Trust # a church both ancient and modern # atmospheric churchyard shaped by architect/future novelist, Thomas Hardy # the birth of one of modern Britain's icons - the red telephone box # the new British Library on the old goods yard On arrival, Andrew Davies will meet us on the coach and direct us to various venues in St. Pancras Station where we can take coffee or tea (not included). At. 11.00 am the walk begins (c700 yards in total) until 12.45 pm when we break for lunch (not included, but there are myriad lunch venue choices in and around St. Pancras). At 2.00 pm we meet up for the afternoon walk - c1000 yards. We will start at the back of King's Cross station around what was known as "railway land". These 70 acres, or so, are now occupied by 4,500 students from The Central St. Martin's School of Art, alongside Google's new HQ and much more. At 3.45 pm we will be back at St. Pancras Station for a cup of tea (not included) and a comfort stop before departing for home by coach at 4.15 pm Places are limited to 50 so make sure you’re at the head of the queue, as this promises to be a great day out! ___________________________________________________________ # Price includes coach fare, driver's tip and Andrew Davies' guided walks.

This tour is only given once a month on a Saturday night by kind permission of the Dean and Chapter of the Abbey. Having been on the waiting list for 3 years, we have finally been offered a date for this unique event. The Purcell Club is named after Henry Purcell, the famous composer, who was organist of Westminster Abbey from 1679-1695. It is a male voice choir whose members are predominantly Old Choristers of the Abbey with guest singers joining from time to time. The tour starts from the Nave where the history and architecture of the Abbey will be described in some detail. Then the first piece of sacred music is sung and we will move around from one location of interest to the next where, at various points, the Purcell Club will sing suitable musical items ranging from the 16th to 21st centuries, ending up with the choir singing around the Unknown Warrior’s Grave as the lights dim. Visitors are able to sit at most points on the tour but some standing will be necessary. One wheelchair is available with prior notice. The Visit will start with a two-course supper in “The Cellarium Café” which is adjacent to the Abbey. Our tour will then follow and should finish at 9.15 pm. __________________________________________________________ The price includes a two-course supper at “The Cellarium Café” (but no refreshments), the tour of the Abbey, return coach trip and driver’s tip.

The day will start with a trip on the river from Westminster Pier to Greenwich on a boat with all facilities and excellent commentary. On arrival, a quick walk will take us to the Cutty Sark, this last surviving tea clipper. It has been meticulously restored, from its original wooden planks and iron frames that crossed the China Seas, to the tea chests with various fascinating cargo and 11 miles of rigging adorning the masts from the weather deck. Before we tour this splendid ship, we will have coffee/tea and a piece of homemade cake in the restaurant housed directly under the ship – a quite safe but awe-inspiring experience! After your tour of the Cutty Sark, the afternoon is free for your own exploring: # The National Maritime Museum is nearby. The special exhibition (with an entrance fee) is called “Stars to Satellites” and is the story of satellite navigation. If that does not appeal, the permanent exhibition is excellent, always full of new and fascinating exhibits – and with free admission. # Also near is the Queen’s House, Inigo Jones’ Palladian masterpiece. It was built for Charles I’s queen Henrietta Maria and features a world class collection of paintings by Gainsborough, Reynolds, Hogarth and Turner. Again, admission is free. # You might even care to view The Greenwich Fan Musuem, 12 Crooms Hill - the UK's only museum devoted entirely to every aspect of fans and fan making. There is an entry charge. Greenwich is full of eating places to suit all tastes. There is also a permanent Craft market and a great variety of shops to explore. Tickets are for sale on May 15th from 10.00 am, see you there! ______________________________________________________________________ The price includes both coach journeys, driver’s tip, the river trip to Greenwich, coffee/tea and homemade cake at “The Even Keel Café” (underneath the Cutty Sark) and the entrance fee to the Cutty Sark.

Parham House is an Elizabethan House near Pulborough. It was originally owned by the Monastery of Westminster and granted to Robert Palmer by King Henry VIII in 1540. The foundation stone was laid in 1577 by the two year old Thomas Palmer, and Parham has been a family home ever since. Sir Thomas Bishopp, 1st Baronet, bought Parham House in 1597 and for 325 years his descendants continued to live at Parham House estate until January 1922. Then, the Hon Clive Pearson, younger son of Viscount Cowdray, bought the house and he and his wife Alicia opened it to visitors in 1948, after the Second World War when it had also been home to evacuee children and Canadian soldiers. Off the Long Gallery at the top of the house there is an exhibition which touches on this period with many family photographs as well as photographs of the building works which took place during that time. Mr and Mrs Pearson, followed by their daughter Veronica Tritton, spent more than 60 years carefully restoring Parham and filling it with a collection of beautiful old furniture, paintings and textiles, also acquiring items originally in the house, a real labour of love. There is also a very important collection of early needlework. Our visit starts with coffee/tea and homemade biscuits on arrival (included). Then our group will be split into two and taken around the house by guides with no interruptions from the general public….the house does not open officially until 2pm (The Gardens from 12.00 pm). The tour is approximately 1¼ hours long, so you will have plenty of time to explore the beautiful 4-acre walled garden which is divided into “rooms” with a spectacular selection of plants and wonderful designs. There is even a section where you can purchase plants which they will deliver straight to the coach - very organised! There is also time for lunch (not included) in “The Big Kitchen”, which is licensed and has a selection of light foods: soups, quiches, sandwiches, cakes etc, all homemade. We leave the house at 2pm for Bignor Roman Villa, 350 AD. It is privately owned and was discovered by chance by the great-great-great grandfather of the present owner while he was ploughing a field! We shall start by having a fascinating introductory talk. Then there is time to see for ourselves the wonderful mosaics on displays including Medusa, Venus and Cupid and Gladiators. You will also see the impressive sight of one of the longest mosaics in Britain, at 24 meters. There are facilities available for refreshments and the coach will leave 4.15pm, arriving back at the Riddell Hall at approx 5.30pm. The price includes: • entrance fee - Parham House & Gardens, coffee & biscuits and guided tour • entrance fee and introductory talk at Bignor Roman Villa • return coach journey and driver’s tip. Tickets go on sale at 10.00 am on Thursday 17th April - see you there!

Day 1 - Monday 9 June PICK-UP POINT 1. The Horseshoe Banstead/Library - Coach departs 8:15 am. PICK-UP POINT 2. Riddell Hall W-o-t-H - Coach departs 8.40 am We set off for Norwich and the 4 Star “Maid’s Head” Hotel, adjacent to the (Anglian) Cathedral (pictured), en route stopping in Dedham Vale (Suffolk), location of some of Constable's most famous paintings, for a guided tour of Flatford Mill to learn about his association with the area. We'll visit Bridge Cottage (NT) and arrive in time for Coffee/Tea in the Riverside Tea Rooms (included), where you can also buy lunch. Then on to our Hotel where we will stay for four nights – on a DB&B basis for three nights (effectively) and B&B only for a fourth. After a welcome drink (tea/coffee), there’s time to relax before our first Group dinner. If time permits, some may care to take a stroll in the nearby Cathedral Close, before dining. Day 2 - Tuesday 10 June First thing, we’ll be met at our hotel by a Blue Badge Guide for a morning walking tour of the ancient walled city. After this, you will have nearly 3 hours "at leisure", time to find a coffee, visit the shops, perhaps explore the daily market, and maybe take in some of Norwich’s other attractions such as The Guildhall, the famous St Peter Mancroft Church, Jarrold's Store, Colman's Mustard Shop, or the many small shops the city has to offer - possibly even visiting the new Chapel Field Shopping Centre - before finding some lunch ahead of the next part of our programme - Norwich Castle. The Castle is one of the city’s most famous landmarks. It dates back to the Normans and was originally built as a royal fortification over 900 years ago. Nowadays it is home to collections of fine art, archaeology and natural history. So - our afternoon programme begins with a visit to “Norwich Castle Museum and Art Galleries”. We have arranged to start our visit with a half hour talk about the Colman Art Galleries at the Castle which display the museum’s world-famous collection of Norwich School paintings. After this there will be plenty of time to look around the Castle, maybe joining a guided tour of the Keep or braving it up many steep steps to the Battlements! Or you can use the rest of the afternoon as you see fit, bearing in mind that we move off for The Broads at 6.45 pm where we’ve chartered a boat for a 3 hour cruise, with buffet dinner* on board (included). Day 3 - Wednesday 11 June We start our day in Norwich with a one hour guided tour of the (Anglican) Cathedral, which the Normans commenced building in 1097. Then, after coffee, we move on to Sandringham, country retreat of HM The Queen and British monarchs since 1862. Set in 60 acres of stunning gardens, it’s perhaps the most famous stately home in Norfolk, providing a place of enjoyment not only for the Royals but for many thousands of visitors, like us, who go to see the House, Museum, Gardens and Church. We’re able take lunch here (not included). Dinner is not included this evening, but we will be providing a list of nearby eateries for those not wanting to dine at the Hotel. Day 4 - Thursday 12 June We head early to Blakeney on the N Norfolk coast; its quayside location has magnificent views across the estuary and salt marshes to Blakeney Point with its bird sanctuary, part of an “Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty”. Then it’s coffee and cake at “The Blakeney Hotel” (included) and we should have time for a stroll before visiting the home of Viscount Coke (son of the Earl of Leicester) & family - “Holkham Hall" (EH) + Bygones Museum & Walled Garden. Later we plan to stop in the pleasant Georgian market town of Holt, for a cuppa and a wander, maybe visiting Bakers & Larners the “exceptional department store” Est 1770, before returning for our final Group dinner (included). Day 5 – Friday 13 June (amended 20.5.14) As members travelling in this group have already been notified, we have been forced to make a last minute change in our plans for this, our final day. So, after breakfast, we check out of the Hotel and depart for The Sir Alfred Munnings Art Museum in Essex where, after coffee & biscuits (included) we will be given an out-of-hours tour of this unique place set in 40 acres of lovely grounds near Dedham. If the weather is nice, then hopefully there will also be time for a stroll in the gardens before moving on to the village for a light lunch (included) at the renowned Sun Inn after which we will commence the final leg of our journey home. As already circulated, we hope to get back by the following times, traffic permitting: SET-DOWN POINT 1. Riddell Hall W-o-t-H - Coach scheduled to arrive 5:30 pm SET-DOWN POINT 2. Banstead Library - Coach scheduled to arrive by 6:00 pm Price of £529.00 Includes: # Executive touring coach available throughout the tour # En route visit to Flatford Mill + Guided Tour + Coffee/Tea # 4 nights at the 4 star Maids Head Hotel, Norwich – 3 nights DB&B* + 1 B&B (ie 2 three course Group Dinners, with a choice from Hotel menu, tea & coffee - on first and last evenings - and a 3rd Group Dinner* on the Broads, Day 2) # Welcome drink on arrival at the Hotel (tea/coffee) # Full cooked breakfast each morning # One hour guided tour of the Anglican Cathedral (via donation) # Morning walking tour of Norwich City, with a Blue Badge Guide # Group admission to Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery # Excursion to The Sandringham Estate, including Group admission # Mid-morning coffee & cake at The Blakeney Hotel # Group admission to Holkham Hall (EH) incl Museum & Walled Gardens # 3 hour Broads cruise, welcome drink & *Group Buffet Dinner # Coffee & Biscuits at the Munnings Museum # Light lunch in Dedham DAY 5 # Hotel porterage # Tips for driver & guides Not included: # Single supplement of £96.00 per person # Holiday insurance for 5 days at £25.00 pp for the duration of the tour # Items of a personal nature such as drinks, souvenirs etc # Meals other than those specified Pending publication of SUCCESS TOURS’ official brochure, this is an outline itinerary, only, and may be subject to slight changes. ______________________________________________________________ DAVID TINKLER VICE CHAIRMAN & Tours' Secretary (E&OE) ______________________________________________________________

The Weald and Downland Open Air Museum comprises 50 historic buildings that have been rescued and re-erected to create one of the most important Open Air Museums in Europe. It is located in the South Downs National Park near the village of Singleton, 7 miles north of Chichester. ________________________________________________________________ Do join us for this interesting day out. The Museum's collection includes homes displayed as they were lived in centuries ago, historical gardens planted with heritage herbs and flowers, farm buildings with animals living in them, a working forge and a church made of tin. Together these buildings tell the story of ordinary people's lives from the 13th through to the 20th century. Also to be seen are: # The Winkhurst Tudor Kitchen: the place to learn about Tudor fare # Working 17th Cent watermill making flour sold in the shop & used in the café # Shire Horses at the stables or working in our midst # Bayleaf Medieval Farmstead complete with period garden, barn and orchard # Traditional breed farm animals around the site # A museum shop and plants for sale. # plus much more At 11.15 there will be guided tours (in 2 groups running simultaneously) which last 1.5 to 2 hours. It is suggested that good walking shoes are worn and NB there are lots of benches along the way for anyone who may need to pause and reflect! There will also be an optional free tour (at 1.30 pm) of the Downland Gridshell conservation workshop which has a fascinating collection of rural artefacts. Weather permitting you might like to bring a picnic lunch or take a light snack (sandwiches, hot pies etc) from the Lakeside Café (where we'll be having coffee on arrival). Alternatively just about a 10 minutes walk into the village of Singleton you will find The Partridge pub. All in all this should be a great day out in the lovely Sussex countryside - do come and join us! Tickets will first go on sale at our 20 March Meeting - so, to be in with a chance, make sure you're in the queue at 10.00 am! ________________________________________________________________ The cost includes return coach trip, driver's tip, entrance fee, guides' fees and coffee/tea on arrival, but not lunch

In view of this milestone in our history, Chairman Judith Price, former Chairman Sue Brown and everyone on the committee have pleasure in inviting members to celebrate on that very day, by joining us at a special Champagne Afternoon Buffet Tea Party at Kingswood Golf Club. Invitations were dispatched to all members, but you can find a copy by going to ABOUT US, clicking on DOCUMENTS and then on the “16/05/14” strip and you should be able to see the invitation there. Tickets went on sale on Thursday 20th February, but there are still some available (17/4/14). Contact: Judith Price - judithaprice@gmail.com / 01737 832189. To make sure as many members as possible see this Notice, a copy is also being shown under News and under Lectures. DAVID TINKLER Website Co-ordinator - 8/2/14 Updated 17/4/14

Please join us on this special Visit to Petworth, an historic country house and park in West Sussex. On arrival, there will be time for coffee or tea and homemade biscuits (included), giving us time to relax ahead of our private guided tour of the house at 10.15 am - before the general public arrives! This will allow us to enjoy the highlights of this magnificent 17th-century mansion in some comfort for it is filled with an impressive collection of pictures by Turner, Van Dyck, Reynolds and Blake, plus ancient and neo-classical sculpture, fine furniture and carvings by Grinling Gibbons. After the tour we are free to explore more of the house at our leisure. The servants’ quarters and kitchens are themselves very interesting and well worth a visit. We will also be able to view the bedrooms after 1.00 pm - these are only open on special days so are not to be missed! There will be time for lunch (not included) which can be taken in-house in the very pleasant café with delicious home-made food. The historic Market town of Petworth is only a few steps away with picturesque streets, home to a wide range of shops and antique centres. At 2 pm, we meet in the Courtyard where the Head Gardener, Gary, will take us on a fascinating tour of the Gardens lasting approximately 1½ hours where we will learn of the origins of the Pleasure Ground right through to the restoration projects currently under way. The 700 acre Deer Park and Gardens were landscaped by “Capability” Brown and are immortalised in some of Turner’s paintings. Petworth is a splendid property and this should prove to be an excellent day out; so do make sure you are first in the queue when the tickets go on sale on 20 February! ________________________________________________________________ (Coach departs at 4.30 pm and should be back, traffic permitting, by 5.30 pm). _________________________________________________________________ *Price includes: return coach trip and driver’s tip, coffee/tea and homemade biscuits, and separate guided tours of House and Gardens.

We arrive at the museum in time for coffee/tea & biscuits (included) which will be followed by a talk from the Curator about their unique collection of period room settings from Jacobean times to the 20th century, all contained in 18th century alms-houses. This will be followed by some free time for members to explore the rooms. After lunch at The Geffrye (included), we will enjoy a guided walk with Sarah Fordham through Hoxton & Shoreditch a favourite place for artists, designers and performers. Members involved will recall that Sarah, a Blue Badge Guide, gave us conducted tours in the City in July 2013, following our Visit to The Vintners' Hall; and in September 2013 when we visited two artists' houses in Holland Park. The Curtain Theatre, an Elizabethan Playhouse, used to be situated in Shoreditch, for which Shakespeare wrote many plays before it was transported across the river Thames to be rebuilt as The Globe (which we visited in 2011). Nowadays, restaurants, art galleries and expensive apartments are tucked in amongst social housing, corner stores and parks that you might not want to venture into at night; making this an edgy, but exciting place to visit! One of the most famous art galleries in London, a place where you can learn to fly through the air with the greatest of ease and a restaurant where celebrity chefs eat on their nights off, are all mixed up with the remains of the 19th century Music Hall tradition & the Boundary Estate - the world's first council estate but now apparently a 'cool' place to live. So do join us, and make sure you're the first in the queue when tickets go on sale in January. ________________________________________________________________ *Price includes: Return Coach, Driver's Tip, Coffee & Biscuits on arrival, Talk by the Curator, Lunch and a short Tour around Hoxton and Shoreditch with a Blue Badge Guide.

Eva Hobday is looking after them and, if you think they are yours, she can be contacted on evahobday@gmail.com or 01737 358444. Otherwise Eva will bring them to the Christmas Lunch on Thursday 19th December, when hopefully they may be returned to their rightful owner. Thanks. DAVID TINKLER 13.12.2013

By popular request we will once again be attending a Matinée Performance of this magical Christmas Celebration at the Royal Albert Hall. Under the leadership of John Rutter, conductor, composer and accomplished presenter, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra will perform well known classics - a popular selection of the very best Christmas carols, choral pieces and orchestral works. This year’s event will include a selection of festive favourites, featuring a special guest vocalist and choir and is bound to include the popular ”sing-along carols”. The maestro continues to bring pleasure to millions with his well planned performances, indeed Christmas would not be complete without the one and only John Rutter and, as ever, this promises to be a truly delightful occasion. This best-selling concert is likely to prove extremely popular with members, and you will need to arrive in good time on 19 September to have a chance of purchasing a ticket. ______________________________________________________________ * As previously, the ticket price will include return coach, driver’s gratuity, Concert ticket and Programme, but will exclude drinks / refreshments.

Glyndebourne should prove to be a most enjoyable Visit as we have managed to obtain a number of excellent tickets for this matinée performance of Donizetti's L’ELISIR D’AMORE (The Elixir of Love), one of his most frequently performed operas. Our coach will leave Riddell Hall to allow us enough time to be able to explore Glyndebourne’s beautiful grounds, soak up the atmosphere and perhaps even have a cup of tea before the performance which starts at 4.00 pm. L’ELISIR D’AMORE distils the essence of Donizetti’s most intoxicating comedy into a vintage blend of sparkling high spirits and heartwarming sentiment and is set in an idyllic vision of a Southern Italian village square. The story concerns Nemorino’s love for Adina and how, with the help of a special “love potion”, he eventually wins her heart. The staging is by Annabel Arden. The performance finishes at approximately 6.30pm when we will be served a two course dinner (included) with coffee/tea in the “Middle & Over Wallop” restaurant. ____________________________________________________________ # Price includes: seat ticket for L’ELISIR D’AMORE, a two course dinner including coffee/tea (all other drinks at members’ own expense), return coach journey and driver’s tip.

Edward Linley Sambourne, one of the greatest cartoonists of the Victorian age was, amongst other things, an illustrator of Charles Kingsley's 'Water Babies'. He also worked on 'Punch' with John Tenniel (original illustrator of 'Alice in ... and Alice through...). He subsequently became chief cartoonist at 'Punch' (then almost as famous as 'PRIVATE EYE' is today). His house in Holland Park is a gem of the Victorian era which you will be able to study. ____________________ We will also visit the House of the ONLY ennobled artist (so far), Fredric Leighton. He was President of the Royal Academy (1878 - 1896). When living in Paris, Leighton met, Ingres, Delacroix, Corot and Millet. In London he associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, although always distancing his painting from theirs. His house/museum is another gem, filled with his paintings and drawings plus his collection of works by old masters and his contemporaries such as John Everett Millais. Later, we will have a guided walk around the Holland Park area and lived in by other artists of note in the late Victorian age. _____________________________________________________________ Ticket price includes return coach fare, driver's tip, coffee/tea and biscuits on arrival and all appropriate entrance fees.

Cambridge, especially the various colleges and University buildings, is fascinating for people with an interest in architecture. The colleges have been built sporadically over the centuries and the result is a mixture of styles both ancient and modern. Our Visit to the city, however, begins with a guided tour of the Fitzwilliam Museum, the art and antiquities museum of Cambridge University, which is located in Trumpington Street opposite Fitzwilliam Street in the centre of the City. It receives around 300,000 visitors annually. The Museum was founded in 1816 with the bequest of the library and art collection of the 7th Viscount FitzWilliam whose family were a prominent part of Anglo-Irish nobility, with their ancestral seat, Milton Hall, located north of Cambridge. The family has been associated with the University for several hundred years, whilst Fitzwilliam College traces its origins back to 1869, its name being chosen by the students in 1887. The Fitzwilliam’s bequest to the Museum also included £100,000 "to cause to be erected a good substantial museum repository". The Museum's collection was initially placed in the old Perse School building in Free School Lane. It was moved in 1842 to the Old Schools (at that time the University Library). The "Founder's Building" itself was designed by George Basevi, completed by C. R. Cockerell and opened in 1848; the entrance hall is by Edward Middleton Barry and was completed in 1875. The first stone of the new building was laid by Gilbert Ainslie in 1837. A two-storey extension, paid for partly by the Courtauld family, was added in 1931. _______________________ Later, we will enjoy a guided tour of the city centre which is mostly pedestrian-friendly. As we’ll discover most sights can be easily reached on foot and much of the central area is traffic-free. But NB some of the pavements have shared use between pedestrians and cyclists; this can catch you out unless you watch out for it, although luckily most of the University students will not be “up” on August 15! [And even if they were "up", one doubts they'd actually BE up at that time of day]. ______________________________________________________________ The ticket includes coach fare and driver's tip, guided tour of the Fitzwilliam Museum and a guided tour of Cambridge.

This event combines two aspects that Walton members so enjoy - a Visit to a building of historical interest, and a Guided Walk in the City of London. So, please join us in the morning for a rare opportunity to tour The Vintners’ Hall, home to the Vintners’ Livery Company, with our Guide Sarah Fordham who, after lunch, will take us on a gentle ‘historical’ walk in the immediate area along the north bank of the Thames. ________________________________________________________________ Trade and craft associations have flourished all over Europe for many centuries. The City of London companies, now collectively known as the Livery, are unique in their survival, number and diversity. The social and economic conditions which gave birth to the original craft guilds in the Middle Ages have long since been overtaken by the development of industry and commerce, but the livery companies still flourish today as living institutions. Altogether, 38 Livery Companies have their own Halls, many dating back to medieval times, and a large number of them are huddled in the narrow streets and alleys near The Vintners’ as we will discover on our Walk, places such as The Worshipful Company of Carmen, The Innholders Hall, The Painter Stainers Hall, and the splendid Fishmongers Hall – so what better way to learn about them than from a qualified Guide such as Sarah to instruct us not only on THEIR history and background, but on that of the local area too? ________________________________________________________________ Situated by Southwark Bridge, The Vintners' Hall is the headquarters of the Worshipful Company of Vintners - a splendid place steeped in history, with grand silk banners and carved oak panels. We will visit its many elegant rooms, such as the Swan Room, home to elaborate trompe l’oeil murals, and the Boardroom with private Roof Terrace. We should also have time to view an array of archaeological finds and a special collection of bottles. The Vintners’ Company was granted its first Charter in 1363 and the Hall, which was bequeathed by Guy Shuldham in 1446, was burnt down in the Great Fire. By 1671 it had been rebuilt, and to this day retains much of its architecture from that period. It suffered only superficial damage during WWII and since then only subtle modernisation and redesign has taken place, with careful restoration. The Vintners' Company ranks eleventh in the order of precedence of Livery Companies, making it one of the "Great Twelve Livery Companies" of the City of London. Because of its Charter it gained a monopoly over wine imports from Gascony, and acquired the right to sell wine without a licence, becoming the most powerful company in the wine trade. To this day it maintains strong links with the trade - and Vintners' Hall is still known as the trade's "spiritual home". It continues to play an important role, and its wine cellar is one of the City’s largest! There are plenty of opportunities for lunch nearby and in the afternoon Sarah, a Blue Badge Guide, will take us on a leisurely meander around the area, pointing out places of interest. She will explain more about the Livery Companies; there are now over 100, covering all manner of professions from Basket Makers to Management Consultants. As mentioned there are several Livery Companies close by to The Vintners’ Hall. The magnificent Grade 1 listed Guildhall is still home to the City of London Corporation 800 years since it began. In an era when the Lord Mayor of London rivalled the monarch for influence and prestige, this was where he and the ruling merchant class held court, fine-tuned the laws and trading regulations that helped create London’s wealth. The ancient church of St Lawrence Jewry is the Corporation’s church, whilst the Lord Mayor lives for his year of office in The Mansion House – a palace for the City. Our Walk with Sarah will incorporate some of these interesting places, specifically, and others as mentioned above - either from the outside or the inside. This should be a fascinating day out - a real chance to go back in time, learn some history and find out more about a London of days gone by – so do join us. ________________________________________________________________ Ticket price includes: return coach fare and driver’s tip, coffee and biscuits on arrival, guided tour of Vintners' Hall and guided walk in the afternoon.

We start with a visit to SISSINGHURST CASTLE in the morning arriving in time for coffee & biscuits. Hopefully it will be a perfect summer's day and we will have time to look around the gardens. Lunch is included in the price of your ticket, then we move on to Ellen Terry's former house at SMALLHYTHE PLACE, where we will also be entertained to an exclusive theatrical production. ________________________________________________________________ SISSINGHURST CASTLE is the ruin of an Elizabethan manor house gently seated in the beautiful Weald of Kent. It was once a prison for captured French seamen during the Seven Years War, then a poor house and latterly a working farm. It gained international fame in the 1930s when Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson created a garden there. The garden is a riot of colour throughout the year. Divided into small garden 'rooms', each is very distinctive from the others. Whilst there, don't miss the famous white garden and also Vita's beloved rose garden. ________________________________________________________________ SMALLHYTHE PLACE - which is being opened EXCLUSIVELY for our party on 28th June (not 20th June as inadvertently shown on our e-mail to members of 12 April!) - is the late Ellen Terry's house and beautiful cottage garden. It was built in the early 16th-century - when Smallhythe was a thriving shipbuilding port - and purchased by the renowned Victorian actress in 1899. In 1929, Ellen Terry’s daughter, Edith Craig, set up a museum at the house which contains a fascinating personal and theatrical collection highlighting her mother's extraordinary career and unconventional personal life. After Ms Terry's death, her daughter went on to create a small theatre in the grounds by converting a charming 17th-century thatched barn. It is here that we will have the chance to see a special production - put on just for Walton-on-the-Hill DFAS - about Ellen Terry and her way of interpreting Shakespearian characters. Afterwards there should be time for a cuppa, before our journey home

ITINERARY: After the reunification of Germany in 1990, Berlin has become ever more popular. Far from being a cold and soulless city, in recent years it has become the hub for world-class museums and galleries, incredible history, lively culture, great shops and a cosmopolitan lifestyle. There is so much of interest in a relatively small area and with nearly a third of the city consisting of parks, meadows, woodland, lake and rivers it is an absolute pleasure to visit. The aim of this Tour is to show the highlights of Berlin, with some time to relax and enjoy the atmosphere of this rejuvenated city. DAY 1 - SUNDAY 9 JUNE Flight from Gatwick with EasyJet. Depart Gatwick EZY 5411: 1215 - Arrive Berlin 1510 Coach transfer to the hotel, with an en-route orientation tour (flight times permitting). Dinner is included - 7.30 pm at nearby Café Einstein. We will be staying at the Berlin Hotel, Berlin, located in the city centre. TRAVEL EDITIONS know this four-star superior hotel well and advise: "it is modern and stylish with a warm colour scheme throughout. Rooms are spacious, comfortable and well-appointed with private bathrooms with bath/shower, air-conditioning, flat-screen television, tea/coffee making facilities and a fridge. The hotel restaurant serves Mediterranean cuisine, but there are a number of eating options close by. The location of the hotel offers quick and easy public transport to all areas of the city". DAY 2 - MONDAY 10 JUNE Full day tour of the city including entrance to the Berliner Dom and the Jewish Museum (The city tour will include many of the main highlights such as Kurfürstendam, Kaiser-Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche, Tiergarten, the Brandenburg Gate, Check Point Charlie, Unter den Linden, Gendarmenmarkt). The Berliner Dom ‘cathedral’ was built at the turn of 20th century and was heavily damaged during the war. The Jewish Museum, one of the largest in Europe, displays two millennia of German Jewish history in both permanent and changing exhibitions, in a building specifically built by architect Libeskind). Our programme today will be slightly altered - see LATE NEWS above - as we will now be taking afternoon tea at the Kaefer Restaurant in the glass dome of the Reichstag (Parliament building) today. ACHTUNG! WE ALL NEED TO TAKE OUR PASSPORTS TO THE REICHSTAG! The famous dome at the top of the building offers 360 degree views of Berlin. Dinner at leisure DAY 3 - TUESDAY 11 JUNE Morning guided tour of Gemaldegalerie – an excellent art museum which houses one of the world’s greatest collections of 13th to 18th century European art. Afterwards, we will continue to tour the city but our programme will be revised - see LATE NEWS above. Dinner at leisure DAY 4 - WEDNESDAY 12 JUNE Full day tour to Potsdam (c 24 miles from Berlin) to visit the Sansoucci Palace (Germany’s largest World Heritage Site) and Cecilienhof Palace (built in the style of an English country house), with time in Potsdam, capital of the region of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan region. Dinner at leisure. Please note we will be retaining the coach all evening and running it to another part of town, popular with tourists and for shopping and dining. This is an OPTIONAL trip, AT NO EXTRA COST, and is an addition to the original itinerary. Our Tour Manager will notify you of the precise time of departure from Hotel Berlin, and when the coach will leave the area to take everybody back to the Hotel at the end of the evening. DAY 5 - THURSDAY 13 JUNE Morning guided visits to the Neues Museum & The Pergamon Museum. Afternoon is free for individual exploration; later we take dinner at a local restaurant (included) - 7.30 pm at Zur Gerichtslaube "Old Berlin Restaurant", situated in the Nikolaiviertel (Nikolai Quarter) in the historical centre of Berlin. We will be travelling there and back by coach. DAY 6 - FRIDAY 14 JUNE Morning tour to Charlottenburg Palace, before taking a boat trip back to the city centre! Charlottenburg is the largest palace in Berlin, and the only surviving royal residence in the city, complete with a large formal garden; the interiors are decorated in the flamboyant baroque and rococo styles. There will be free time for lunch and individual exploration prior to our transfer to the airport for the return flight home. Depart Berlin EZY 5414: 1830 - Arrive Gatwick 1925 [The exact order of excursions is subject to change] Colour brochures showing fuller details of this Tour have been distributed by e-mail. However, if you haven’t got one, please ‘phone me on 01737 858382. _______________________________________________________ WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THE PRICE: # Return flights from London Gatwick to Berlin, inclusive of taxes # Return coach transfers from Berlin airport to the hotel # 5 nights’ bed & breakfast accommodation at the 4 star superior Berlin Hotel # 2 dinners (one at the hotel and one at a local restaurant) # Coach touring as required # Fully guided touring itinerary, inclusive of entrance fees as per the itinerary # Experienced Tour Manager throughout # Gratuities # Guide book What's not included in the price: # Holiday insurance if required (£30pp - for age 69+ this increases to £55 pp) # Single room supplement (£170 per person) # Meals (other than those mentioned) drinks, laundry, 'phone calls etc # Porterage

We arrive at Strawberry Hill House (L/H picture above) in time for coffee and biscuits (included). This is the nineteenth-century development named after "Strawberry Hill", the fanciful Gothic revival villa that was designed and built in Twickenham by author Horace Walpole between 1749 and 1776. He added gothic features such as towers and battlements outside, and elaborate decoration inside to create "gloomth" to suit his collection of antiquarian objects, contrasting with the "riant" (smiling) garden. The interior included a Robert Adam fireplace; parts of the exterior were designed by James Essex. The garden contained a large seat shaped like a Rococo sea shell which was recreated in 2012. In 2004, Strawberry Hill featured in the TV series “Restoration”. In 2007 it was leased to the Strawberry Hill Trust for restoration and eventual opening to the public. The collection “Horace Walpole's Strawberry Hill” was featured at the Victoria & Albert Museum from March to July 2010 to prepare for the re-opening of the house. Curator of the exhibition Michael Snodin sees Walpole as an influential figure in both collection and architecture: "he created a form of thematised historical display which prefigured modern museums. And Strawberry Hill was the most influential building of the early Gothic revival" What began as a small 17th century house "little more than a cottage", with only 5 acres of land, ended up as a "little Gothic castle" in 46 acres. The original owner had named the house "Chopped Straw Hall", but Walpole wanted it to be called something more distinctive and after finding an old lease that described his land as "Strawberry Hill Shot", he adopted this name. After a £9 million, two-year long, restoration Strawberry Hill House re-opened to the public in October 2010 and is well worth a visit in itself. ________________________________________________________________ After lunch, we move on to Ham House (R/H picture above), “a unique 17th-century treasure trove”, one of a series of grand houses and palaces alongside the River Thames. Ham House and Garden impressed in its day and continues to do so today. Rich in history and atmosphere, it is mainly the vision of Elizabeth Murray, Countess of Dysart, who was deeply embroiled in the politics of the English Civil war and subsequent restoration of the monarchy. Through the centuries Ham has survived war, fashion and neglect to retain a uniquely mysterious aura. Some visitors even claim that it is haunted by the ghosts of its past residents. Today Ham House and Garden stand as one of Europe’s greatest 17th-century houses. In 1994 a donation was made, through the Art Fund, of a 17th-century teapot and a Chinese Imari chamberpot. The teapot is displayed in the room known as 'her Grace's Private Closet'. Much of the furniture in the Duchess's closet was lacquered in the eastern style, the Orient being the source of the tea which was drunk in the room. The chamberpot is displayed in the museum room described in 1679 as the 'Roome over ye Chappel'. This room was originally used as a bedroom and hung with tapestry. The Chinese Imari chamberpot has a compressed globular body and everted lip, the body painted in red, blue and gold with pagoda buildings in a river landscape. The House's fine interiors and historic gardens make it a really fascinating place to visit. Before we leave, there will be time for a cuppa (not included) at the onsite café where the treats always include freshly baked cake. _________________________________________________________________ So do join us on what promises to be a very interesting day out, to two very interesting houses. _________________________________________________________________ **Ticket price includes: return coach, driver’s tip, coffee & biscuits on arrival at Strawberry Hill plus entry fee, guided tour and lunch. Afternoon tea (not included) can be purchased at Ham House.

# Pompeii and Herculaneum: Two ordinary cities with an extraordinary story! This is the first Exhibition ever shown in this country to focus on both these cities, destroyed in AD 79 by the catastrophic eruption of nearby Mount Vesuvius. Rediscovered by archaeologists nearly 1700 years later, the Exhibition shows objects from the British Museum collection and a generous loan of over 250 objects from Naples, Pompeii and Herculaneum. Many of these have never been seen outside Italy until now and the exhibition will focus on the daily lives of the ordinary people who lived there. After coffee and biscuits on arrival, we will attend a talk by the Exhibition curator, none other than Dr Roberts, whose discussion will cover the range and context of the Exhibition and also highlight objects of the event. Then, after lunch, we will have a timed admission to the exhibition itself. ___________________________________________________________________ This Exhibition explores these two cities and their unique story; it will be a chance ‘to visit the cities and to visit the houses in the cities; to be inside a Roman household, inside a Roman street; to know what it felt like, to know what was going on’. In exploring the daily life of those unlucky citizens we will, as Dr Roberts says, have a chance to see how people like us would have lived in an ancient reflection of our own lives: ‘Daily life; the home, and domestic life, it’s something that we all share. The home gives us a wonderful opportunity to explore how people like us lived in Roman times: perhaps they didn’t all go to the baths, or the amphitheatre, but poor or wealthy they all had a home’. Through some of the most famous objects to have emerged from the two cities, and finds unearthed during recent archaeological work there, the Exhibition will look at the make-up and activity of homes – and the people who lived in them – at both Pompeii and Herculaneum. As Dr Roberts explains ‘we can’t imagine the horror of that day, but we can see what people did. Some of them were practical, taking a lantern or a lamp to help them stumble through the total darkness of the volcanic blizzard. Other people took gold and silver in the form of coins or jewellery. One little girl took her charm bracelet with pieces from all over the Roman world and beyond, such as cowries from the Indian Ocean, amber from the Baltic, rock crystal from the Alps, faience from Egypt. She had this with her when she died on the beach at Herculaneum with hundreds of others’. Some 2,000 years later that charm bracelet will be among the objects on display, allowing us as it does to recall and remember the real people whose lives we are so privileged to be able to see and understand: ‘We had to have the death of Pompeii and Herculaneum to know so much about the people who lived there, but it’s their lives that we will be celebrating in this Exhibition’’. You really can't miss this fascinating Visit, so make sure you're in time to get you ticket. __________________________________________________________________ * The price includes coach fare, coffee/tea with biscuits on arrival, admission ticket to the British Museum, a guide to the Exhibition and the coach driver’s tip. No refund can be made unless a buyer can be found from the waiting list. NB Lunch is not included, but there are 2 cafés and one restaurant at the British Museum itself. Nearby, there are many interesting eating places of all types and tastes where lunch can also be enjoyed.

This Walk with Tony Tucker represents real ‘joined-up NADFAS’ as it follows the Talk he will be giving on Wren’s Churches at our meeting on 17 January (see Lectures’ section). He is a very well respected author and a fascinating speaker – so the Walk is really not to be missed. Tony, a near neighbour of ours, lives in Carshalton. He is a City Guide and Lecturer, author of The Visitor’s Guide to the City of London Churches and leads regular Walks within the City where he has worked for 35 years. He also lectures to Friends of the City Churches, WEA, various historical Associations, NADFAS societies and other adult educational groups. In addition, he is a regular contributor to Cityguide magazine. He has arranged this Guided Walk to allow us to further our knowledge and understanding of Wren and will be assisted on the day by his fellow Guide, Karen Chester. So we will be divided into two groups, but will swap leaders after lunch! Events start on the steps of St Paul's Cathedral. There will be time for Coffee and Biscuits (included) and we will take lunch en route, probably in the area of St Mary le Bow where there is a wide range of places to eat. The day concludes at St Paul’s, and there should be time for a cuppa before we join the coach back to Walton-on-the-Hill. This should be an excellent day out and will definitely add substance to Tony’s January talk – so make sure you’re the first in the queue for tickets on 17 January!

Thanks. DAVID TINKLER [Deputy Tours' Secretary]. 21/12/2012

THIS IS THE CONCERT YOU VOTED FOR!! After 3 consecutive years with “JOHN RUTTER” and the RPO, and since this year’s concert was moving to a weekday slot anyway, we polled members at our January lecture meeting to see what you wanted to do this December - and you opted for a change. So please join us at CHRISTMAS CRACKER with The Royal Philharmonic, founded by Sir Thomas Beecham and now one of the UK’s most prestigious orchestras. CHRISTMAS CRACKER is set to be another splendid pre-Christmas Concert - indeed it proved so popular in 2010 & 2011, that the RPO has recently been forced to arrange an extra performance later in December to cope with the demand for group bookings in 2012. We were therefore very lucky in our own bid for tickets! CHRISTMAS CRACKER is traditionally performed at the RPO’s London home at Cadogan Hall, one of London’s leading concert venues. It is set in the heart of Chelsea, very close to Sloane Square, and nowadays hosts over 300 concerts a year. Known for its blend of seasonal magic, CHRISTMAS CRACKER, is a firm favourite with RPO audiences. This year, the Orchestra will be joined by Mary Carewe (one of the most accomplished and versatile concert and recording artists in the UK) and Michael Dore (who started his professional career as a member of the internationally acclaimed Swingle Singers). He is in much demand, both here and in the US, in a whole range of work which includes: musicals, contemporary music, Shakespeare (with Dame Judi Dench), jazz, the soundtracks of many major films including Pirates of the Caribbean, Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings and he is often on Radio 2's "Friday Night is Music Night". Guest conductor is Nick Davies, who is also a successful musical director, having worked with numerous orchestras in Europe, Scandinavia and not forgetting Australia. He began his career in Musical Theatre in 1986 since when he has been involved in many West End hit productions. He was conductor for Evita in 2006, and both conductor and musical director for the world premiere of Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins here in London. CHRISTMAS CRACKER will again delight us with seasonally popular orchestral pieces; Christmas songs (such merriments as Have Yourself a Merry Christmas, Mary’s Boy Child, Sleigh Ride, The Little Road to Bethlehem); and, of course, its traditional and popular sing-along carols to get us all in the festive spirit. Sloane Square looks so festive in December, making CHRISTMAS CRACKER a must to start your Christmas celebrations; and, as our Christmas concerts have always proved very popular, do make sure you’re first in the queue for tickets when they go on sale on 20 September!! ____________________________________________________________________________ ** Price includes return coach, driver’s gratuity, Concert ticket and Programme, but excludes drinks / refreshments.

Do join us for a splendid Royal Day outing to Windsor Castle, where much has changed since most of us were last there! For a start - after coffee and some delicious cake on arrival - we will first visit a unique photographic exhibition to commemorate Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee - “THE QUEEN: SIXTY PHOTOGRAPHS FOR SIXTY YEARS", a visual recollection of The Queen's 60 years on the throne, through official and unofficial photographs of the monarch on duty and at leisure. The exhibition is in the Drawings Gallery, and will contain many photographs never published before. The photos show The Queen with her corgis, on state and regional visits, there are pictures of her inspecting the troops - including her grandson Prince William - and even meeting pop 'princess' Lady Gaga. Some photographs document Her Majesty's many travels - 131 different countries since 1952! There are photographs showing The Queen and Margaret Thatcher in silhouette at Lady Thatcher's 80th birthday, and a striking black-and-white portrait of The Queen taken to mark her 80th birthday by fellow octogenarian Jane Bown. These beautiful photographs should really not be missed and are a wonderful way to sum up the past 60 years of Queen Elizabeth II's life. The exhibition has already been a great success with other NADFAS groups and we are very lucky to be there, ourselves, just a few days before it is scheduled to close - so it REALLY is an opportunity not to be missed!! Your ticket also includes entry to all these features of the Castle, including some not always available: # QUEEN MARY’S DOLLS HOUSE a masterpiece in miniature designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens # THE STATE APARTMENTS beautifully restored after the fire in November 1992 and magnificently furnished with treasures from the Royal Collection # THE SEMI-STATE ROOMS these are only open a for few months each year, so we are very lucky that they will be available for our visit # ST GEORGE’S CHAPEL one of the most stunning ecclesiastical buildings in England and the burial place of 10 monarchs. Lunch is not included, but there are many interesting eating places of all types and tastes, together with shops in the area of the Old Station or in the High Street, where lunch can be enjoyed. Wristbands will be issued by the Castle gate staff when you exit, so you may re-enter the Castle later. Indeed before our Visit is concluded, you can also have your Castle ticket validated for use every day for the following 12 months, should you wish to return again, perhaps with the family! SO, EVEN IF YOU’VE BEEN TO WINDSOR CASTLE IN THE DIM AND DISTANT PAST, THIS ROYAL DAY OUTING IS A VERY SPECIAL VISIT, WELL WORTH MAKING - A CHANCE TO SEE THE CHANGES AT THE CASTLE AND TO VIEW A UNIQUE AND HISTORIC EXHIBITION TO MARK HER MAJESTY’S DIAMOND JUBILEE YEAR. Tickets are likely to sell quickly, so make sure you’re first in the queue! ________________________________________________________________ * Includes return coach fare, driver's tip, coffee/tea with cake on arrival, admission ticket to the special Jubilee photographic exhibition, the Castle itself, chapel, rooms listed above and an audio guide. Plus, as stated, your Castle entry ticket can be validated for 12 months, before you leave!

Join us in exploring the true highlights of Eastern Ireland on this twin centre tour. First we start in the bustling capital city of Dublin where we will visit all the famous attractions. These include the Guinness Storehouse, the Dublin Writers Museum, historic Trinity College and the book of Kells. Then, for the second half of the holiday, we move on to the contrasting countryside of Arklow and the breathtaking Wicklow mountains ____________________________________________________________________ DAY1: We depart from Gatwick Airport on a morning flight to Dublin where we will be met by our transfer coach and provided with an orientation tour of this beautiful city to acquaint us with the surroundings. After this, we check into the Camden Court Hotel where we will spend the first two nights. It is a modern hotel located in the centre, close to Dublin’s main attractions, and is just a short walk from St Stephens Green, Trinity College and Grafton Street - one of the city's two principal shopping areas. Then, we have an afternoon at leisure with the chance to relax or to explore Dublin’s wealth of attractions, bars and museums. We return to the hotel where we will be collected by the coach to take us for dinner and an evening performance of Irish dancing. DAY 2: In the morning we will be at Trinity College, where part of the film 'Educating Rita' (Michael Caine and Julie Walters) was shot, despite the setting being Liverpool!! Here we explore the Old Library and the exhibitions it houses, before seeing the Book of Kells - an illuminated manuscript Gospel book in Latin, containing the four Gospels of the New Testament together with various prefatory texts and tables, created by Celtic monks c 800 or slightly earlier. After lunch, we will spend the afternoon at a musuem (details to follow). DAY 3: We head for the world famous Guinness Storehouse to learn more about the global Guinness brand. We'll also have time to enjoy panoramic views of Dublin from the Gravity Bar. Towards the end of the morning, we make our way to the Powerscourt Estate to see the impressively manicured gardens and beautiful waterfall. There is also an opportunity to take some lunch here before we move on to the Arklow Bay Hotel, set in the Heart of County Wicklow, among the hills and by the sea. DAY 4: Today we visit the Newbridge Silverware Visitor Centre and the Museum of Style Icons, home to a variety of clothes and jewellery, once belonging to stars such as Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly and Marilyn Monroe, together with some items from Princess Diana’s collection. After lunch we return via the wilds of the Wicklow Mountains and Glendalough, the ‘glen of the two lakes’. The ancient monastic settlement of Glendalough is a truly spellbinding place, home to the impressive 10th century Round Tower, where we have time to explore before heading back to the hotel for dinner. DAY 5: After checking out of our hotel, we make a stop at the beautiful village of Avoca, where the BBC TV drama series Ballykissangel was filmed, and will be able to check out familiar 'sites' such as Fitzgerald’s pub and the Post Office! We’ll also have time to visit Avoca Handweavers and Craft shop, reputed to be the oldest weaving mill in Ireland. Finally, we visit the National Stud and fantastic Japanese Gardens for a guided tour, before heading back to Dublin airport for an early evening flight to Gatwick. Included in the price: # Return flights from Gatwick to Dublin # Half board accommodation # Gratuities for tour guides and coach driver # Admission to: > Trinity College and Book of Kells > Introductory curator talk at the Dublin Writers Museum > Guiness Storehouse > Powerscourt Estate - Gardens and Waterfall > Newbridge Silverware & Museum of Style Icons > Irish National Stud and Japanese Gardens # Visit to the Wicklow Mountains, Glendalough and Avoca # Dinner and a performance of traditional Irish dancing

Join us for a Summer afternoon in Regent’s Park where, at the internationally renowned Open Air Theatre, we will be attending the 2.15 pm Matinée performance of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night's Dream” (which Richard Seymour has helpfully mentioned is about faeries in a wood near Athens, before Greece linked itself to the Euro). Your ticket for the performance will be issued on the coach and we aim to arrive by about 12.00 noon, which should allow plenty of time to enjoy the Park and take some lunch. We've indicated above our Chairman’s suggestion that members bring their own picnic lunches with them, and so dine sumptuously and in some style. But, if you’d rather not take the self-catering route, then it is possible to book seats at The Garden Café, located very close to the Open Air Theatre. The Café provides various options, at a range of prices, and can be contacted on: tel: 020 7935 5729 e-mail: gardencafe@companyofcooks.com web: www.companyofcooks.com But NB - early booking is really MOST advisable for an event in August. Alternatively - but at a price - it is also possible to book a pre-Matinée Picnic at the Open Air Theatre, itself, which boasts its own picnic lawn and “the West End’s longest bar, well stocked, and with plenty of Pimms!”. More details on: tel: 0844 826 4242 web: http://www.openairtheatre.org/food-and-drink Click on the PICNICS icon for details. Otherwise, click on the HOT & COLD BUFFET icon, but NB only COLD buffets are available before Matinée performances - BUT they are MUCH more reasonable in price than the Picnics and don't have to be "pre-booked" ###Very sorry, but you will have to cut and paste the above two web links into your search engine.### ________________________________ And, for those that don’t mind a bit of extra walking, there are other eateries not far outside the Park - but, if you venture to one of those, do allow enough time to make it back to the Theatre by 2.15 pm! Of course we hope we won’t be dining al fresco in the rain, but if the weather forecast is really grim then, for anyone who wants it, we’ll try to arrange for the coach to be available for “pique-niques au charabanc” - but of course it’s going to be a perfect summer’s day, isn’t it? Glorious sunshine, your own picnic with perhaps a bottle of refreshing bubbly, and an afternoon of culture too.

The GALLERY Visit has been arranged at your request, so we are pleased to be able to combine it with Loseley Park to give us a full day out. __________________________________________________________________ WATTS GALLERY: Since reopening last year, after a major scheme of refurbishment, restoration and extension, several members have said we MUST visit WATTS GALLERY - so now’s your chance to see this fascinating place - "a national gallery in the heart of a village”! Here’s what some of the critics have said: Andrew Graham-Dixon,TV Presenter: “The most thrilling opening of the year... The WATTS GALLERY is the loveliest of places”. The Observer: “A hidden treasure … stuffed with huge allegorical paintings and sparkling portraits by George Watts that were the talk of Victorian society“. The Guardian: “By end of his life, Watts had become one of the most famous artists in the world….” The Independent: “They’ve not only banished the dinge, gloom and bone-chilling cold, but have also used light, colour and texture to create a visual experience that is as intense as in any Gallery anywhere”. Placed second in the 2006 final of BBC TV’s RESTORATION VILLAGE, The WATTS is dedicated to the work of George Watts the Victorian era painter and sculptor who moved there in 1891. Together with his artist wife, Mary Fraser-Tytler, he planned a museum devoted to his work, which opened in April 1904, just before his death. The architect was Christopher Hatton Turnor, an admirer of Lutyens and, inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement, it contains top-lit galleries to allow WATTS’ work to be displayed under natural light. The Gallery reopened last year after a 2½ year restoration, utilising a £4.3 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund for renovations and to safeguard the building and its collections. With a target of £10m, it continues to raise funds - indeed we at Walton-on-the-Hill DFAS made our own modest donation, last year, via the Watts' Big Give Fund initiative. You may also care to know that the green dress worn by Virginia Dalrymple, in one of the paintings by Watts, has recently been returned to the Gallery after conservation generously supported by Denise Topolski and NADFAS and is now sitting on a specially made model beside the painting. __________________________________________________________________ LOSELEY PARK: Still independently owned, Loseley Park is described as “one of England’s friendliest historic homes - welcoming, fascinating and dramatic”. Set in ancient parkland and built in the reign of Elizabeth I, it has remained remarkably unchanged since 1562 when Sir William More laid the first stones of the ‘new’ house. This, in fact, replaced a smaller house which Elizabeth I declared 'not adequate' for her to visit - with a request that something larger be built!! Loseley House is still as Sir William intended, a place of calm, grace and subtle beauty; today it remains the home of the More-Molyneux family who have resided there, throughout, providing an unbroken link for over 500 years - back to the days before the present house was built. Nowadays LOSELEY is also much in demand for weddings, corporate events and filming, such as: ’Emma’, ‘Sense & Sensibility’, Miss Marple’, Midsomer Murders and even Spooks! We start with a guided tour of the house where, interestingly, the panelling in the Great Hall originally hails from Nonsuch Palace in Cheam! You will also see a Minstrels’ Gallery, carvings by Grinling Gibbons, panels from Henry VIII's Banqueting Tents and a collection of royal and family portraits. After the tour, you’re free to visit the Chapel, or relax in the grounds to discover the charms of the elegant and restful Walled Garden which covers 2.5 acres. It is divided into ‘rooms’ each with its own unique planting scheme and personality such as the Rose Garden, the Flower Garden, the White Garden, the extensive Herb Garden, and the Organic Vegetable Garden. Then, to round off the day, how about a final cup of tea and biscuits (included) and maybe a taste of that renowned Loseley Ice Cream (optional BUT ALSO included!!)? __________________________________________________________________ Contacts: David Tinkler and Richard Seymour - see: About Us/Committee Members. Ticket Price £39.00* includes return coach, driver’s tip, entry fees, guides, a light lunch plus afternoon tea & biscuits (AND a tub of Loseley Ice Cream if desired!) before departure. .

Join us for a day out in Henley-on-Thames where we will visit THE HENLEY RIVER & ROWING MUSEUM and take a leisurely trip on the Thames in our specially commissioned boat. What better way to spend a summer’s day? ...AND PLEASE DON'T BE PUT OFF BY THE MUSEUM'S NAME there's much, much more to it than just Rowing - read on!! _________________________________________________________________ We visit the RIVER & ROWING MUSEUM first, arriving there for Coffee and Biscuits (included) with plenty of time to tour its very interesting galleries, and two current exhibitions. The latter are scheduled to be “The Perfect Rower - 100 Years of Racing for Glory” and “John Piper - The Gyselynck Collection” featuring the works of John Piper arguably one of Britain’s most influential modernist artists. He used to live near Henley and the exhibition spans the artist’s entire career across a range of different mediums and represents many aspects of Piper’s artistic output including abstract landscape compositions, topographical and figurative paintings, collage and ceramics. The museum has its own restaurant providing a range of refreshments including light lunches, cooked lunches, snacks and so on. Of course, some may prefer to stroll the very short distance to the Henley Piazza Café ("best chips in Henley"!) and maybe eat alfresco, overlooking the river, if the weather is nice - or go into the town, but please bear in mind that our boat trip will commence at 1.45 pm. After lunch we take to the river in our own private craft which - with some superb summer weather (hopefully) - should make for a delightful afternoon. [NB our trip includes the famous Henley Regatta course]. Then, to round off the whole experience, why not take a gentle stroll by the river in Mill Meadows, finishing with a nice cuppa tea (optional) back at the Museum's own Terrace Café or at the Piazza Café - perhaps sitting outside in the sun? Or, if time permits, in Henley town, an 8-10 minute walk away. Officially opened in November 1998 by the Queen, the RIVER & ROWING MUSEUM is located on a site at Mill Meadows, right by the Thames. Its three themes are represented by three major permanent galleries: THE THAMES GALLERY (featuring the non-tidal River Thames); THE SCHWARZENBACH INTERNATIONAL ROWING GALLERY (devoted to the international sport of rowing); THE INVESCO PERPETUAL HENLEY GALLERY (which focuses on the town of Henley itself); plus a fourth gallery devoted to "THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS"! You will be free to move through all of these at your own pace - and don’t miss "THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS" where you can see a permanent exhibition heralding the return of Messrs Toad, Ratty, Badger and Mole to the banks of the Thames, whose creatures and landscapes provided the inspiration behind this classic tale. This is a very popular exhibition for people of any age and. to help you, you will be provided with a personal “audio guide” free of charge. The museum, run by the River & Rowing Museum Foundation (a registered charity), is well worth visiting. It is housed in a stunning building designed by award-winning architect Sir David Chipperfield, possibly one of the most important architects at work in the world today, and overlooks Henley's picturesque water meadows and river. The combination of oak-clad upper walls and large glass windows affords magnificent views of its riverside setting, whilst its galleries and conference rooms are designed to create a spectacular feeling of light and air. All-in-all this should be a great day out, so don’t delay when the tickets go on sale and, as this will be the last Visit I shall be leading for W-o-t-H DFAS (I’m stepping down from Visits at the AGM, after 3 years, but want to see this last Visit through as it's on our current Diary card), I do hope I shall see as many members and friends as possible on the trip! David Tinkler 4/3/2012

Join us for another interesting day out, comprising a guided tour of Dorney Court (see picture above). We arrive in the morning and will take coffee and biscuits on arrival and later a light lunch. Then, in the afternoon, we have the comparatively rare chance of a guided tour of England’s most famous public school - Eton College. _______________________________________________________________ Dorney Court is an early Tudor manor house dating from around 1440, and has been the home of the Palmer family for more than 450 years, passing from father to son through thirteen generations. It is a Grade I listed building, further designated as being of outstanding architectural and historical interest. Dorney Court has always been the manor house of Dorney village (Bucks) which was first recorded in the Domesday Book (1086). In 2006, it was chosen as one of the finalists in Country Life's quest to find the nation's finest manor house. On first appearance the building appears to be entirely medieval, but in fact some of the exterior is a Victorian reconstruction. The remodelling of the house was undertaken at the end of the nineteenth century and the original bricks were restored to the front facade of the house. The interior layout of the house is little changed from 1500. The oldest part of the house is the panelled parlour, which contains some very fine examples of antique furniture. The great hall has numerous family portraits and contains linenfold panelling brought from Faversham Abbey, in times past it was used to hold the Manor court and it is still the site of the annual Commoners meeting. _____________ Eton College - near Windsor - has educated boys for nearly six centuries and, like Dorney Court, also dates back to 1440. It was founded in that year by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor" as a charity school to provide free education to seventy poor boys who would then go on to King's College, Cambridge, also founded by Henry, in 1441. The King took Winchester College as his model, visiting on many occasions, borrowing its Statutes and removing its Headmaster and some of the Scholars to start his new school. Since 1440, much has changed, but the essence of school life has remained as described in the mid-nineteenth century by William Cory, an Eton Master who wrote: ‘at a great school it is not just knowledge that is acquired, nor even the 'shadow of lost knowledge' that later protects you from many illusions, but most importantly the 'arts and habits' that last for a lifetime’. Often referred to simply as Eton, it is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18 and is one of the original nine English public schools as defined by the Public Schools Act 1868. Eton has a long list of distinguished former pupils ranging from King's and Princes including Prince William, to actors and media personalities including actors Damien Lewis and Eddie Redmayne (star of BBC TV's recent drama "Birdsong" and himself a direct contemporary of Prince William) even Bill Turnbull host of BBC TV's daily news and current affairs programme, "Breakfast"; and of, of course many Prime Ministers - David Cameron being the nineteenth to have attended the school. Today, Eton aims to encourage every pupil to be self-confident, inquiring, tolerant, and positive with a well-rounded character, an independent mind and someone who respects the differences of others. We do hope you can join us for what should prove to be a unique day out. _______________________________________________________________ ** Ticket price includes: coach, driver’s tip, entry fees, guides’ fees, coffee & biscuits and a light lunch.

Andrew Davies is extra-mural Tutor for London, Essex and The Open University. He is author of many books, including 'The East End Nobody Knows'. He is a frequent contributor to radio and television, has lectured all over the world and organises walks to complement his lectures. Last June, he spoke to us on ‘New York, New York’ at our Members’ Summer Lunch and on a very cold, miserable day in March two years ago he really brightened the lives of a stalwart group from W-o-t-H DFAS, as we enjoyed his City Nooks’ and Crannies’ Walk in the vicinity of the Tower of London. Whether his Walks take one around well known areas of London or unusual areas, Andrew Davies is an inspirational leader. Over the years, his deep knowledge and infectious enthusiasm have delighted groups on Walks all over the capital. Dickens is very much to the fore this year as he was born on 7 February 1812, and on the 26 April 2012 will shall have the chance to visit Southwark in his footsteps (and, also, those of Chaucer and Shakespeare). It is a particularly fascinating part of London, steeped in history and - as Andrew, himself, so refreshingly puts it - “dominated by the 4 P’s : Pubs, Prisons, Playhouses and Prostitutes”! With Andrew we will explore Southwark’s history. He will concentrate the Walk on the south side of the river which Dickens knew so well as his father was in the Marshalsea Debtors’ prison. He will show us the surviving wall, the new steps of London Bridge, the area where ‘Oliver the Twist’s’ Bill Sikes met his end, ‘Little Dorrit’ connections, and so on. We will have a good chance to revel in the area’s many attractions both old (such as Guy’s Hospital, The Hop and Malt Exchange and Borough Market) and new (including the very modern City Hall and the still-being-completed Shard building), whilst enjoying amazing views over the River Thames towards the City of London. We will explore Nooks and Crannies associated with Dickens and may also have time to take in The George Inn, one of the many famous coaching inns of Charles Dickens’ days. He did in fact visit The George and referred to it in ‘Little Dorrit’. Some 200 years or so before him, William Shakespeare was another visitor to The George, because of course the Globe Theatre was (and in modern form still is) only a short distance away, as members on our Visit to SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE last November will know well. On arrival, we will meet Mr Davies at the SWAN AT THE GLOBE on Bankside for refreshments (included). Those who were with us at SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE will remember that this is where we met for that Visit too - indeed who could forget their excellent coffee and truly delicious cookies? Later, as is his practice, Andrew will advise on venues for lunch (not included) and hopefully ensure we have time for a cuppa, before we eventually return to our coach at Southwark Bridge for the journey home. This should be an excellent day out and, based on previous experience, tickets are likely to sell quickly, so don’t delay, make sure you arrive in good time on 19 January to buy your ticket the minute they go on sale! ____________________________________________________________________ **The ticket price includes return coach fare, driver’s tip, any necessary entrance fees, maps and instructions plus coffee/tea and cookies on arrival, but excludes lunch and an afternoon cuppa.

The music of Christmas would not be complete without the one and only John Rutter who, for yet another year, will be presenting a glittering selection of the very best Christmas carols, choral pieces, and orchestral music together with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra & the Bach Choir. Once again, we will be attending the Matinée Performance of this magical Christmas Celebration at the Royal Albert Hall. By bidding at the earliest possible opportunity, this year, we have been able to acquire more and even better tickets than ever (enough for 2 coaches). Our seats are located together, and are in a better position than previously. Without our special Group Discount, the full cost - with a Programme - would be over £40 per person. So, our price of £37.50 including a Concert Programme AND door-to-door transport each way really does represent excellent value!! The maestro continues to bring pleasure to millions with his well planned performances and, as always, this promises to be one of the most delightful Christmas concerts in town. __________________________ FOOTNOTE: The Matinée performance was the preferred choice of those members who responded to our poll at the beginning of the year, when the general view was that, at such a busy time of the year, most would appreciate having the evening free for social activities closer to home! I am delighted that we have been successful in obtaining so many tickets as it means we have been able to make this happy event available to significantly more members than previously. DAVID TINKLER **Price includes return coach, drivers’ gratuities, Concert ticket and complimentary Programme, but excludes drinks or refreshments.

In the morning we go behind the scenes and much more at The Globe Theatre, located on the south bank of the Thames in Bankside's cultural quarter. It’s a modern reconstruction of the 1614 Elizabethan theatre, founded by the American actor and director Sam Wanamaker (father of Zoë - “My Family” etc) and open to the public since 1997. Shakespeare wrote most of his plays for the Globe and acted on stage there too. We also visit Bankside’s FIRST theatre - The Rose - built around 1599, rediscovered by developers during routine site clearance in 1989 and now in course of excavation. Please be warned - have a good breakfast before you leave home! Our programme at The Globe is very full and we shall not break for lunch until 1.30 pm (for information on eateries see below). The rest of the afternoon (until around 4.15pm) is at your leisure as many have asked for time to visit the Tate Modern (free entry) Britain's national gallery of international modern art, which is only a three minute walk away and where you could take lunch or, later, a much needed cup of tea. Others may wish to explore the area further, perhaps visiting Southwark Cathedral or maybe walking over the Millennium Bridge to St Paul’s Cathedral (½ mile - say 10 minutes) or the City. ______________________________ We are scheduled to arrive at The Globe at 10.00 in time for Coffee and Biscuits (included) before taking an audio-guided tour of the Exhibition. This inspiring Exhibition illustrates what life was like in London during Elizabethan times detailing the London in which Shakespeare wrote. You will be able to see the type of costumes that were worn, the instruments and music used on stage and the special effects that were used. The complex construction of The Globe in 1993 is also recorded using visual panels, commentaries and artefacts. This will be followed by an “Elizabethan Dressing Demonstration” arranged especially for groups like ours. After this we split into 2 parties, one taking the guided tour of The Globe itself, whilst the other goes on the guided tour of The Rose Theatre & Bankside, and then vice-versa. The Globe tour is fascinating and brings it all to life, with colourful stories of the 1599 Globe, of the reconstruction process in the 1990s, and of how the ‘wooden O’ works today as an imaginative and experimental theatrical space. Shakespeare's Globe is a unique international place dedicated to the exploration of Shakespeare's work and the playhouse for which he wrote, through the connected means of performance and education. It welcomes thousands of tourists every year to experience excellent productions of Shakespeare and cutting-edge new writing, and provides an impressive programme of educational events. In the Elizabethan tiring room you can find out about the extraordinary methods used in creating clothes 400 years ago, feel the fabrics and marvel at the metres of cloth needed to make a single ruff. You can also discover the secrets of Elizabethan special effects, from blood and gore to magic tricks and flying on stage. How were characters hanged on stage and what created Macbeth's thunder? Listen to recordings from some of the most famous Shakespearean performances…and so on. We are also very lucky to be visiting The Rose, for which Christopher Marlowe wrote some of his greatest plays. It’s the only Elizabethan playhouse that has been excavated on a large scale by archaeologists and is London's most historic theatre, being the first Elizabethan Theatre on Bankside and home to many of Shakespeare's and Marlowe's first productions. Plans are in place to complete the excavation and open it to the public permanently (at present two thirds of the original foundations have been excavated and protected for the public to experience). This is likely to be a very popular event, so please ensure you buy your ticket as soon as possible. ______________________________ EATERIES: Whilst there are several places to eat in the neighbourhood, The Globe itself has three venues: The Bar (where you can sit down for lunch with a bottle of wine if you want, and where we shall have Coffee on arrival), The Coffee Cart and The Brasserie “with stunning views” (where you might be advised to book for - say - 1.35pm on Tel: 020 7928 9444 - it is a bit expensive), likewise the nearby Tate Modern has three: Café 2, The Espresso Bar and The Tate Modern Restaurant “overlooking stunning views of the River Thames and the City”. BUT - NB a “Restaurant Map” will be distributed on the coach!

You have probably visited the Albert Hall many times to enjoy concerts and other events, and have probably wanted to know something of the background to this great venue. Well now is your chance to learn more, by way of a tour around the building with expert and engaging guides who will talk about its history and development whilst showing us around - including a visit to The Royal Retiring Room, normally forbidden territory except to the very chosen few!!! Last year 27,000 people enjoyed this tour, so we should have a good time. We will be there in the morning arriving in time for coffee and biscuits (included). _________________________________ Then we will move on to Manchester Square (just north of Selfridges) where The Wallace Collection is located, so that everyone may find somewhere for lunch (not included); there are many appropriate places nearby, including the Wallace Collection's own restaurant - where you are strongly advised to book. The Wallace is a national museum, so there is no entry fee and if you have time after lunch you are welcome to walk around on your own - but please note our own special Guided Tour starts at c3 pm. _________________________________ The Wallace Collection has a wonderful collection of works of art collected in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries by the first four Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace, the son of the 4th Marquess. It was bequeathed to the British nation by Sir Richard's widow, Lady Wallace, in 1897. The Collection is a truly great display. French art of 18th century is its distinctive feature. It is located at Hertford House, the main London townhouse of its former owners, where it presents its outstanding collections in a sumptuous but approachable manner, an essential part of its charm. It is probably best known for its paintings by artists such as Titian, Rembrandt, Hals and Velázquez (indeed it houses the enigmatic 'Laughing Cavalier' by Franz Hals - although he's neither laughing, nor a cavalier!!). And for its superb collections of eighteenth-century French paintings, porcelain, furniture and gold boxes, probably the best to be found anywhere outside France. But there are also splendid medieval and Renaissance objects, including Limoges enamels, maiolica, glass and bronzes, as well as the finest array of princely arms and armour in Britain, featuring both European and Oriental objects. Finally, we will take tea and biscuits (included) in the Wallace Collection's own restaurant before we depart. ________________________________ **Ticket price includes coach fare and driver's gratuity, coffee and biscuits at The Royal Albert Hall, tea and biscuits at The Wallace Collection and fees for private tours at both venues.

Our group will be led by John Osborne, a NADFAS lecturer and is a two centre tour to the capital, Sophia, and to Plovdiv (2nd city). The programme will include visits to Museums, Churches, Orthodox Monasteries, a Roman Theatre, and a Conservation Village; and on one of the evenings there will also be an opportunity for wine tasting! _______________________ NEWS JUST IN (1/9/2011): Due to a cancellation, we now have ONE spare place for a single traveller, on a non-sharing basis. SO IF YOU WANT A CHANCE TO JOIN THIS GROUP - DON'T DELAY CONTACT MARY OR SUE AS ABOVE. BUT NB WE CAN ONLY OFFER ONE PLACE!

Henry Moore an artist of the people. Hoglands is the house that he purchased after becoming a successful sculptor.You can visit his house, workshops and enjoy his sculptures with sheep. Possibly one of our greatest ever sculptors. * Ticket price includes Coach fare, drivers' gratuity, coffee and biscuits on arrival, entrance fee, and lunch.

NB Dover Castle is an English Heritage site, thus entry is FREE for any W-o-t-H DFAS member who is ALSO a member of English Heritage. In respect of tickets we have already sold, arrangements will be made to refund that part of the price which relates to Castle entry, either at the Visit (ie 11 August) or at the next Lecture Meeting (21 July). If this affects you, PLEASE NOTE that you MUST present your English Heritage Membership Card to the Castle authorities on the day to ensure you obtain the refund from us AND free entry to the Castle. Discounted tickets for new sales, and refunds re those already sold, will be available for English Heritage members ONLY, at the Lecture Meeting on 21 July [and NB ONLY the named English Heritage CARDHOLDER is entitled to the discount/free entry - SO PLEASE REMEMBER YOUR CARD ON THE DAY!!]. _______________________________________ This Visit is a chance to explore one of the great Castles of England, one of the cinque ports. A bastion against the French over many hundreds of years and in more recent times used in the World War II to direct operations in the Channel - most famously as the headquarters for sending men over to the trenches in WWI and for the evacuation of Dunkerque (Dunkirk) in WWII. This will be a self-guiding tour. **Price includes coach, driver's gratuity, coffee and biscuits on arrival, and a light lunch (eg sandwiches/fruit/fruit juice).

ART IN ACTION is a festival of fine art and master craftsmanship staged in the delightful grounds of Waterperry House, Oxfordshire. Each July artists set up their studios in one of the many marquees and work in front of visitors, giving them the rare opportunity to observe the creative process at first hand. This will be a GREAT day out. Inspired by the simple principle that people are fascinated when artists and craftsmen openly demonstrate their skills and discuss their work, ART IN ACTION was started in 1977 and today it welcomes approximately 25,000 visitors over four days - people who come to learn, buy and enjoy - by visiting the exhibitions, classes and performances of 400 demonstrating artists, designer makers, teachers, musicians and performers. Disciplines include painting, sculpture, glass, woodwork, textiles, ceramics, metalwork and jewellery. Art works are for sale, often directly from the artist. One of the many unique features of ART IN ACTION is the large selection of practical classes on offer. There are opportunities for over 3000 visitors to take a class in a wide and eclectic number of subjects from mosaic making to etching. Over half the classes are run by some of the UK’s most prestigious and established colleges and institutions, including City & Guilds, West Dean College, the Prince’s School of Traditional Art and the Guild of Glass Engravers. A number of classes can be booked in advance online www.artinaction.org.uk), but demand is high. Following a class, enthusiasts can purchase art materials and publications to refine their skills or just get started. There is also the Craft Market where more than 100 designer-makers sell quality goods. ART IN ACTION also offers fine music and performing artists. There are lectures organised by NADFAS and you can also take a guided tour of the beautiful Waterperry gardens and the exquisite frescoes on the walls of Waterperry House. Refreshments are available, including cream teas from the Pear Tree Teashop, a good selection of wines, champagne and Pimm’s plus numerous organic and artisan food stalls throughout the site. ART IN ACTION is truly a celebration of creativity as well as a great day out for everyone especially art lovers. People visit year after year – often, they say, "as much for the atmosphere as for the works on show". SO DO JOIN US ON FRIDAY 22 JULY

Update - re optional walking tour: Please note that, since our Lecture Meeting on 19 May when those ticket holders present showed significant interest, we WILL be going ahead with the idea of an optional Walking Tour led by a Blue Badge Guide, after lunch. I should also point out that, at the time of our Visit, the Ashmolean will be staging two special exhibitions, and members who want to should have time to take in one of them, at least: 1. Cultural Revolution: State Graphics in China in the 1960's and 1970's - ENTRY: FREE 2. Heracles to Alexander The Great: Treasures from the Royal capital of Macedon, a Hellenic kingdom in the age of democracy ENTRY: £6.00 (seniors!) ____________ Brief notes: Between 2006 and 2009 the museum was extensively rebuilt and expanded. The rebuilding resulted in 5 Floors instead of 3, with a doubling of the display space. There are paintings by Uccello, Cosimo, Constable, Claude and Picasso; drawings by Michelangelo, Raphael, da Vinci; and water colours by Turner. There is a lantern used in the Gunpowder Plot, Oliver Cromwell's death mask and a few other bits and pieces. __________ Further background: The present Ashmolean was created in 1908 by combining two ancient Oxford institutions: the University Art Collection and the original Ashmolean Museum. The older partner in this merger, the University Art Collection, was based for many years in what is now the Upper Reading Room in the Bodleian Library. The collection began modestly in the 1620s with a handful of portraits and curiosities displayed in a small room on the upper floor. In 1636 and 1657, Archbishop Laud and Ralph Freke added notable collections of coins and medals, later installed in a strong room of their own and now incorporated into the Ashmolean coin collection. The objects of curiosity included Guy Fawkes’ lantern and a sword said to have been given by the pope to Henry VIII, both now in the Ashmolean, as well as a number of more exotic items, including Jacob’s Coat of Many Colours, long since lost. However, as there was a museum for curiosities of this kind in the University Anatomy Theatre, objects like this tended to go there or to the Ashmolean, after it opened in 1683, leaving the Bodleian gallery to develop as a museum of art. ________________________________________ * Ticket price covers coach, driver's gratuity, coffee and biscuits on arrival, special guided tour of the museum, optional one hour Walking Tour with a Blue Badge Guide, and Tea and biscuits before departure. **NB Whilst Richard is the lead for this Visit, he is unable to accompany members to Oxford on the day, so it is best to address enquiries to David.

ARUNDEL CASTLE HOME OF THE DUKE OF NORFOLK Join us, first, for an exclusive guided tour of Arundel Castle before the Castle opens to the general public. We arrive in time for morning coffee (included), after which our special guides will show us rooms and art works not on view to the general public. Arundel Castle, seat of The Dukes of Norfolk, is set in 40 acres and is comparable in size to Windsor Castle. It has been open to visitors for nearly 200 years, is one of the great treasure houses of England, and home to priceless works of art. The Castle really is a place not to be missed; and with our expert guides we will see paintings, furniture, tapestries, stained glass, china, clocks, carving, sculpture, armour and heraldry in stunning room settings. Lunch can be taken in one of the Castle’s two eateries - at The Castle Restaurant (licensed) in the original Servants’ Hall, or at the more recently added Coffee Shop. If you prefer, feel free to find lunch in the town - either way you should have some time to explore Arundel - but NB the walk to the Roman Catholic Cathedral is up a steepish hill, and you’ll need to allocate enough time if you want to pay it a visit!! Otherwise, why not look around the Castle’s extensive grounds and beautiful gardens? These now include a new formal garden, opened by HRH The Prince of Wales in May 2008. LANCING COLLEGE CHAPEL ‘THE CATHEDRAL OF THE DOWNS’ & REGULAR PLACE OF WORSHIP OF LANCING COLLEGE After lunch, we go on to the remarkable Chapel at Lancing College (1868). The Chapel is an architectural masterpiece which attracts thousands of visitors each year, and it is easy to see why it is known as The Cathedral of the Downs. You really cannot fail to be affected by the beauty of the building; it is truly an architectural masterpiece. The Chapel features, amongst other treasures, the Rose Window, stall canopies, altar silver and fine tapestries; and symbolises the importance of Christian worship at this well known and well respected public school. School services take place in the main chapel whilst the crypt is used for smaller congregations and private prayer. The whole school attends the College Eucharist every Wednesday morning and on two or three Sundays each term; on other days there is a regular morning service. Afterwards, we will have time for a cup of tea (included) at the nearby Sussex Pad Hotel before heading home, hopefully after a great day out! _________________________________________________________________________ *Ticket price covers coach travel + driver’s tip & all entry fees; coffee & biscuits on arrival at Arundel Castle + exclusive Tour Guides; also an exclusive Tour Guide at Lancing College Chapel + tea and biscuits at The Sussex Pad Hotel.

Chichester Cathedral Join us, first, on a guided tour of the Cathedral. This magnificent edifice is full of wonderful art, both old and new and the building is a major tourist attraction, locally, welcoming visitors from all over the world. Pallant House Gallery Our Visit, today, also includes a guided tour of The Pallant Gallery which contains one of the best collections of 20th century British Art. Walter Hussey, the Dean of Chichester Cathedral, left his personal collection to the city in 1977 with the condition that the collection be shown in Pallant House, a Grade I listed Queen Anne town house dating from 1712. Since 1919, the house had been used as Council offices and from 1979 a restoration programme began, with preparations to open in 1982 as a unique combination of historic house and modern art gallery. In 1985 an independent trust, consisting of the Friends and representatives of the Council, was formed to manage the Gallery. Since then the collections and the Gallery's activities have expanded to the extent that it was decided a new building was needed in order for it to survive. The Gallery reopened Summer 2006 with a new wing and vastly improved facilities. All-in-all this should be a most interesting and enjoyable day out, and please note that a set lunch is included in the ticket price; also coffee and biscuits on arrival! ______________________________________________________________________ * Ticket price includes Coach and driver's tip, coffee, guided tour of the Cathedral, set lunch and guided tour of the Pallant Gallery.

The Garrick Club Established in 1831, The Garrick is still a club for gentlemen only, providing dining facilities and accommodation for members. It also maintains an important theatrical library, and everywhere displays its remarkable collection of art works embodying the history of the theatre. The Garrick also holds the most comprehensive collection of theatrical paintings and drawings in existence, with over 1000 paintings, drawings and sculptures, fascinating theatrical memorabilia, and thousands of prints, manuscripts and documents. The Sir John Soane's Museum With so many places to choose from, The Sir John Soane Museum is a wonderful antidote to museum fatigue - a real breath of fresh air! Not as widely known as many of our galleries and institutions, this is essentially the home of Sir John Soane, a revolutionary 18th century architect whose work can still be seen all over London and includes the Bank of England. Soane was born in 1753, the son of a bricklayer, and died after a long and distinguished career, in 1837. He designed the house to live in, but also as a setting for his antiquities and works of art. After the death of his wife (1815), he lived there alone, constantly adding to, and rearranging, his collections. Having been deeply disappointed by the conduct of his two sons, one of whom survived him, he determined to establish the house as a museum to which ‘amateurs and students’ should have access. N.B.This is an addition to our visits programme and therefore does not appear on the current DIARY CARD. Tickets are limited to 30, making a coach uneconomical, so all Members booked on the visit are to make their own way to central London. Full details were be published at our November 18th Lecture Meeting, all tickets were sold and a waiting list has been started. N.B. the first sale date for this visit was actually 3 "Lecture Meetings" ahead of the event as the 3rd Lecture Meeting, 20th January, is only 7 days prior to the visit. ________________________________________________________________________________________ *Ticket price includes: coffee & biscuits on arrival at The Garrick Club + Guide. Also Guides at The Soane and a donation to the museum running costs.

Please join us, this year, at the Matinee Performance of another magical Christmas Celebration at the Royal Albert Hall. Under the leadership of John Rutter, conductor, composer and accomplished presenter, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra will perform well known classics. This year’s event will include a magical selection of festive favourites, including the sing-along carols. The maestro continues to bring pleasure to millions with his well planned performances and, as ever, this promises to be a true “box of delights”!

The Magic Circle will open its doors to us for an evening of mystery and laughter. As the illusionist Bertie Pearce told us at this year’s Summer Lunch, we are in for a truly magical evening. It will include close-up magic “where miracles will happen right in front of us”, performed by expert magicians using immaculate sleight-of-hand. There’ll be a talk on the “history of mystery” bringing us up to date with the world of magic today, including the exploits of Houdini, and the famous bullet catching trick (which sadly caused the deaths of several magicians) and other fascinating facts from the world of illusion. AND…we’ll be bamboozled and entertained at a stage show in the purpose-built theatre, performed by leading members of The Magic Circle, allowing us to experience different styles of magic from the serious to the humorous. We’ll also be able to visit The Magic Circle Museum, and to see the many exhibits on show around the building. Hosts will be on hand to answer questions - EXCEPT - of course - for "How’s it done?"!!! The Royal Collection - Victoria & Albert: Art & Love - Ahead of the magic, this is an exhibition not to be missed! It is the first ever to focus on the unique partnership of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and their shared enthusiasm for art. The exhibition concentrates on the period of Victoria’s marriage to Prince Albert, from their engagement in 1839 to the Prince’s premature death in 1861. It also challenges the popular image of Queen Victoria as a melancholy widow of 40 years. Indeed, Victoria emerges as a romantic and open-minded young woman, through 400 works from across the entire Royal Collection, including paintings, drawings, photographs, jewellery and sculpture. _______________________________________________________________________________________ *Ticket includes: coach, driver’s gratuity, entrance fees, glass of sherry on arrival at The Magic Circle plus coffee & a sandwich later. CASH BAR AVAILABLE AT THE MAGIC CIRCLE!

After his fascinating talk about his mother last year - “The Legendary Lee Miller” - Antony Penrose, suggested we might care to visit Farley Farm House, her Sussex home for 35 years. This was an invitation you felt we should take up as soon as possible, and a unique opportunity has now arisen for us to combine our visit with nearby Charleston, home of painters Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, and country retreat of the pioneer-ing group of 20th century artists, writers and thinkers known as the Bloomsbury Group. We start the day with coffee at Charleston where we will see a unique collection, illustrative of the art and lifestyle of the influential Bloomsbury Group. Lunch follows at a country pub, with a chance for those who want to, to visit Berwick Church which Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant transformed with a series of beautiful murals influenced by the frescoes of Renaissance Italy. After lunch, we go on to Farley Farm House which Lee Miller acquired in 1949. The house soon became a meeting place for the leading figures in the world of Modern Art. Picasso was amongst many artists who were to visit, and works by several of them are currently displayed in the house. Farley continues to be alive and vibrant today as it continues to document Surrealism and Modern Art, the most exciting art movements of the 20th Century, thus informing our present day culture. Finally, if he is available on the day, Antony Penrose has said he will of course seek us out to say “hello”. This should be an exciting day out; tickets are limited - so don’t delay! _______________________________________________________________________________________ *Ticket price includes: coach, driver’s gratuity, guided tours of both houses, coffee on arrival and a two course lunch.

The Stanley Spencer Gallery was first opened in 1962, three years after the artist's death. It stands as a lasting memorial to the man who became synonymous with the village of Cookham. He loved his home; it gave him the strength and comfort he needed to be able to allow his imagination to soar and to fully exploit his genius talent for drawing and painting. Opened by Spencer's friends and supporters it is still totally run by volunteers and has a wonderful collection of more than 100 of his paintings and drawings. In 2007 the Gallery was awarded a large grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund which enabled the former Methodist chapel to be transformed into a stunning exhibition space. Two exhibitions are held each year. The Summer Exhibition sees the Gallery's own collection augmented with loans from other galleries and private owners. There is also a fine archive of photographs, books and other written material. The Gallery welcomes both the casual browser and the serious student equally. Cliveden This spectacular country estate overlooking the River Thames, open daily for most of the year, was once the glittering hub of society as the home of Waldorf and Nancy Astor. Later in the 20th century it was infamously associated with the Profumo Affair. The various formal gardens include topiary and colourful seasonal planting in the Long Garden and the celebrated parterre with its breathtaking views. An outstanding collection of sculpture and statues from the ancient and modern worlds adorn the gardens. Part of the house, now let as a private hotel, is open to visitors at limited times.