FINAL PAYMENT IS DUE BY 20TH JULY 2026

MONDAY, 14TH SEPTEMBER 2026  – FRIDAY, 18TH SEPTEMBER 2026

Cost:  £864 FOR NON-ENGLISH HERITAGE MEMBERS AND £846 FOR ENGLISH HERITAGE MEMBERS.  

Single supplement £49 per person.  Non NT members will have to pay the entrance fee at the NT properties on the day.

Tailored Travel have organised this holiday and will handle all the bookings.  

We stay four nights half board at the centrally located 3* Royal Esplanade Hotel in Ryde (www.royalesplanadehotel.co.uk). Facilities  include a restaurant, bar, and all of our allocated Classic Rooms are en suite and feature television, telephone, hairdryer and tea/coffee making facilities. 

We will have an executive coach throughout and at the end of the holiday £10 per person will be collected for the driver’s gratuity - this is not compulsory.  Gratuities for hotel catering staff are included, as is porterage. 

The itinerary will include: 

Uppark House & Garden (NT)

Farringford

Dimbola Lodge – introductory talk

Mottistone Manor Garden (NT)

Ventnor Botanic Gardens – guided tour

Osborne House (EH)

Brading Roman Villa

Isle of Wight Glass Museum

Visitor Centre at Quarr Abbey

Mottisford Abbey Garden, House & Estate

THEATRE VISIT TO SEE 'MY FAIR LADY'

A REMINDER FOR THOSE GOING TO CHICHESTER ON WEDNESDAY 26 AUGUST TO SEE MY FAIR LADY

We will depart Mitcham 9.00am, Wimbledon 9.30 am and Raynes Park 9.40 am.  We will drive straight to Chichester and all being well we will arrive by 11.15am. 

The show starts at 2.30pm.   Tickets will be issued on the day. 

We should be back in Raynes Park by 7pm.

If you still have a Chichester map please remember to bring with you.

Cost: £24   

PLEASE BRING YOUR NT CARD OR VOLUNTEER CARD. 

Non-NT Members will have to pay for entry on the day.

Chartwell is a country house near Westerham in Kent which for over 40 years was the home of Sir Winston Churchill and his beloved wife Lady Clementine Churchill.

Sir Winston bought the property in September 1922 and lived there until shortly before his death in January 1965.  The National Trust opened the property in 1966 having acquired it much earlier.

This is a free flow visit in the house and there are also 80 acres of grounds to explore including the rose garden designed by Lady Churchill.  There is the usual cafe and second hand bookshop.

We will leave Mitcham at 9.20am, Wimbledon at 9.50am and Raynes Park at 10am.

We should be back in Raynes Park by about 5pm.

FRIDAY, 12TH JUNE 2026  – SUNDAY, 14TH JUNE 2026

Cost:  £449 FOR NON-ENGLISH HERITAGE MEMBERS AND £439 FOR ENGLISH HERITAGE MEMBERS.  

Single supplement £69 per person.  Non NT members will have to pay the entrance fee at the NT properties on the day.

Please note we only have 24 single occupancy rooms at this hotel.

Tailored Travel have again organised this break on our behalf and we will be staying for 2 nights half board at the 4* Delta Hotel by Marriott (www.marriott.com/en-gb/hotels/lonnd-delta-hotels-northampton/overview) on the outskirts of Northampton.  Facilities include a restaurant and bar.  All rooms are en suite and feature television, hair dryer, tea and coffee making facilities and an in room safe. Porterage is included as are gratuities for hotel catering staff. 

We will be visiting: 

Canons Ashby House (NT)

Kirby Hall (EH)

Canal Museum & Boat trip at Stoke Bruerne

Ascott (NT)

Boughton House & Gardens – guided tour

78 Derngate

Cost: £24     FULLY BOOKED WITH WAITING LIST

Non-NT Members will have to pay an additional £17.50 for entry on the day.  Please note that cash will be collected so that a lump sum can be paid by Lynda.

From the outside Knole looks much the same today as it did in 1608 after a century and a half of intensive building that transformed a late medieval Archbishop's palace into one of the largest stately homes in the country.  Henry VIII demanded the house from archbishop Cranmer and the Sackville family gained possession during the reign of Elizabeth I.  They still live there but now as tenants of the National Trust. When the Sackville family took possession, they instigated a series of internal alterations and acquired a vast collection of furniture which is in superb condition because, despite its vast size, Knole was for long periods a party house with the furniture left shrouded in dust sheets.

On the day we visit the conservation studio and the private garden will be open.

 We will leave Mitcham at 9am, Wimbledon at 9.30 am and Raynes Park at 9.40.am 

Once we are at Knole you will be able to tour the house and garden on a free flow basis and there is a tearoom/restaurant where tea and coffee and light lunches will be available.

We should be back in Raynes Park by 5pm  

Cost: £45.50     FULLY BOOKED WITH WAITING LIST

Pashley Manor Gardens comprise 11 acres of beautiful borders and vistas.  These award-winning gardens are family owned and maintained.  We will be visiting during the annual Tulip Festival which features over 40,000 tulips! 

As well as coming to see the beautiful gardens we will sample the fabulous homemade food and warm hospitality at arguably the best garden café in the county, much of which is sourced from the abundant kitchen garden. 

The Garden Room Café seats 60 indoors and, weather permitting, it will also be possible to sit in the courtyard and terrace under parasols or in the sun with beautiful views of the garden.

The Gift Shop caters for every taste; from postcards and local honey to garden tools, hand painted ceramics and beautiful scarves. A selection of plants, many of which grow at Pashley, are available for purchase. There is an exhibition of botanical/floral paintings in the Garden Room Café and an exhibition of Sculpture in the gardens all through the season (most pieces are for sale).

We will have a 15-to-20-minute introductory talk. which gives a brief history of Pashley Manor and the gardens 

Anyone with mobility problems should consider bringing a friend for support as the gardens are only partially accessible - the formal gardens, terrace, gift shop and cafe are all accessible but the steeper gravel paths towards the woodland and behind the ponds are difficult to navigate due to the sloping nature of the garden, and the gravel/grass paths throughout,

We will leave Mitcham at 9.00 am, Wimbledon at 9.30 am and Raynes Park at 9.40 pm.  We will plan to be there by 11.30 am.  We should be back in Raynes Park by 4.30/5.00 pm

The booking form and £100 non-refundable deposit will have to be paid by the 31st January to secure the provisional booking so please get your applications in as soon as possible. 

Monday 8 – Friday 12 September 2025

Cost:  £784.  Single supplement £79 per person.  Non NT members will have to pay the entrance fee at the NT properties on the day.

Please note we only have 20 single occupancy rooms at this hotel.

Tailored Travel have also organised this holiday and we will stay four nights half board at the 3* Newby Bridge Hotel (www.newbybridgehotel.co.uk).

We will have an executive coach throughout and at the end of the holiday £10 per person will be collected for the driver’s gratuity - this is not compulsory.  Gratuities for hotel staff are included, as is porterage. 

The itinerary will include: 

Dunham Massey (NT)

Blackwell

Holker Hall 

Wordsworth’s House & Garden (NT)

Ravenglass & Eskdale Steam Railway

Cruise on Ullswater

Sizergh (NT)

Tatton Park (NT)

This includes a visit to the theatre to see Top Hat.

FULLY BOOKED

Cost: RHS Members £26.20; Non-RHS Members £39.55

The Royal Horticultural Gardens at Hyde Hall in Essex are the largest in area owned by them and being in one of the driest parts of the country they are especially noted for their Dry Garden.

On arrival you are free to explore the garden as you see fit.  There is a café and a shop.

We will leave Mitcham at 8.00am, Wimbledon at 8.30 and Raynes Park at 8.40 for the journey which includes a comfort stop to arrive at the property about 11am.  We will then depart about 4.00pm and, traffic permitting, would hope to be back by 6.00pm at Raynes Park.

DON’T FORGET YOUR RHS CARD IF YOU HAVE ONE.

Friday 6 – Sunday 8 June 2025

Cost:  £432. Single supplement £59 per person.  Non NT members will have to pay the entrance fee at the NT properties on the day.

Please note we only have 19 single occupancy rooms at this hotel.

Tailored Travel have again organised this break on our behalf and we will be staying for 2 nights half board at the 4* Leonardo Hotel centrally located in Exeter. (www.leonardohotels.co.uk/hotels/Exeter).

We will have an executive coach throughout and at the end of the holiday £6 per head will be collected for the driver’s gratuity - this is not compulsory.  Porterage is included as are gratuities for hotel staff.

We will be visiting: 

Stourhead (NT)

Cruise on the River Exe

Killerton (NT)

Knightshayes (NT)

Cost: £25.25 (including tea & scones)

Non NT Members will have to pay for entry on the day.

Osterley is one of our nearest National Trust houses and Simon Jenkins gives it 4 stars in a Thousand Best Houses.   Although it is now sandwiched between the M4 and the Great West Road it still retains its original farming estate, with meadows and livestock as well as a lake and park.

The Child banking family purchased the existing Tudor house in 1711 and turned it into a neo-classical palace and later employed Robert Adam to remodel the interior. He spent twenty years indulging his passion and genius for interior decoration and this superb house is now a museum of Adam decoration with some of the original furniture still in place.

On arrival at Osterley you will have time to visit the house and gardens and we will then travel the short distance to the Osterley Garden Centre for tea and scones.  

Cost: £35.50 (including Tea/Coffee & Biscuits)

This historic and enchanting Tudor Manor House with its award winning gardens is set in the charming estate village of Chenies in Buckinghamshire, overlooking the Chess valley. In the gardens we should have a wonderful show of Tulips but this is not guaranteed as we cannot predict the weather. 

We will have a guided tour of the house and during the afternoon tea and delicious home-made and cakes will be on sale.  There is also a Gift Shop where you can buy guidebooks, mementos, local produce and plants.  It might be possible to visit St Michael’s Church, inside which there are many items of interest, from the fine 12thCentury ‘Aylesbury’ style font and medieval brasses, through to the Victorian windows and beyond.

Cost:  £699 for non-English Heritage members and £682 for English Heritage Members.   Single supplement £99 per person. Non NT members will have to pay an entrance fee at the NT properties on the day.                                           

We stay four nights half board at the 3* Holiday Inn Ipswich Orwell Hotel (hiipswichorwell.co.uk) located on the outskirts of Ipswich.  Facilities at the hotel include a restaurant and bar.  All rooms are en suite and feature television, hairdryer and tea/coffee making facilities.

We will have an executive coach throughout and at the end of the holiday £10 per person will be collected for the driver’s gratuity - this is not compulsory.  Gratuities for hotel staff are included, as is porterage.

The itinerary will include:

Audley End House & Gardens

Lavenham Guildhall (NT)

Melford Hall (NT)

Sutton Hoo (NT)

Layer Marney Tower

Snape Maltings

Aldeburgh

River Deben Cruise

Constable Country – East Bergholt, Dedham & Bridge Cottage

Application form should be completed and returned to me by the end of April, together with a cheque made payable to Tailored Travel for £75 per person to secure the booking.  It will be possible to pay this by credit or debit card.  The completed forms and cheques will be passed to Tailored Travel in due course and they will acknowledge with a receipt.

The final balance will be due on the 14 July 2024 and this should be sent direct to Tailored Travel.  

Tailored Travel can provide insurance (including Covid cover) at £31 per person.  There is no age limit.

This visit includes a visit to the Festival Theatre to see Oliver.

Cost: £22.50

 Standen House is a fine example of Arts and Crafts architecture and decorative art with Morris & Co. interiors.  It was designed by Philip Webb for James and Margaret Beale.  They chose this idyllic location in the High Weald of Sussex to build their retreat.

On arrival you are free to explore the house and garden as you see fit.  There is a café and a shop.

PLEASE NOTE.  There is a steep hill to and from the parking area but the buggy should be available.

If you are not a member of the National Trust you will be required to pay the entrance fee on arrival which is currently £15.00 per person.

Cost:  £19.50

Polesden Lacey lies just 25 miles from London.

We have selected the month of June to visit the Edwardian Rose Garden where well over 2000 standard shrubs and ramblers, lovingly tended, delight the senses. The house itself, opulent and luxurious, was the country retreat of socialite Margaret Greville and contains her many collections of furnishings.

At the estate you can enjoy views over the Surrey Hills and explore the woods and grounds inhabited by rare birds and butterflies.  There will be opportunities to browse in the gift shop, garden shop and book shop, and to avail yourselves of refreshments in the cafe.
If you are not a member of the National Trust you will be required to pay the entrance fee on arrival which is currently £14.20 per person.

Cost:  £374  Single supplement £59 per person.  Non NT members will have to pay an entrance fee at the NT properties on the day.

We will be staying for 2 nights half board at the 4* Stratford Manor Hotel (www.stratfordmanor.co.uk) located 3 mile from Stratford upon Avon.  Facilities include a restaurant, bar, spa and wellness centre, solarium and sauna.  All rooms are en suite and feature television, telephone and tea and coffee making facilities.  Porterage is included as are gratuities for hotel staff.

 We will be visiting:

 Baddesley Clinton (NT)

Birmingham Canal Cruise (boat ticket included)

Birmingham

Birmingham Back to Backs – guided tour (NT)

Wightwick Manor (NT)

We will have an executive coach throughout and at the end of the holiday £6 per head will be collected for the driver’s gratuity - this is not compulsory

Tailored Travel can provide insurance (including Covid cover) at £24 per person.  There is no age limit. 

Completed forms and cheques will be passed to Tailored Travel by the end of January and they will acknowledge with a receipt.  It is possible to pay by credit card. The final balance is due by 12 April 2024 and will be sent direct to Tailored Travel.

Cost: £39.50

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

The Gardens consist of seven acres of Pleasure Grounds, laid out in the 18th century, with a lake, spring bulbs, a brick and turf maze and many specimen trees.

The old-four acre Walled Garden contains romantic wide herbaceous borders, a rose garden, a cut flower garden, a vegetable garden, an orchard and a 1920s Wendy House.  A splendid Greenhouse, also dating from the 1920s, has a fine display of pelargoniums and other tender plants.

We will depart Mitcham at 9.20 am, Wimbledon at 9.50 am and Raynes Park at 10 00 am.  En route we will stop at Pease Pottage Services for a coffee/tea and comfort stop.  We plan to arrive at 12 noon when the gardens and café open.  The gift shop opens at 1.00 pm and the house at 2 pm, when it will be a free flow visit.  We will depart at 4.00 pm and, traffic permitting, should be in Raynes Park by 5.30 pm

Cost: £39.00

Non NT Members will have to pay entry to Ham House on the day

Syon House was built in 1547 on the site of a medieval abbey and passed to Henry Percy, the 9th Earl of Northumberland, in 1604 and has remained in the family ever since.  In the 1760’s Robert Adams created some of his greatest interiors at Syon and Simon Jenkins awarded it 5*s in his Thousand Best Houses.

We will have tea/coffee on arrival (included in the price) and then have a guided tour of the house.  There will then be time to view the garden with its magnificent conservatory, have lunch and perhaps visit the garden centre.

After lunch we will make the short journey to Ham House, our nearest stately home, but one you may not have visited recently.

Ham House is a unique 17th century house, a rare survival of luxury and taste.  William Murray was a boyhood friend of Charles 1st, his whipping boy in fact, and he leased the house from the king in 1626.  After the civil war the house passed to Elizabeth his formidable daughter who managed to hold on to it despite the family being staunch royalists.  She married the Earl of Lauderdale and the house remained in the family and largely unchanged until it passed to the National Trust in 1948.

There you will be free to tour the house and gardens and have tea.

We will depart Mitcham at 8.30am, Wimbledon at 9.00am and Raynes Park at 9.10am and should arrive at Syon House by 10am in time for coffee.

We should be back in Raynes Park by 5.00pm.

Cost:  £669    Single supplement £99 per person. Non NT members will have to pay an entrance fee at the NT properties on the day.

Five nights half board at the 3* Holiday Inn located on Ipswich Road on the outskirts of Norwich (www.hinorwichhotel.co.uk).  Facilities at the hotel include a restaurant and bar.  All rooms are en suite and feature telephone, television and tea/coffee making facilities.

We will have an executive coach throughout and at the end of the holiday £12 per person will be collected for the driver’s gratuity - this is not compulsory.  Gratuities for hotel staff are included, as is porterage.

The itinerary will include:

Ickworth (NT)

Free morning in Norwich

Hoveton Hall Gardens

The Sandringham Estate

Boat Trip on the Broads

East Ruston Old Vicarage Gardens

Blickling Hall (NT)

Sheringham

Layer Marney Tower

Application form and deposit of £75 should be sent before the end of April.

The final balance will be due on the 23 July 2023 and this should be sent direct to Tailored Travel.  Tailored Travel can provide insurance (including Covid cover) at £34 per person.  There is no age limit.

Cost:  £40, including tea

The Manor at Hemingford Grey dates back to Norman times and is one of the oldest continuously inhabited houses in the country.  Our private guided tour will include a remarkable collection of patchwork made by Lucy Boston.

She lived there and used the house and garden as the setting for her Green Knowe books.

It is situated by the river near Huntingdon. The large romantic garden contains many old roses and irises, shrubs and trees.

We will depart Mitcham at 9.00am, Wimbledon at 9.30am and Raynes Park at 9.40am.  En route we will stop at the Cambridge Services where there will be an opportunity to have coffee, lunch and use the facilities.  We will depart at 1.15 for a short journey to Hemingford Grey. There is a 10 minute walk from the drop off point and we should arrive at the Manor in time for the 2.00pm tour.  Tea will then be served and we will depart at 4.30pm.  We should be back in Raynes Park by 6.30pm.

FULLY BOOKED

£65

WAITING LIST

Cost: £22.50     None NT members: £16 entry on the day

Sissinghurst must surely be one of the jewels in the National Trust’s crown of properties and is arguably world famous.  The garden, with its fairy tale tower, is the result of the creativity of the formal design of Harold Nicolson and the lavish planting of Vita-Sackville-West. The colour schemes and rich herbaceous borders are the epitome of an English garden.

The wider estate, which includes a vegetable garden, lakes and rich variety of wildlife is waiting to be explored and there are regular exhibitions telling the story of Sissinghurst.

On arrival you are free to explore the garden as you see fit. The Granary Restaurant will be open as well as the Old Dairy Café which serves lighter delicacies.  There is also a gift shop and second hand book shop.

We will leave Mitcham at 9.30am, Wimbledon at 10.00am and Raynes Park at 10.10am for the journey which should take roughly one and a half hours.  We will then depart about 4.00pm and, traffic permitting, would hope to be back by 5.30pm at Raynes Park.

Cost: £38.50

Hidden away in the seaside village of Goring by Sea is The English Martyrs Catholic Church.  In an unassuming building is the remarkable sight of a painting more usually associated with the city of Rome.
It is a reproduction of the Sistine Chapel Ceiling which was painted by one man, Gary Bevans, over a period of five and a half years.  The church also contains some beautiful stained glass of which the highlight is Peter the Fisherman window, which was made by using glass recovered from a local convent.  
We will depart Mitcham at 9.50am, Wimbledon at 10.20am and Raynes Park at 10.30am to go to Worthing to see the sea and have a light lunch.  We will then take a short journey to the church for a talk by one of the guides and time to look around the church.  Then we will have a very short journey to the Haskins Garden Centre for a cream tea.  
We should be back in Raynes Park by 6.00 pm.

Cost  £359  Single supplement £49 per person. Non NT members will have to pay an entrance fee at the NT properties on the day.

2 nights half board at the 4* Double Tree by Hilton  Belfry hotel, located 13 miles from Oxford.  Facilities include a restaurant, bar, indoor swimming pool and fitness centre.  All rooms are en suite and there is free WiFi. (www.hilton.com). Porterage is included as are gratuities for hotel staff.

We will be visiting:

Greys Court house and gardens (NT)

Kelmscott Manor

Buscot Park (NT)

Guided tour of Oxford

We will have an executive coach throughout and at the end of the holiday £6 per head will be collected for the driver’s gratuity - this is not compulsory. 

Application form and deposit of £75 should be sent before the end of February.

Tailored Travel can provide insurance (including Covid cover) at £24 per person.  There is no age limit.  The final balance is due by14 April 2023 and will be sent direct to Tailored Travel.

Cost:  £699  Single supplement £99 per person.

We stay five nights half board at the 3* Celtic Royal Hotel (www.celtic-royal.co.uk), located in the centre of Caernarfon.

Facilities at the hotel include a restaurant, bar, swimming pool, gymnasium, sauna and a Jacuzzi.  All rooms are en suite and feature television and telephone.

We will have an executive coach throughout and at the end of the holiday £12 per person will be collected for the driver’s gratuity - this is not compulsory.  Gratuities for hotel staff are included, as is porterage.

The itinerary will include:

National Memorial Arboretum

Caernarfon Castle

Plas Newydd Country House & Gardens (NT)

Llandudno

Bodnant Gardens (NT)

Snowdonia National Park

Portmeirion

Ffestiniog Narrow Gauge Railway

Erddig (NT)

Powis Castle & Garden (NT)

A deposit of £75 will be required. The final balance will be due on the 14 July 2022 and this should be sent direct to Tailored Travel.  Tailored Travel can provide insurance (including Covid cover) at £29 per person.  There is no age limit.

COST £64

FULLY BOOKED

WAITING LIST 

Cost: £23.50

The Vyne was built for Lord Sandys Henry VIII’s Lord Chamberlain.  The classical portico on the north front, the first of its kind in England, was added in 1654 by Inigo Jones’ pupil John Webb for the lawyer and politician Chaloner Chute.  In the mid eighteenth century The Vyne belonged to Horace Walpole’s close friend John Chaloner Chute who designed the Palladian staircase.

Outside, acres of wildlife rich gardens and woods create a wonderful space for relaxation and exploration as well as sweeping lawns and a bird hide overlooking water meadows.  There is an open air theatre, garden tours and woodland walks.

On arrival you are free to explore the property as you see fit. There is a tea room serving light lunches, soup, sandwiches, cakes and scones.  There is also a gift shop and second hand book shop.

Note:  Building works are taking place in the car park and as a result the buggy will not be available.

We will leave Mitcham at 9.00am, Wimbledon at 9.30 and Raynes Park at 9.40 for the journey which should take just over an hour.  We will then depart at 4.00pm and, traffic permitting, would hope to be back by 5.30pm at Raynes Park.

Cost: £24

Nestling alongside the River Rother, Woolbeding is a carefully cultivated masterpiece of colour, design and planting and is one of Sussex’s best kept secrets.

It delights at every turn with distinctive garden rooms set against manicured hedges and thoughtfully composed colour-themed borders.  Formal lawns melt into the rural landscape and beyond the meadow you’ll find a waterfall, gothic summerhouse and enchanting landscaped garden.

We will see the exciting new Glasshouse designed by Heatherwick Studio.  This striking ten-sided ‘kinetic’ glasshouse, sensitively set in a specially landscaped series of garden zones, will exhibit flowers, shrubs and trees that depict the key regions of the Silk Route. This route from Asia to Europe was used to bring the many plants that characterise English gardens and parks.

Because at the time of writing the café is not open, we are going to nearby Midhurst en route, where there are several cafes/restaurants for a lunch stop. 

We will leave Mitcham at 09.20, Wimbledon at 09.50 and Raynes Park at 10.00.  We should be in Midhurst by 11.15.  We will depart for the very short drive to Woolbeding at 1 pm. 

On arrival we will have a 15 minutes introductory talk by a member of the gardening team, which will focus on the horticulture and planting of the garden. 

Then you are free to enjoy the herbaceous borders, manicured garden rooms, vegetable and herb gardens as well as the glasshouse and other key landmarks such as the orangery, the William Pye water feature, Chinese bridge, the water grotto and gothic summer house with waterfall.  So much to see before we leave at 4 pm.

Cost  £314  Single supplement £49 per person. 

2 nights half board at the 4* Aztec Hotel & Spa on the outskirts of Bristol.  Facilities include a restaurant, bar, indoor swimming pool, whirlpool, sauna and a steam room.  All rooms are en suite and feature television and tea & coffee making facilities.

(http://www.thwaites.co.uk/aztechotelbristol/)

Porterage is included as are gratuities for hotel staff.

We will be visiting:

Bradford-on-Avon

Great Chalfield Manor & Garden (NT)

Brunel’s SS Gt Britain

Wells Cathedral

Newark Park (NT)                                                                                  

We will have an executive coach throughout and at the end of the holiday £6 per head will be collected for the driver’s gratuity - this is not compulsory. 

Tailored Travel can provide insurance (including Covid cover) at £24 per person.  There is no age limit.

A £75 non-refundabe deposit will be required. The final balance is due by 8 April 2022 and will be sent direct to Tailored Travel.

Cost: £36

Come and join us for an afternoon cruise from Tower Bridge to Greenwich and back, during which we will be served tea comprising of:

Fresh Scones served with jam and clotted cream

Selection of assorted Mini Cakes and Sweet Canapes

Homemade Shortbread Biscuits

Variety of Teas and Filtered Coffee

We will meet at Tower Hill Station, which is on the District Line from Wimbledon, at 2.15 and will walk to Tower Pier to board at 3 pm.  We will depart at 3.30 pm, returning to the Tower at 5 pm.

Cost: £38.50 (including tea/coffee at Fishbourne)

Every year when we go to Chichester to see the musical at the theatre I wish I had more time to visit the cathedral and its beautiful gardens and to explore the shopping centre with its interesting shops or to visit the Pallant Art Gallery.  Did you know you can also walk the walls at Chichester which has the most intact circuit of roman town defences in south east England.  You could even go for a ride on the canal boats.

 So, this year there is an extra trip to Chichester and on the way we will visit the Fishbourne Roman Palace with its amazing mosaics.  
The palace is almost 2000 years old, having been built just 30 years after the Roman conquest of Britain. It is the largest roman residence ever found north of the Alps and has many impressive mosaics and a recreated roman style garden.

We will leave Mitcham at 8am, Wimbledon at 8.30 and Raynes Park at 8.40 and should arrive at the palace by 10am in time for coffee, followed by a chance to see the mosaics before heading to nearby Chichester in time for lunch and a bit of culture and/or retail therapy.  We should be back home by 5.30 to 6 pm.

Cost with guided tour £22.00, without tour £17.00

MINIMUM NO: 30

Members will no doubt recall that at the March 2020 AGM we had a talk on this property from a staff member and a visit was proposed for October this year. 

Miraculously this visit is now scheduled to take place and it is to be hoped that the autumn colour will be ablaze.

This is the only arboretum owned by the National Trust and was the vision of Dr Wilfrid Fox, a dermatologist, who in 1937 purchased 130 acres of woodland next to his farmhouse in the Thorncombe Valley. 

It is now a collection of more than 1,000 trees and shrubs set in the picturesque Surrey Hills.

We will have a guided tour of the property, which is scheduled to take 1.5 hours, where we will learn more about the history.

On arrival there will only be a short time before the start of the guided walk, but afterwards there will be time to sample the delights of the cafe.

IMPORTANT NOTE

Please indicate on the booking form if you do not propose to go on the guided walk.

Note also that there are some steep slopes and banks of lake and wetlands which are only partially fenced.

We will leave Mitcham at 12 noon, Wimbledon at 12.30 and Raynes Park at 12.40 for the journey which should take roughly an hour.  We will then depart about 4.30pm and, traffic permitting, would hope to be back by 5.30pm at Raynes Park.

Likely to be cancelled - but watch this space.

The outings to Cliveden and Wrest Park have been postponed due to COVID 19.

Details of future outings will be posted once we have a better idea of when lockdown will be lifted.

CANCELLED

To be re-arranged at a later date.

Cost:  £25

The Lullingstone estate of 120 acres in Kent dates back to the Domesday Book.  The current Castle has been in the same family over 500 years.  The rules for tennis were drawn up there.  In the grounds are the river, lake, church and the World Garden of plants which contains some 8000 species and sculptures. 

A guided 45 minute tour of the house is part of your visit.  Light refreshments will be available to purchase.

We will depart Mitcham at 12 noon, Wimbledon at 12.30 and Raynes Park at 12.40.  Time of departure at the end of the afternoon will be 5 pm.

Sunday 8 – Friday 13 September

Cost:  £606   Double/Twin room for sole occupancy supplement £99 per person.

Tailored Travel have also organised this holiday and will handle all the bookings.  We stay five nights half board at the 4* Copthorne Hotel, Sheffield (www.milleniumhotels.co.uk). 

Facilities at the hotel include a restaurant and bar, and all rooms are ensuite and feature television, hairdryer and tea & coffee making facilities.

We will have an executive coach throughout and at the end of the holiday £6 per head will be collected for the driver’s gratuity - this is not compulsory.  Gratuities for hotel staff are included as is porterage.

The itinerary will include:

Kedleston Hall (NT)

Chatsworth

Bakewell

Guided tour of Eyam

Eyam Museum

Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Nostell Priory (NT)

Crich Tramway Village

Matlock

Sudbury Hall & the National Trust Museum of Childhood

We will depart Mitcham at 9 am, Wimbledon 9.30 am, and Raynes Park 9.40 am.

We will drive straight to Chichester and all being well we will arrive by 11.15 am.  There will then be time to have coffee, lunch, visit the cathedral, shop etc. before making your way to the Theatre by 2.15 pm latest. 

The show starts at 2.30 pm - tickets will be issued on the day.

Following the show the coach will be waiting for us outside the theatre for the return journey.  All being well, we should be home by 7 pm.

Cost: £22

This 17th century mansion set in the South Downs National Park inspired countless artists, including arguably England’s greatest landscape painter, J M W Turner.  In fact the film Mr Turner was filmed here in 2014 and this visit ties in nicely with the Town & Around visit to Turner’s house in Strawberry Hill in April.

The house displays, in the opulent state rooms and North Gallery, the finest collection of art and sculpture in the care of the National Trust, including world famous paintings by Van Dyck, Reynolds, Blake as well as Turner.  Classical and neo-classical sculptures, carvings by Grinling Gibbons and fine furniture and ceramics can also be seen. 

Outside is a woodland pleasure ground designed by ‘Capability’ Brown.  The 700 acre park is home to the largest fallow deer herd in England and the wonderful ‘natural’ landscape was also the creation of ‘Capability’ Brown.

On arrival you are free to explore the property as you see fit.  The Audit Room cafe serves light lunches, afternoon teas and homemade cakes and there is also a Servants’ Hall coffee shop and the usual gift shops.

We will leave Mitcham at 9.00am, Wimbledon at 9.30am and Raynes Park at 9.40 for the journey which should take just over an hour.  Please be at the departure point 10 minutes before. 

We will then depart about 4pm and, traffic permitting, would hope to be back by 5.30pm at Raynes Park.

DON’T FORGET YOUR NT OR VOLUNTEER CARDS

Cost:  (inc. tea/coffee & biscuits):  £33.50 + lunch 

Belmont is a beautiful 18th century house with stunning views of the Kentish North Downs.

It is an unspoilt work by Samuel Wyatt in the neo-classical style with some unusual building materials.  It has an unrivalled collection of magnificent clocks.

The house was purchased in 1801 for £8,960 by General George Harris from the prize money he received from defeating the Tipu Sahib and he set about creating a “gentleman’s residence” to house much of the memorabilia of his time in India and to provide a home for his 10 children.  The kitchen garden and the formal gardens are stunning.

We will leave Mitcham at 8am, Wimbledon at 8.30am and Raynes Park at 8.40am.  Please be at the departure point 10 minutes before.

We will then drive straight to Belmont House where we will have tea or coffee and biscuits before having a guided tour of the house.  We will than have lunch in the orangery after which there will be time to explore the gardens before setting off for the return journey.

If anyone wants to bring a packed lunch it can be eaten in the gardens or the orangery.  There is also a tea/coffee kiosk in the courtyard.

Friday 31 May – Sunday 2 June

Cost: £236   

Double/twin room for sole use supplement £44 per person

Tailored Travel have again organised this break on our behalf and we will be staying for 2 nights half board at the 4* Marriott Hotel on the outskirts of Huntingdon. (https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/cbghd-huntingdon-marriott-hotel)

Facilities at the hotel include a restaurant, bar, indoor swimming pool, gymnasium and a sauna. All rooms are ensuite and feature television, telephone, hairdryer, an in-room safe, and tea & coffee making facilities.

Porterage is included as are gratuities for hotel staff.

We will be visiting:

Wimpole Hall (NT), Anglesey Abbey (NT) and will have a guided tour of Cambridge.

Cost: £28 (including service charge)

There is no better way to enjoy a great British tradition of Fish & Chips than to sit back on the River Thames watching the world go by. 

We will be departing from Molesey Lock (across the road from Hampton Court Station) at 12.30 for a 2 hour cruise.  Before we depart there will be a chance to pop to the bar for some refreshments and lunch, which has been freshly cooked on board, will be served at 1.30.  Our skipper will provide a commentary on the sights we are passing, giving an insight into the rich and interesting history of the Thames.

A sample of the menu is:

Freshly fried white fish in a light beer batter

Chunky steak cut chips

Homemade Tartar sauce

Minted pea puree

Lemon Slice

 Apple Pie and Cream

Please note that the times for the trains to Hampton Court are now available:

Wimbledon   11.22      

Raynes Park 11.25

New Malden  11.28

Arriving Hampton Court 11.42

This will allow time to congregate outside the station and then take the short walk to Hurst Road.

Cost: £26

After extensive renovation work on the 240 acre estate, the Grade I listed Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens reopens in 2019.  First planted in 1801 and described as ‘The Finest Woodland Gardens in England’, they are particularly noted for their spring displays of rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, magnolias and bluebells.

You can also visit the renowned Rock Garden and Dolls House Museum, see the rare colony of wallabies and catch sight of the deer roaming free. There will also be time to enjoy tea in the Grade II Listed Mansion, or more informal refreshments at other locations on the estate.

We will be leaving Mitcham at 12 noon, Wimbledon at 12.30 and Raynes Park at 12.40

 Please be at the departure point 10 minutes before. Traffic permitting we will be back in Raynes Park by 6 pm.

Sunday 9th – Friday 14th September

Cost:  £596   Double room for sole occupancy supplement £99 per person.

Tailored Travel have organised this holiday and will handle all the bookings. 

We stay five nights half board at the 4* Moorland Garden Hotel near Yelverton on the edge of Dartmoor National Park.  All rooms include free WiFi, TV with Freeview, hairdryer, telephone, and complimentary tea/coffee/biscuits.  We will have an executive coach throughout and at the end of the holiday £6 per head will be collected for the driver’s gratuity - this is not compulsory.  Gratuities for hotel staff are included as is porterage.

The itinerary will include:

 Killerton

Lanhydrock

Coleton Fishacre

River Dart cruise from Dartmouth to Totnes

Cotehele

Antony

Buckland Abbey

Morwellham Quay & train ride at George Charlotte Copper Mine

Montacute House

FULLY BOOKED WITH WAITING LIST

We will depart Mitcham at 9 am, Wimbledon 9.30 am, and Raynes Park 9.40 am.

We will drive straight to Chichester and all being well we will arrive by 11.15 am. 

There will then be time to have coffee, lunch, visit the cathedral, shop etc. before making your way to the Theatre by 2.15 pm latest. 

The show starts at 2.30 pm - tickets will be issued on the day.

Following the show the coach will be waiting for us outside the theatre for the return journey.  All being well, we should be home by 7 pm.

Cost £23

We will leave Mitcham at 9.00am, Wimbledon at 9.30 and Raynes Park at 9.40 for the journey to the Devil’s Punch Bowl at Hindhead, where we will have a coffee stop before proceeding to Uppark.

Perched on its vantage point high above the South Downs ridge, Uppark, a Grade 1 listed building, commands views as far south as the English Channel. 

Built in the late 17th century for Ford Grey, the first Earl of Tankerville, it was sold in 1747 to Sir Matthew Fetherstonhaugh and his wife Sarah.  They extensively redecorated Uppark and much of what you will see was collected on their Grand Tour.  Their only son Sir Harry Fetherstonhaugh added to the collection and commissioned Humphrey Repton to add the portico and redesign the gardens.

On arrival you are free to explore the property as you see fit.  The house is open for free-flow from 12.30 but before then the Servant’s quarters with the Doll’s House is open and of course lunch will be available in the cafe. 

There is currently an Exhibition on Women and Power entitled ‘In Her Shoes: Women of Uppark’ about five women who shaped Uppark’s history, including Emma Hamilton, Lord Nelson’s mistress, and outside the garden is gradually being restored to its original 18th century design.

We will depart about 4.00pm and, traffic permitting, would hope to be back by 5.30pm at Raynes Park.

Cost:  £33

Spanning more than 700 years, the history of Hever Castle is rich and varied.  The original medieval defensive, double moated castle was built in 1270 and by the 15th century it had become the home of the Boleyn family and was the childhood home of Anne, who became Henry VIII’s ill-fated second wife.

After the Boleyns the castle passed through various hands and gradually fell into decline before being bought by William Waldorf Astor, a wealthy American who lavished his vast wealth on restoring Hever.  It is largely thanks to him that we can still enjoy the castle today.

What is surprising is that the plaster ceilings and the ornate wooden panelling are 20th century masterpieces not medieval.  Simon Jenkins gives the castle 4 stars and considers the work some of the finest 20th century craftsmanship in England.  Astor insisted that the workmen used no modern aids in their work.

Many of you may have visited Hever before, but much has been done in recent years, particularly in the gardens which should be at their best when we visit.

We shall leave Mitcham at 8.50am, Wimbledon at 9.20am and Raynes Park at 9.30am and, traffic permitting, we should be back by 5.30pm.

8th - 10th June

Cost: £257 for non-English Heritage Members and £234 for English Heritage Members.                           

Double room for sole use supplement £40 per person

Tailored Travel have again organised this break on our behalf and we will be staying for 2 nights half board at the family run 3* Best Western Manor Hotel (www.bw-manorhotel.co.uk) on the outskirts of Gravesend.  All the rooms come with Freeview, Flat Screen TVs, Complimentary WiFi, Tea and Coffee making Facilities, a Hair Dryer and Toiletries.

We will have an executive coach throughout and at the end of the holiday £3 per head will be collected for the driver’s gratuity - this is not compulsory. Gratuities for hotel staff are included.  Porterage is also included.

We will be visiting Eltham Palace, Deal, Walmer Castle and Gardens and Knowle House & Deer Park.

Cost: £45 (including lunch)

Hear the secrets of the inhabitants of some of the finest waterside houses in the country. We will depart from Maidenhead Riverside Gardens, before cruising past the old home of Diana Dors, scene of many a riotous party, then entering Cliveden Reach, where the majestic home of the Astor family lies on the top of the hill, the starting point for the ‘Profumo Scandal’.

Lunch will be served as we cruise through the Cliveden Reach. After lunch we pass the Waterside Inn, famed hostelry of the Roux brothers, the homes and former homes of Rolf Harris, Billy Connolly, Sheila Ferguson of the Three Degrees, Gerald Ratner, and Sir John Mills.

Finally enjoy stories of the notorious ‘Botany Bay’, the Thames’ very own ‘red light’ district, the pretty cottage of Edward VII’s mistress, Lillie Langtry and much more!

Please note that vessel access can be restrictive involving steps and stairs, but the crew will be happy to help anyone who requires additional help.

It will be possible to buy coffee/tea and other drinks from the bar on the boat.

The menu following is an example and I am told it is unlikely to change much:

Galantine of chicken with pistachio & smoked bacon stuffing

Quiche: smoked salmon and broccoli with dill

Sweetcorn, mange tout pepper salad, traditional coleslaw, mixed leaf seasonal salad, potato salad with chives and olive oil

Rolls & butter

Normandy lattice apple flan with whipped cream

We will leave Mitcham at 10.20, Wimbledon at 10.50 and Raynes Park at 11.00.  Please be at your pick-up point 10 minutes before.

Traffic permitting, we will be back in Raynes Park by 5.30 pm

Cost: £20.50 inc. guided tour  £17.50 without tour

“A garden lovers' home for all seasons, with an extensive yet intimate garden set around a romantic house and ruins.”  

Enjoy an afternoon meandering around these beautiful gardens.  There is also a café, shop and garden sales area, second-hand bookshop and artist studio.

Arrangements have been made for a guided tour about the Nymans’ Story, for those who wish to attend.  This needs to be requested at the time of booking. 

A mobility buggy tour is also available, but places are limited and are on a first come first served basis.

We will be leaving Mitcham at 12noon, Wimbledon at 12.30 and Raynes Park at 12.40.

Please be at the departure point 10 minutes before.  Traffic permitting we will be back in Raynes Park by 6 pm.

Cost:  £50.00

Today we have the opportunity to visit Dorneywood House, which is used by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, and is not often open to the public. 

The Dorneywood estate was purchased by Sir Courtauld Thomson in 1919 from Charles Palmer, whose family had owned the Dorney estate for more than three centuries. Over the years Courtauld Thomson, and his sister Winifred, began to build on and decorate the house, and to fill it with the imposing works of art that fill the house to this day.

In 1942 Sir Courtauld Thomson decided to donate the estate to the nation in the care of the National Trust, and in particular to the incumbent Prime Minister, to provide a residence for a Secretary of State or senior Minister of the Crown appointed by him.

The house and gardens are maintained by the Dorneywood Trust and we will have access to the ground floor of the main house, hosted by the Secretary, Tim Price.  We will then have an introductory talk by the Head Gardener before exploring the extensive gardens.

Finally, weather permitting, we will have a cream tea, including sandwiches and cake in the garden

This is a half day visit and we will leave Mitcham at 12 noon, Wimbledon at 12.30 and Raynes Park at 12.40 pm.  We should be back in Raynes Park by 6 pm.

PHOTOGRAPHY IS NOT PERMITTED.

Thursday 31st Aug – Tuesday 5th Sept

£723.00       

For Art Fund Members £704.00

Double room for sole occupancy supplement £99 per person.

Tailored Travel have also organised this holiday and will handle all the bookings.  We stay five nights half board at the 4* Stratford Manor Hotel on the outskirts of Stratford upon Avon (www.qhotels.co.uk).  

The hotel is located 3 miles from the centre of Stratford upon Avon and includes a restaurant, bar, spa and wellness centre, solarium and sauna. All rooms are en suite and feature television, telephone and tea & coffee making facilities. 

We will have an executive coach throughout and at the end of the holiday £6 per head will be collected for the driver’s gratuity - this is not compulsory. Gratuities for hotel staff are included as is porterage.

The itinerary will include:

Upton House & Gardens (NT)

Stratford Upon Avon – guided tour including the following Art Fund properties:

• Shakespeare’s Birthplace

• Hall’s Croft

• Anne Hathaway’s Cottage

Hidcote Manor Garden (NT)

Snowshill Manor & Garden (NT)

Behind the Scenes Tour at the Royal

Shakespeare Company

Boat cruise on the River Avon

Compton Verney Art Gallery (Art Fund)

Charlecote Park (NT)

Packwood House (NT)

Entry fees to non NT properties and the boat trip are included.

THIS OUTING IS FULLY BOOKED

Cost: £58

We will depart Mitcham at 9 am, Wimbledon at 9.30 am and Raynes Park at 9.40 am.

We will drive straight to Chichester and all being well we will arrive by 11.15 am.  There will then be time to have coffee, lunch, visit the cathedral, shop etc. before making your way to the Theatre by 2.15 pm latest. 

The show starts at 2.30 pm - tickets will be issued on the day.

Following the show the coach will be waiting for us outside the theatre for the return journey.  All being well, we should be home by 7 pm.

Cost:  £24 (including coffee/tea on arrival)

Ightham Mote lies in the rural Weald of Kent, near Sevenoaks. 

Dating from the 14th century, this medieval moated Manor House has seen many changes and now, thanks to a 15 year conservation programme costing £10 million, more rooms are open than ever before.

After our usual pick up points we travel to Ightham Mote for coffee and then you will be free to enjoy the house and gardens on a free flow basis. Ightham Mote will be our lunch venue and we will then travel to Emmetts Garden, where there will be time to enjoy the many different areas and hopefully the roses will be at their best for us.  There will be time for a cup of tea before we set off for a fairly early return home.

Cost: £22

Sitting elegantly in 400 acres of historic parkland and gardens this 18th century house was purchased by Lord and Lady Iliffe in the 1950’s when it was de-requisitioned after the Second World War.  They brought Basildon Park back to life acquiring a collection of fine furnishings and some Old Masters.

On arrival you are free to explore the property as you see fit.  The house is open for free-flow from 12 noon but before then you will most probably enjoy a coffee. 

There is currently an exhibition in the house entitled ‘At Home with Art, Treasures of the Ford Collection’.  Outdoors you might like to stroll around the woodland and parkland.  The mansion tea room serves lunch between 12 and 2.30pm with homemade cakes and cream teas available all day and the Parlour in the stable yard offers other refreshments.

We will leave Mitcham at 9.00 am, Wimbledon at 9.30 and Raynes Park at 9.40 for the journey which should take just over an hour.  We will then depart about 4.00pm and, traffic permitting, would hope to be back by 5.30 pm at Raynes Park.

Sunday 21st – Tuesday 23rd May

Cost: £239.00                                 

Double room for sole use supplement £79 per person

Tailored Travel have again organised this break on our behalf and we will be staying for 2 nights half board at the 3* Limpley Stoke Hotel near Bath (www.bestwestern.co.uk).  It is because they have weddings most weekends that we are going from Sunday to Tuesday.

This Georgian country hotel is conveniently situated on the outskirts of Bath in a delightful village setting.  All 60 bedrooms have full en suite facilities, free internet access, TV, complimentary toiletries, hairdryer, tea and coffee facilities and a phone.

We will have an executive coach throughout and at the end of the holiday £3 per head will be collected for the driver’s gratuity - this is not compulsory.  Gratuities for hotel staff are included.  Porterage is also included.

We will be visiting Bowood House and Gardens, Tyntesfield (NT) and Bath.

Cost: £33 (including tea/coffee and cake)

St Mary's is an enchanting historic 15th century timber-framed house, with magnificent gardens, and charming cottage-style tea rooms, in the picturesque award-winning downland village of Bramber, West Sussex - a place of fascination and mystery.

Still a lived-in home, there are fine panelled rooms, including the unique Elizabethan trompe l'oeil Painted Room.

We will leave Mitcham at 12 noon, Wimbledon at 12.30 pm and Raynes Park at 12.40 pm. 

We will have a guided tour and then there will be time to visit the gardens and have tea and cake before we depart.

Cost: £40

Situated within a working Naval Base, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is home to a collection of fantastic attractions, historic ships and museums. There's so much to see and do. Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is the only place in the world to see the Royal Navy past, present and future and is a must see for anyone visiting the south of England.

Includes a combined ticket to view HMS Victory, HMS Warrior, Mary Rose Museum, National Museum of the Royal Navy, Action Stations, MHS M.33, Boathouse 4 and Free Tour of the Harbour by Boat.

There is a Costa Coffee, Georgian Tea Rooms, or Mary Rose Café, as well as the Boathouse 7 Restaurant.

Although not everybody will want to see everything, the combined ticket is cheaper than just having a ticket, say, for the Mary Rose and the Victory and the Harbour Tour would not be included.

To get the group discount, payment will have to be made w/c 10th April, so please get your application in by the 1st April. 

We will leave Mitcham at 8.50 am, Wimbledon at 9.20 am and Raynes Park at 9.30 am.   Please be at your pick-up point 10 minutes before departure time.  We would hope to be back in Raynes Park by 5.30 pm.

Cost: £24 (to include coffee and homemade biscuits on arrival)

Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild started building Waddesdon Manor in 1874 to display his outstanding collection of art treasures and entertain the fashionable world.  The highest quality 18th century French decorative arts are displayed alongside magnificent English portraits and Dutch Old Master paintings, while outside is one of the finest Victorian gardens in Britain.

 Following coffee, which will be served in the Manor Restaurant on arrival, timed tickets for the house will be issued.  An audio guide will be available at a cost of £4 per person. 

There are two licensed restaurants for lunch and snacks and drinks are available at the Summerhouse or Coffee Bar. 

Please note that spiked heel shoes are not permitted in the house.  Flat or wide heel shoes only should be worn.

PLEASE BRING NT CARD

Thursday 22nd – Tuesday 27th September

Cost:  £524 per person sharing a twin room. Double room for sole occupancy supplement £99 per person.

Tailored Travel have also organised this holiday and will handle all the bookings.

We stay five nights half board at the 3* Holiday Inn hotel in Lincoln (www.ichotelsgroup.com).

Located 5 minutes walk from the centre, facilities at the hotel include a restaurant and bar and all rooms are en suite and feature television, telephone and tea and coffee making facilities.  Porterage is included.

We will have an executive coach throughout and at the end of the holiday £6 per head will be collected for the driver’s gratuity - this is not compulsory. Gratuities for hotel staff are not included and are at members’ discretion

The itinerary will include:

Doddington Hall

Lincoln guided tour including the Cathedral

Medieval Bishops’ Palace

Woolsthorpe Manor (NT)

Burghley House

Newark-on-Trent, including a boat cruise on the River Trent

The Workhouse, Southwell (NT)

Southwell Minster

Skegness

Gunby Hall & Gardens (NT)

Stamford

During the summer opening of Frogmore House and Garden guided tours are offered of this delightful royal retreat, set in the beautiful surroundings of the private Home Park about a mile from Windsor Castle. The tours provide an insight into the history of this royal residence and the lives of its occupants.

Frogmore House has been a favourite royal retreat for more than 300 years. Built in the 17th century, it became royal property when it was purchased for George III’s wife, Queen Charlotte, in 1792.  It is no longer an occupied royal residence, but is frequently used by the Royal Family for private entertaining.

The tour ends in the Britannia Room, where, following the decommissioning of the Royal Yacht in 1997, The Duke of Edinburgh arranged a selection of items to reflect the interior of the much-loved vessel. The rich mahogany table that dominates the room was made for Britannia in the 1950s.

Please note that the Royal Mausoleum is not open to visitors as part of any tour.

Following the tour we will depart for The Savill Garden, which is a short drive away and where there are several places to have lunch.

Since its creation in the 1930s, The Savill Garden has been an inspiration for all.  The 35 acres of interconnected gardens include the Hidden Gardens, Spring Wood, the Summer Gardens, the New Zealand Garden, Summer Wood, The Glades, Autumn Wood and the Winter Beds.
 

We will depart Mitcham at 8.30 am, Wimbledon at 9.00 am and Raynes Park at 9.10 am.

As there is nowhere to have coffee at Frogmore House, we will stop en route at the Magna Carta Tea Room, which is now run by the National Trust,

We will then be dropped near the house in time for our tour which starts at 11.15. 

Following our visit to The Savill Garden we will aim to be back in Wimbledon by 6.30 pm.

Cost:  £34 (to include coffee on arrival at the Museum and tea at the Lavender Fields)

The British Schools Museum is a unique institution.  Over 200 years ago William Wilshere opened a school for the children of the working classes in Hitchin.  He turned an old malt house into a powerhouse of learning using the "monitorial system" and the British Schools Museum is now the only remaining example of this in the world.

We will “experience” a lesson in the Victorian classroom and the post war schoolroom will bring back memories of our own schooldays.

On arrival we will enjoy tea/coffee to fortify us before our lessons.

On leaving the Museum we will travel to the Hitchin Lavender Fields for lunch, where there will be an opportunity to visit the lavender fields and the shop.

To speed up the serving of lunch we need to pre-order so please indicate on the booking form whether you would like to have a light lunch (e.g. jacket potato) and I will get back to you nearer the time to give prices and choices.  It will also be possible to buy sandwiches on the day.

We will leave Mitcham at 8.05 am, Wimbledon at 8.35 am and Raynes Park at 8.45 am and, traffic permitting, we should be back in Raynes Park by 6.30 pm.

Cost: £24 (to include coffee and homemade biscuits on arrival)

Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild started building Waddesdon Manor in 1874 to display his outstanding collection of art treasures and entertain the fashionable world.  The highest quality 18th century French decorative arts are displayed alongside magnificent English portraits and Dutch Old Master paintings, while outside is one of the finest Victorian gardens in Britain.

Following coffee, which will be served in the Manor Restaurant on arrival, timed tickets for the house will be issued.  An audio guide will be available at a cost of £4 per person. 

There are two licensed restaurants for lunch and snacks and drinks are available at the Summerhouse or Coffee Bar. 

Please note that spiked heel shoes are not permitted in the house.  Flat or wide heel shoes only should be worn.

Friday 27th - Sunday 29th May

Cost: £281 per person for non-English Heritage members

£268 for English Heritage members

Double room for sole use supplement £60 per person

Tailored Travel have organised this weekend on our behalf and we will be staying for 2 nights half board at the 4* Marriott Hotel on the outskirts of Portsmouth.

Facilities at the hotel include a restaurant, bar, indoor swimming pool, gymnasium, sauna and a steam room. All rooms are en-suite and feature television, telephone, mini bar and tea and coffee making facilities.  Porterage is included.

We will have an executive coach throughout and at the end of the holiday £3 per head will be collected for the driver’s gratuity - this is not compulsory. Gratuities for hotel staff are not included and are at members’ discretion.  The return ferry from Portsmouth to Fishbourne is included.

The itinerary is:

 Hinton Ampner (NT)

Isle of Wight Steam Railway

Osborne House

Winchester

Cost: £33 (including tea/coffee and biscuits)

Chawton House is a grade ll listed Elizabethan manor house in the village of Chawton in Hampshire.  It was formerly the home of Jane Austen's brother, Edward Austen Knight, and is now a library and study centre.

We plan to arrive by 10.30 am in time for tea/coffee and biscuits, following which there will be a short introduction to Chawton House Library at 11 am.  We will then have a tour which will include an opportunity to visit one of the Library reading rooms.  Please be aware that there are many steps, stairs and uneven floors in the building. 

At the end of the visit there should be time to visit the gardens and possibly St Nicholas Church, before departing on a short journey to Farnham. 

This is a delightful town where there will be plenty of places to have lunch, shop and look around. We will leave at 4.30 pm and should be back in Wimbledon by 5.30/6.00 pm, depending on traffic.

Cost: £35

Once Britain's Best-Kept Secret, today Bletchley Park is a unique heritage site and vibrant tourist attraction. We will explore, experience and enjoy the top-secret world of iconic WW2 Codebreaking Huts and Blocks set within its atmospheric Victorian estate.  Come and discover the secret world, now revealed!

After we are dropped off it will be possible to have tea or coffee at the Coffee Shop in the Visitors Centre before setting off to investigate the many areas of interest. 

Free multimedia guides are provided on a first come first serve basis, which are easy to use and will allow us to explore the Home of the Codebreakers informatively, at our own pace and in our own time. 

A one-hour, outdoor, walking guided tour is also available. 

Apart from the Coffee Shop, you can also enjoy a tasty hot and cold menu which will be available in Hut 4.. 

Cost £16.50

Although Ham House is our nearest property, it is not easy to get to unless you have a car so take this opportunity to explore this unique 17th century treasure trove situated beside the Thames.  Internationally recognised for its superb collection of paintings, furniture and textiles, largely acquired 400 years ago, it was once the home of the Duke and Duchess of Lauderdale.  The open and formal restored gardens surround the house.  There is a productive kitchen garden containing many heritage crops and the maze-like ‘Wilderness’, complete with summerhouses.  The newly refurbished Orangery café serves light lunches and teas and the shop is well stocked with souvenirs.

It is hoped to have a short introductory talk on arrival, after which you will be free to visit the house and gardens at your leisure. 

Cost £17

This is a charming 18th century merchant’s house, which those members who were at the

AGM in March will have heard Ed Ikin speak about.  The stories of the large number of individuals who have resided there will bring the house and garden to life.

This property has recently been the subject of major restoration works and we shall hear more about these and about the inhabitants of Rainham Hall during our visit.  The garden is not to be missed and includes one of London’s largest orchards.

There is a cafe in the stable block serving light lunches, home baked cakes as well as tea and coffee.

Cost  £37

We will travel to Loxwood (south of Guildford) where we will have the opportunity to purchase coffee/tea in the Onslow Arms before boarding the Wiggonholt in time to depart at 1.30 pm.  We will cruise along the Loxwood Link section of one of Britain’s most scenic canals on the Surrey/West Sussex Border.  During the 2½ hour cruise, we will have a ploughman’s lunch.  Tea/Coffee and Squash will be available after lunch.  There will be a toilet on board

Fri 26 – Sun 28 June

Leader:  Lynda Coleman (8947 6958)

Mobile:  07952 488908

Cost:  £31 (including morning coffee and cream tea)

Standen was built in the 1890s for a wealthy London Solicitor named Beale.  He had a large family and the house was originally designed as a weekend and holiday retreat but became the main family home when he retired.  It was designed by the architect Philip Webb and retains many of the original wallpapers and textiles designed by his good friend William Morris.  It also has many important contents by Morris’s Arts & Crafts Movement contemporaries, including William de Morgan and W A S Benson amongst others.

Its unique feature is that only one family ever lived there.  After the death of James Beale his two unmarried daughters continued to live there and altered very little.  They continued to entertain nephews and nieces and their families until their own deaths and the estate then passed to the National Trust.

It is not a grand stately home but a very comfortable one for a well off Victorian family and one can almost imagine the family still sitting down to dinner or entertaining in the drawing room.

It is set on a hillside with magnificent views over the Sussex Weald and over recent years much work has been done to restore the 12-acre garden to its original splendour so, even if you have been before, you will find much that is new.

We will arrive in time to have tea/coffee together and then you will be free to enjoy the house and garden at your leisure and have lunch.

We will then travel to the nearby Llama Park to see these enchanting animals together with alpacas, donkeys, peacocks and many more.  There will be time for a cream tea before we travel home.