Day Visits

Forthcoming

Peterborough Cathedral and Deene Park 10th May 2012

Peterborough Cathedral is one of England's finest Norman cathedrals to remain largely intact since being built. Its Early English Gothic facade is recognisable with its three asymmetrical arches. It is one of the most important buildings of the era.

We will arrive and have an individual group tour followed by time to explore and a light sandwich lunch before re–board to coach and travelling to Deene Park, Northamptonshire.

A member of the Historic Houses Association, Deene Park has been the seat of the Brudenell family since 1514 and is still in their ownership. Several members of the family were Earls of Cardigan, the most notable being the 7th Earl who led the Charge of the Light Brigade at the Battle of Balaclava in 1854. The house contains a number of artefacts relating to that event as well as paintings by Reynolds and Gainsborough. It sits in beautiful and extensive gardens and grounds. We will have a private tour followed by tea and cake and time in the gardens before returning home.

Tickets will be on sale at the April meeting in the upstairs foyer or by contacting the Day Tours Helper (see RLSDFAS programme card for details).

Staffordshire Hoard Exhibition and Shugborough Hall 15th and 22nd August 2012

Starting in July 2012, the Potteries Museum, Stoke–on–Trent, is mounting a large exhibition of artefacts from the Staffordshire Hoard. We will travel there and have a private talk on the exhibition followed by time to freely visit the exhibition at our own pace.

We then travel to Shugborough Hall, Staffordshire, the home of the late Lord Lichfield and now a National Trust property. We will have lunch and then an afternoon to tour the house, gardens and other attractions at leisure before returning to Leamington.

Tickets will go on sale at the May and July meetings in the upstairs foyer.

Previous Visits in 2011

In May 2011 we had two wonderful days out at Hatfield House in Hertfordshire. Not only did we have tours of the beautiful early Jacobean house but also to see the old palace where Queen Elizabeth I spent her youth in the sixteenth century and the church in which Charles I prayed prior to his execution.

A bonus for our visits was the Henry Moore exhibition in the garden which gave a chance to see his huge sculptures which fitted into the environment so well at Hatfield.

In August we visited the beautiful Corsham Court in Wiltshire and were given a talk by the current owner who opened the house especially for us. We toured the house and viewed the superb collection of paintings and then explored the gardens which had been designed by ‘Capability’ Brown. Then we travelled to the nearby village of Lacock which has been used as the location for a number of television and film dramas and was instantly recognisable to us. We explored the village and Lacock Abbey with its renowned cloisters and mix of old and more recent rooms as well as the Fox Talbot Museum with its pioneering photographic equipment. It all made for a most memorable day out.

Before Christmas we had two trips to see The Nutcracker performed by the Birmingham Royal Ballet at the Birmingham Hippodrome. This traditional Christmas ballet was, of course, performed to its usual high standard and ushered in start the festive season.

For further information on buying tickets for events see Home Page.

For more information on Day Visits and the availability of tickets please contact dayvisits@rlsdfas.org.uk

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