Royal Tapestry -
A Stitch in Time

10th – 23rd March 2011 - Fully Booked
20th May – 1st June 2011 - Fully Booked

16th – 28th September 2011

£4350.00 per person
based on two people sharing room
£760.00 per person
single room supplement

Booking Code RT/11/3

• Embroidery Workshop – Royal School of Needlework
• London Palaces and Castles
• Cotswolds villages
• Stratford upon Avon
• Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth
• Althorp
• Highgrove
• American Museum, Bath
• Jane Austen’s Bath
• Cambridge University Colleges
• Victoria & Albert Museum
• Fitzwilliam Museum reserve collection
• Exclusive hotels in magnificent surroundings
• All breakfasts and dinners included
• Champagne receptions at some locations

Day 1

Our tour starts in London – England’s famous capital city – which will be our home for the next three nights. Our hotel is situated right in the heart of this vibrant city within walking distance of many of the famous sights. We will meet this evening for our Welcome Reception and Dinner and get to know our Tour Director and other guests.

Day 2

After a hearty English breakfast, we will discover the sights of London that are so familiar to us all – Picadilly Circus, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, St Pauls Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and so much more. The first part of our day will be in the comfort of our motorcoach so that we become familiar with London. After lunch we will visit the Victoria & Albert Museum where we will have a private viewing of some of their reserve textile collection. The V &A is known throughout the world as the finest museum of decorative art. Following our private tour, you can visit the rest of the Museum and enjoy some of the world’s greatest collections of sculpture, furniture, fashion, paintings, silver, glass, ceramics, jewellery and books – something for everyone and a wealth of choice. Also at the V&A is the opportunity to see the history of fashion from 1500 to the present day, 15th century Devonshire House Tapestries or the wonderful collection of William Morris’ work.

We will return to our hotel for dinner and no doubt all have seen something that we want to share with our fellow guests.

Day 3

The Royal School of Needlework is our home for today. A once in a lifetime opportunity to become a student at the RSN in the historic Hampton Court Palace. Our day class will take place in the Prince of Wales Suite inside the Palace. During the day we will also be treated to a special ‘behind the scenes’ tour of the workrooms of the Royal School and see the variety of needlework currently being worked on. The School which was started over 130 years ago has, over the years, both repaired and renovated pieces from both private and Royal collections. It has also been where various pieces have been produced for several Royal Coronations and Weddings. Several pieces were produced for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth 11 and the wedding of Charles and Diana. Today, will be an experience you will never forget and you will take away with you a piece of work virtually finished as a lasting reminder.

Our last evening will be spent in London before our departure for the countryside tomorrow.

Day 4

Leaving the big city behind us, we travel north towards Cambridge and en route to our hotel, we will visit a small village and discover a 12th century Norman house that reputedly is the oldest continuously inhabited house in England. A member of the family will greet us and share stories handed down over nine centuries. In the bedrooms we are treated to a collection of over two dozen vintage quilts piled high on the beds. There are also stories of the house being used as a place of relaxation for the airmen who were stationed nearby during World War 11 – a home from home for them.

After lunch in a charming thatched pub in the village, we will travel to Althorp – the childhood home of Diana, Princess of Wales. This beautiful house is home to the Spencer family and is only open to the public on certain days of the year and houses a fascinating variety of pictures, furniture and ceramics. We will also have the opportunity to view the island in the Round Oval where Diana, Princess of Wales is laid to rest.

Our hotel for the next two nights is Hambleton Hall- built in 1881 as a hunting box for a wealthy brewing family. It is now a small privately owned hotel – consistently rated as one of the Nation’s best and situated in the midst of Rutland – the smallest county in England. Our dinner this evening will be in our hotel.

Day 5

After a wonderfully peaceful nights sleep, we will visit the ancient University City of Cambridge – home to the Prince of Wales when he was a student here. We will wander at our leisure around the magnificent University College buildings – dating back to the 12th century. Perhaps a little shopping or something to eat in one of the many coffee houses or typically English pubs. Maybe we could tempt you onto the river to enjoy the pastime of all the undergraduates and go punting on the river Cam.

After our exploration of the City, we will visit the Fitzwilliam Museum and a private tour of the reserve Sampler collection. Wonder at this magnificent collection, rarely on view to the public.

Our day will be complete by attending Kings College Chapel for Choral Evensong , where voices of the choir seem to float down from the heavens inside this cavernous structure. Bathed in candlelight the Chapel’s interior seems to illuminate the ornate dark oak which bears the initials of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. Perhaps take a cd home of Christmas Carols from Kings – famous throughout the world. A little bit of England to help you enjoy your Christmas back home faraway from this magical part of England.

Dinner this evening will be in a local restaurant, where we will sample some local produce.

Day 6

A journey across the Heart of England brings us today to the Cotswolds – passing through villages that are built in local stone, many of them with thatched roofs and the gardens bursting with late summer plants and the hues of autumn coming through. Our visits today are varied – a 16th century house which contains a fine collection of textiles and furniture and the gardens have renowned herbaceous borders and a famous collection of yews. The afternoon takes us on a visit to another world famous private garden where we will see some magnificent plants and garden planning – Highrove – the country home of the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall.

Our hotel for the next two days is Charingworth Manor – a captivating 14th century manor house set in 54 acres with immaculate gardens and far reaching views of the beautiful Cotswold countryside. We will have dinner this evening in the hotel where we will taste a selection of seasonally inspired dishes. Before dinner why not relax in the swimming pool complex.

Day 7

The Heart of England would not be complete without a visit to Stratford upon Avon – the home of William Shakespeare – a local guide will take us round this Tudor town and show us where Shakespeare found his inspiration and we will also see the recently renovated Royal Shakespeare Theatre During our visit to this part of the Heart of England we will have the opportunity to visit a gem for embroiderers – Burford Needlecraft Centre – situated on the high street of this charming Cotswold village – where we can wander at leisure and visit the variety of local galleries, antique and tea shops.

Dinner tonight is a real treat – the Pudding Club – a place where we can all indulge ourselves in puddings reminiscent of our childhoods. Situated in a charming Cotswolds village, this will certainly be an evening to remember.

Returning to our hotel we can walk round the grounds a little to work off all those excesses from dinner this evening.

Day 8

We now leave the Cotswolds behind us and travel south towards the South West peninsula of Devon and Cornwall – well known for smugglers and sailors – lots to see and do here. Our first stop is at Cotehele – one of the least altered medieval houses in the country – and housing a fine collection of textiles, tapestries, armour and furniture. The chapel contains the oldest working domestic clock. The large estate offers a variety of woodland and countryside walks.

Our hotel is Buckland Tout Saints – a magnificent Georgian style building nestled in rolling Devon countryside but only a short distance from the beautiful coastline. We will dine here this evening and enjoy the beautiful gardens surrounding the hotel

Day 9

After our delicious breakfast featuring local produce, we drive the short distance to Dartmouth – home of the Britannia Royal Naval College – where Princess Elizabeth first set eyes on Prince Philip and thus began their long life together. We will have a private tour of the College and afterwards we will go down into the town of Dartmouth – famous for the Castle, Bayard’s Cove – the reminder of the rollicking days of sail. Dartmouth witnessed the departure of the Second and Third Crusades and the houses line the quay in harmonious disarray. We will have time to wander around this historic town and visit the numerous shops and galleries as well as places of interest to landlubbers and sailors alike.

Dinner this evening will be in a converted church – now being run as a restaurant and where we will have magnificent views of the estuary and the local fisherman and yachtsmen.

Day 10

We now leave the coast behind us and travel north towards the Georgian city of Bath – home of Jane Austen. Our first day in this area will take us to the American Museum where we will have a private tour of the textile collection – among the treasures here are quilts made by Sioux Indian women, Amish women and slaves as well as other treasures not always on show to the general public.

Our afternoon takes us to Montacute House – a glittering Elizabethan house, adorned with elegant chimneys, carved parapets and other Renaissance features. We will have a private tour of the house and learn a lot more about the house and the fine collection of Elizabethan and Jacobean portraits.

Our home for the next two nights is Lucknam Park – here we can relax and unwind in the magnificent surroundings of this hotel – a country retreat where elegant rooms, local flavours and private gardens all combine to create a sanctuary of sumptuousness. Relax in the elegance of the hotel or wander over to the spa – or perhaps a spot of croquet on the lawn or a set or two of tennis. It is all here for you to enjoy.

Day 11

Today is dedicated to Jane Austen and the wonderful city of Bath – surely one of the most beautiful in the world. The roman remains from 75AD are here and the Roman Baths – are now a Spa which can be enjoyed by us all. We can then be transported hundreds of years into the Georgian era of this fantastic city and see it through the eyes of Jane Austen – a local guide will take us through all the places that she knew so well and a visit to the Costume Museum is a must.

This evening we will be guests in a private house where after dinner, we will enjoy readings from the books of Jane Austen read to us by an actress in period costume. A very special evening and we are very privileged to be able to enjoy this rare treat.

A good nights sleep awaits us after a busy day.

Day 12

We are now leaving the peace and tranquillity of this part of the world and wending our way back towards London but en route we will call in at Windsor Castle and here we will be guided through the Castle and shown the magnificent collections here and see the wonderful reconstruction of the Castle following the devastating fire in 1992 when so much damage was done. A few hours on our own in Windsor before we leave for our hotel – nestled by the river Thames in a charming Berkshire village.

Our farewell dinner will be held in the hotel and we will have the opportunity to share all our experiences with each other before turning in for our last night in England.

Day 13

Today we leave leafy Berkshire and travel the short journey back to Heathrow for our departures back to our own homes – bursting with the experiences we have shared, the places we have seen and the people we have met – memories that will stay with us forever.

Included:

· First class hotel accommodation
· 26 meals – 12 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 12 dinners (drinks during dinner are not included unless specified in the detailed itinerary)
· Transport in coach with all facilities
· Embroidery Workshop at Royal School of Needlework
· Local guides
· Admission charges to all venues
· All tips for hotel staff and restaurants (where part of the tour)
· Information folder for all participants – including brochures and timed itinerary

Not included:

All items of a personal nature, ie bar bills, telephone calls, laundry, insurance, meals other than those stated in the itinerary and any gratuities other than those stated above, are not included.

booking information »