castles & cathedrals tour southeast - July 4-7, 2024
Itinerary
Day 1
- We meet at Marylebone Station in Central London where we board our air-conditioned private coach.
- We proceed to Hever Castle, the ancestral home of Anne Boleyn dating from the 13th century.
- There we explore the castle on a private group tour. You may also test your skills at archery to see how effective an archer you may have been in the army of Henry V at the Battle of Agincourt.
- We take a short walk from Hever Castle to the Henry VIII pub for lunch.
- After lunch we return to the castle to discover the magnificent gardens. Try your luck in the Maze and feast your eyes upon the Loggia and the views by the lake, unforgettable!
- We then proceed to our hotel and 'home' for the next three days, The Marquis of Granby, Alkham, Kent.
- We gather for drinks at 7 pm in the hotel pub followed by a three-course dinner in the dining room.
Day 2
- After breakfast we board the coach and have a short drive to Dover Castle. There we will follow a guided tour of this very large medieval castle.
- After lunch we will take a second tour of the Castle Tunnels which were used as the headquarters of Operation Dynamo 1940 - the Evacuation from Dunkirk.
- Following the tours at Dover Castle we board the coach for a short drive to Sandwich, Kent. This is a delightful and quaint coastal town with good shopping and places to eat. We will stop at The Bell Hotel and Pub for a classic English Afternoon Tea.
- Afterwards, you are free to wander the streets and shops in the town of Sandwich.
- We return to our hotel around 6 pm.
- Once again we gather for drinks and a three-course dinner in the dining room.
Day 3
- After breakfast we board the coach and head to Canterbury. There we will follow a guided 'Behind the Scenes' tour of this most famous Cathedral and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Here you will see unrivalled architecture, sculpture, art and stained glass. It is the burial site for Henry IV, St Thomas Becket, The Black Prince, and many archbishops of Canterbury.
- You will meet masons responsible for the upkeep of the Cathedral
- We also have the option to visit the Archives to see some of its rare medieval treasures.
- A short walk will bring us to The Cherry Tree Pub for lunch. After lunch you will have the option of shopping in the old town. For those of you who are more adventurous, you may also take a tour of the town by punt (small flat-bottomed boat where one stands and pushes a rod to journey along the winding canals).
- A further tour is possible for St Augustine's Abbey, 7th century and later medieval centre of Christianity, a very impressive ruin, and only a short walk away (also a UNESCO World Heritage Site). or to St Martin's Church, the oldest church in the English speaking world, dating to the early 7th century.
- We return to our hotel around 6 pm, followed by dinner at 7 pm.
Day 4
- We head to Leeds Castle which has been called 'the loveliest castle in England.' There we follow a private group tour of the castle which includes the main and upper floors.
- A falconry exhibition is also available as an option and you may explore the castle's large gardens.
- We have lunch on the grounds of Leeds Castle.
- Following Leeds Castle, we board the coach and head to the nearby city of Rochester.
- There we follow a guided tour of Rochester Cathedral, first built in 604 AD, the second oldest one in England, after Canterbury.
- We get to explore the Cathedral's archives and treasures which includes the Textus Roffensis dated to around 1120, and one of the most important of all medieval manuscripts
- We also tour the Crypt where we have tea and admire its 11th century rib-vaulting.
- Time permitting, we will take a quick tour of the ruins of Rochester Castle built in the time of Henry I (1127) we drive back to London.
- Back at Marylebone Station, we say our goodbyes, exchange final hugs and email addresses from one another, collect our bags and set off to our next destinations.
CASTLES & CATHEDRALS TOUR cotswolds - jUly 24-27, 2024
Itinerary
Day 1
- We meet at Marylebone Station in Central London where we board our air-conditioned private coach.
- We head to Salisbury where we will visit the world famous Cathedral. There we follow a private group tour of the Cathedral. It is here that you will get to see up close the Magna Carta. In 1215 the barons of England forced King John to sign this 'Great Charter'. One of the most important documents upon which modern democracies are built.
- Also, we have a series of options after the initial tour including: (i) Stonemason's Tour to see how they repair and replace medieval stones in the walls and vaults of the church, (ii) Library Tour - above the famous Cloisters is where the Library is found, see medieval texts from the 13th century (iii) Tower Tour - here you ascend 332 steps to the 68 meter mark above the ground, the views are incredible, and for those not afraid of heights we have the (iv) Parapet Tour - climb the exterior scaffolding with expert masons to see how they repair the Cathedral.
- Lunch is available in the Cathedral's Refectory Restaurant.
- After Salisbury we board the coach and head to the ancient city of Bath.
- We check in to our hotel The Ayrlington Hotel and have dinner at The Raven Pub (Late Victorian).
Day 2
- After a full English breakfast at the hotel we take in all of the best sights at Bath. We will see the Roman Baths, built in the time of Emperor Nero! Also stroll the great town centre and enjoy great shopping even on The Pulteney Bridge, built in 1774.
- We also will visit Bath Cathedral and follow a guided tour.
- Do not forget to visit Sally Lunn's - famous bakery from 1680 - in a house built in 1483. Check out the great oven and museum display in its cellar.
- After our time in Bath we drive to Thornbury Castle. Here we will feast our eyes on this incredible structure - a fortified manor house/castle. We will walk the grounds as well and then enjoy a classic English afternoon tea in it sumptuous tearoom.
- Following Thornbury we have another short drive to Cheltenham, in the heart of the Cotswolds, where we will check in to No 38 The Park Hotel.
- We gather for drinks and dinner at The Old Courthouse Pub (a 10 minute walk).
Day 3
- After another Full English we head to Gloucester Cathedral, a masterpiece in English medieval architecture, with its incomparable Perpendicular Style stone vaulting.
- We take a guided tour and then there are further options for further private tours: (i) Tower Tour - climb 269 steps to the highest level and wonder at the incredible views, (ii) Crypt Tour - descend into the lowest level of the Cathedral for a short 25 minute tour seeing the remains of the earliest part of the church and see how it was constructed, (iii) Library Tour - see the rare collection of manuscripts that date back to the 11th century.
- After our tours we head to The Fountain Inn, a pub that dates back to the time of Henry III, 1250!
- Following lunch we board the coach for a short 30 minute drive to the magnificent Berkeley Castle. Berkeley Castle dates back to the Normans of the 12th century. It is the ancestral home of the Lords of Berkeley, where the 18th Baron Berkeley's family reside today.
- The castle has many activities including a falconry exhibition or various forms of medieval combat. It also has extensive gardens.
- After our tour of Berkeley Castle we head to Oxford and check in at The Malmaison Oxford, a very unique hotel that was once a Victorian prison! Your room is made of three converted cells. The experience is not to be missed. You can even visit the Prison Museum next door or walk up the 11th century Norman Castle beside the hotel.
- At 7 pm we will gather at Malmaison's pub for drinks and dinner.
- After dinner, come along with Dr Geoff, a graduate of Oxford's Faculty of History, for a walk in the old streets of Oxford. Fancy a pint in The Turf Tavern or The White Horse?
Day 4
- After breakfast we head for a tour of the University and proceed to Oxford Cathedral which is within the grounds of Christ Church College. This college was founded by Cardinal Wolsey and taken over by Henry VIII. It is also where King Charles I held court in the Civil War.
- Be amazed by the Great Hall that was his Headquarters and the stunning portraits of professors and prime ministers, the Who's Who of England's history who attended Christ Church College Oxford.
- Afterwards we continue the walk through Oxford passing Balliol College founded in 1263 (Dr Geoff went here!) and head to lunch at The King's Arms Pub, built in 1607.
- When lunch is done we follow a guided tour of the Bodleian Library and see the most incredible Duke Humphreys Library built in 1447 and especially The Divinity School 1427 - you will recognise this from the Harry Potter movies.
- You will have time to wander Oxford on your own and discover the hidden gems throughout. Maybe head for Afternoon Tea at The Randolph Hotel, or walking through dozens of the old colleges in town. Walk in the footsteps of JRR Tolkien, Lewis Carroll (Alice in Wonderland), President Bill Clinton, Lawrence of Arabia, Oscar Wilde, and William Penn - founder of Pennsylvania, William Halley (Halley's Comet), 72 Nobel Prize winners, and so many more.
- After your free time we meet back at Broad Street across from Balliol College and board our coach which will take us back to London.
- Back at Marylebone Station, we say our goodbyes, exchange final hugs and email addresses from one another, collect our bags and set off to our next destinations.