SUMMER 2018 Attractions

ATTR ACTIONS In touch with our customers

sUmmer 2018

INSPIRING DAYS OUT FOR GROUPS

Stay up to date with our most popular properties. in this issUe:

PAge 3 Explore new discoveries along Hadrian’s Wall

PAge 4 Visit our glorious gardens for horticultural history

FLY THE FLAG FOR CASTLES England’s castles are an enduring and cherished symbol of the country’s long history. Their mighty walls once offered protection, shelter and defence against centuries of warfare and destruction.

Today the country’s castles are under siege once more. Invasive plants, severe weather and pollution are a constant threat.

We care for 66 of the most magnificent and significant castles in the country, many of which we have brought up to date with group-friendly facilities. Each year millions of visitors enjoy exploring them, discovering stories from England’s past.

Keeping these iconic buildings in good shape for current and future visitors is an essential but expensive business. As a charity, we’re reaching out this summer to ask for support for our castle conservation work. Read on to find out how your group can get involved in helping to care for our ancient castles for the centuries to come. continued on page 2

PAge 8 Full steam ahead to Battle Abbey and Battlefield

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT We’re looking forward to welcoming you and your groups to our sites.

Enjoy exploring them, knowing that your visits help keep the story of England alive for future generations.

2 continued from page 1

SNAP UP A free CASTLE VISIT If your group is visiting one of our most popular sites before the end of August, look out for our special castleshaped boxes where groups can make a donation and pick up a flag. Your support will help care for castles across the country and keep their stories alive.

If you haven’t already booked your group visit, here’s our top ten list of castles to visit this summer – all with boxes of flags:

If you take a photograph of your group waving their flags during your visit and send it to us, we will enter you into a prize draw for the chance to receive a free visit for your group of 11–50 people, to a castle of your choice during 2019.

■ Dover Castle, Kent

Send us your photograph by email to traveltrade@english-heritage. org.uk with ‘Fly the Flag Photo’ in the subject line. Include your name, contact details and the date and place of your group’s visit by Mon 24 September.

We will be in touch with the winner

by Mon 8 October.

■ Pendennis Castle, Cornwall

■ Carisbrooke Castle, Isle of Wight ■ Carlisle Castle, Cumbria

■ Framlingham Castle, Suffolk ■ Goodrich Castle, Herefordshire

Some are hosting spectacular jousts and other colourful events to bring the medieval past to life and we offer discounted entry for groups of 11 or more. Take a look online for details www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/ whats-on.

To find out more about our castle conservation campaign, visit www.english-heritage.org.uk/ castles

■ Kenilworth Caste, Warwickshire

■ Scarborough Castle, North Yorkshire ■ Tintagel Castle, Cornwall ■ Walmer Castle and Gardens, Kent

BRIDGING THE GAP Tintagel Castle is one of our most-visited castles.

In October we will start work on a spectacular new footbridge to improve access to this ancient destination which is ever-popular with groups.

Once complete, the dramatic footbridge will span the gap between the castle’s mainland and island, opening it up to those who find the current access via many steep steps too challenging.

It has been designed to recreate the historic route into the castle, which was connected by a land bridge until at least the 16th century.

between the mainland and island and step into the mysterious history that makes Tintagel so special.

Tintagel will be closed from the end of September while construction is underway and re-opens in Spring 2019.

At a height of roughly 55 metres above sea level, the bridge will give your group members a sense of transition between the present and the past, as they walk tintagel Castle, Castle road, tintagel, Cornwall Pl34 0he tel: + 44 (0)1840 770328 email: tintagel.castle@ english-heritage.org.uk www.english-heritage.org.uk/tintagel

(See pages 40-41 of the Group Visits Guide 2018/19)

how the new bridge will look

EXCLUSIVELY FOR ATTRACTIONS READERS To mark this major moment in the evolving history of Tintagel Castle, we are offering Attractions readers the opportunity to win a free guided tour for your group once the new bridge opens in 2019.

The hour-long tour, given by one of our historians, will delve into the history of the site and the legends that surround it. It will be for a maximum group size of 50 people.

To win this free tour, email us with a brief description (no more than 100 words) of what makes your favourite English Heritage castle so special for a group visit.

Add your name, group name and contact details and write ‘Tintagel Competition’ in the subject line.

Your entry must be with us by Mon 24 September and we will contact you by Mon 8 October if you have won. Good luck!

3

ARTEFACTS TELL OF FAMILY LIFE AT THE WALL Your groups can see Roman cremation urns containing the remains of a young woman and a five-year-old child, now on display for the first time in our new exhibition at Birdoswald Roman Fort.

Discovered just outside the fort, the remains of what may be a mother and her child challenge the assumption that Hadrian’s Wall was exclusively the preserve of military men.

Infant feeding bottles, remnants of a doll, a bone whistle and evidence of board games have also gone on display at nearby Corbridge Roman Town as part of our recent £1.8m makeover of these two significant sites. Groups can explore these finds and their stories to get a deeper understanding of the men, women and children who lived and died on the Roman Empire’s north-west frontier.

Although buried separately outside Birdoswald Roman Fort, the graves of the woman and child were joined together, suggesting that the two were related.

Analysis of the child’s tooth suggests s/he was around five, and the woman is thought to have been in her twenties or thirties. Grave goods were found in the urn buried with the woman, including a section of chain mail.

Pieces of armour are usually associated with male burials, so this discovery has puzzled archaeologists.

New research at Corbridge Roman Town has enabled our experts to better understand what this town would have looked like. We’ve put a new visualisation into the museum so you can get a close up view of the Roman Empire’s most northerly town. The museum also houses the largest collection of Roman finds on Hadrian’s Wall, including the worldfamous Corbridge Hoard. Alongside children’s games and toys, a particular highlight is an exquisite perfume vase, in impeccable condition and on display for the first time. It’s thought it once belonged to a high status woman.

It’s worth visiting both sites during a full day excursion to get a real understanding of what life was like on the wall. New facilities at Birdoswald also include a 32-seat café with outdoor seating for an additional 28 people, serving light lunches (including our famous Roman burger) and shop.

main image: Frances McIntosh, curator of Roman Collections, holding a feeding bottle.

Above: Gaming board with dice and counters at Corbridge Roman Town

Birdoswald roman fort, gilsland, Brampton, Cumbria CA8 7DD tel: + 44 (0)1697 747602 email: birdoswald.romanfort@ english-heritage.org.uk www.english-heritage.org.uk/birdoswald (See page 84 of the Group Visits Guide 2018/19) Corbridge roman town, Corbridge, northumberland ne45 5nt tel: + 44 (0)1434 632349 email: corbridge.romantown@ english-heritage.org.uk www.english-heritage.org.uk/ corbridgeromantown (See page 86 of the Group Visits Guide 2018/19)

4

1

2

3

5

7

GLORIOUS GARDENS Landscapes and gardens are a vital part of England’s story and are often the crowning glory to the houses they served through the centuries, as spaces for leisure, pleasure and food production.

We’re lucky to care for some of the country’s best historic gardens.

The best way to unearth a garden’s past and find out about its plants and dayto-day management is to pre-book your group onto a guided tour (small extra charges apply). Here’s a round-up of our gardens which offer them – contact the site for more details and prices.

1

Audley End House and Gardens, Essex CB11 4JF

Choose from a tour of the Victorian organic walled garden or of the parterre garden and the wider Capability Brown landscape. Both tours last an hour for groups of up to 25. If you have time, book onto the 1.5 hour combined tour.

2

Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens, Northumberland NE20 0DX

The gardens of Belsay Hall are some of the most picturesque in the North East.

There’s a wonderful variety of plants, and a spectacular quarry garden with its own microclimate. Look out for red squirrels as you tour the 30 acres of grounds, and don’t miss the displays of magnolias and rhododendrons in spring.

3

The Home of Charles Darwin, Down House Kent BR6 7JT

At Darwin’s family home of 40 years, groups can explore the gardens where he conducted some of the experiments which informed his theories on evolution. Your group will also go into the glasshouses where Darwin once fed his own toenail clippings to meat-eating Sundews – his favourite plants.

4

Eltham Palace and Gardens, London SE9 5QE Lawns, flower borders, mature trees and water features combine to make the 19-acre gardens at Eltham Palace a beautiful oasis of tranquillity in the capital.

Head Gardener Jane Cordingley says: ‘On our tours we explore how the garden has developed over time.

Much of the garden owes its design to the artistic millionaires who transformed Eltham in the 1930s, but it was later added to by the expert horticulturalists of the Royal Parks department. With our huge variety of plants we can help groups improve their plant knowledge and advise on their cultivation and I always try to personalise each tour I give.’

Full details of all these sites and their gardens are in our Group Visits Guide 2018-19.

To order your copy: tel + 44 (0) 117 975 1349 or email traveltrade@english-heritage.org.uk.

5

5

2

Osborne, Isle of Wight PO32 6JX

Prince Albert was heavily involved with the design of Osborne’s estate and introduced many of the trees which dot the landscape. Your guided tour will take in the Victorian walled garden, terraces, herbaceous borders and Swiss Cottage gardens where the royal children grew fruit and vegetables.

8

7

1 4 3

6

5

Head Gardener Toby Beasley says: ‘Our tours last around 1.5 hours and we try to highlight both Prince Albert’s ideas for gardening on a grand scale and give insights into some of the plants which group members might otherwise miss. This includes the original myrtle which has traditionally provided sprigs for royal wedding bouquets since 1858 and still thrives here. Our climate is so mild, groups also get to see plants they wouldn’t normally come across – like the orange tree in the walled garden, which this year produced fruit for the first time in 15 years.’

6

Walmer Castle and Gardens, Kent CT14 7LJ Take a tour led by one of our gardeners to discover Walmer’s eight acres of award-winning gardens. See the kitchen garden, herbaceous borders and the Queen Mother’s Garden, created to celebrate Her Majesty’s 95th birthday.

7

Wrest Park, Bedfordshire MK45 4HR

Exploring Wrest Park’s 90-acre landscape with a knowledgeable volunteer guide is a must for any green-fingered group. With 300 years of garden design still intact, it’s a joy to see the restored areas including the French Parterre, Italian Garden and Rose Garden and to take in the water features, woodlands and garden buildings. They include the iconic Archer Pavilion, standing at the end of the long water – Wrest Park’s ‘signature’ vista.

8

Mount Grace Priory, House and Gardens, North Yorkshire DL6 3JG

Mount Grace Priory is firmly on the map as a great all-round destination for group visits, now that we’ve completed a £1.3m re-design and upgrade of its gardens and added a café.

With garden designer and broadcaster Chris Beardshaw at the helm, our gardens team and local volunteers spent winter and spring transforming the terraces with new Arts and Craftsinspired planting. They now provide a link to the Arts and Crafts interiors of the manor house and offer a variety of colourful new flower beds and accessible pathways.

Groups can also explore the best preserved Carthusian priory in the country, complete with a reconstructed monk’s cell and herb garden. There’s also a restored wildflower meadow to enjoy.

mount grace Priory, house and gardens

The new Orchard Café overlooks a replanted orchard, seating 18 inside and 32 outside. We’ve worked with top local suppliers to create tasty, seasonal lunches and treats. All this wraps Mount Grace Priory, House and Gardens up into an excellent groupfriendly package.

Chris Beardshaw sits in the transformed terraces

6

A TASTE OF THE HIGH LIFE Spoil your group with a very special treat this winter when Eltham Palace opens its Art Deco doors just for you.

You can have the whole of Eltham Palace to yourselves to get a real feel for the 1930s high life in a special Millionaire Package, which runs weekdays from 1 November 2018 to 31 January 2019, when the house would normally be closed.

Up to 50 people can be hosted on a 1.5-hour personalised tour of the Art Deco mansion, where they will find out about the decadent lifestyle of society millionaires Stephen and Virginia Courtauld, who transformed the site of the medieval palace into a 1930s Hollywood-style party house.

This glittering package, which must be pre-booked, also includes tea or coffee and cake served in the Orangery.

Cost is £500 to open the house – plus a £25pp charge for the tour and refreshments – for a group of 50, that’s just £35 per person. eltham Palace and gardens, Court Yard, eltham, london se9 5Qe tel: + 44 (0)20 8294 2548 email: eltham.palace@english-heritage.org.uk www.english-heritage.org.uk/elthampalace (See pages 10-11 of the Group Visits Guide 2018/19)

the circular entrance hall

SERVICE & SLAVERY Brand new tours for groups.

We’ve introduced a 1.5-hour ‘Slavery and Justice’ tour to look at the slave trade and the impact Lord Mansfield, late 18th-century owner of Kenwood, had on its abolition in his role as Lord Chief Justice.

It also delves into the story of Dido Belle, Lord Mansfield’s great niece, a woman of mixed heritage who grew up at Kenwood. The tour finishes in the Miniatures Room where your group members can see a Wedgewood miniature depicting a kneeling shackled slave – an iconic emblem of the Abolitionist Movement.

‘Kenwood Above and Below’ explains how the house was used by staff as well as residents in 1790, at a time when dinner consisted of two courses, plus dessert – but with both courses containing up to 25 dishes! The introduction of a new bell pull system in the 1780s meant that servants no longer needed to continually follow their master around and lurk within earshot, just in case he needed them.

Kenwood, hampstead lane, london nW3 7Jr tel: + 44 (0)20 8348 1286 email: kenwood.house@english-heritage.org.uk www.english-heritage.org.uk/kenwood (See pages 12-13 of the Group Visits Guide 2018/19)

Portrait of lady elizabeth finch hatton with Dido Belle

Both tours must be pre-booked at least a month ahead of your visit. We welcome groups of 11–25.

Entrance to Kenwood is free, but an £11.90 per adult charge is payable for each of these tours.

7

STONEHENGE 100 We’re celebrating an important anniversary at Stonehenge this autumn. Friday 26 October marks 100 years since the ancient monument was gifted to the nation by its private owners – an act of generosity which saved it from potential collapse and safeguarded its future.

Cecil and Mary Chubb had bought Stonehenge for £6,600 at a local auction just three years before they gave it to the nation in 1918. Some of the stones were propped up with wooden poles, others were in danger of collapsing and many had been damaged by visitors chipping away at them for souvenirs.

But the Chubbs’ public-spirited donation marked a turning point in the history of Stonehenge and its fortunes. The Office of Works – a predecessor of English Heritage – took Stonehenge into its care and began a programme of conservation, which continues to this day.

Another milestone for Stonehenge Another major milestone came in 2013, when we opened the current visitor centre 2km away from the stone circle.

This allowed us to remove a road and fencing adjacent to the monument and to demolish outdated and outgrown visitor facilities close by. Since then

Stonehenge has been re-connected with its surrounding prehistoric landscape and your group members can enjoy it in a greener and more peaceful setting.

We are treating all visitors to Stonehenge to a slice of birthday cake on the 100th anniversary on Fri 26 October – including your pre-booked groups.

We are also partnering with the British Museum to open a major new exhibition in the visitor centre on Fri 12 October, displaying over 20 outstanding ancient objects made between 4000BC and 700BC. They highlight the exquisite craftsmanship of the period.

BIG FEAST WEEKEND Sat 1 – Sun 2 September Head to Stonehenge for a taste of history, featuring dishes from the distant past.

There will be a packed menu of activities including live food demos and talks. We’ll take a look at the latest archaeological evidence for how our ancestors sourced, prepared, cooked and ate their food.

There’s also the opportunity to see the temporary ‘Feast!’ exhibition before it closes on Sun 16 September.

Stonehenge, Nr Amesbury, Wiltshire SP4 7DE Tel: + 44 (0)370 333 0604 Email: bookstonehenge@ english-heritage.org.uk www.english-heritage.org.uk/stonehenge

(See pages 37-39 of the Group Visits Guide 2018/19)

Feast! at Stonehenge

8

ENCHANTING DECEMBER EVENINGS Light up the winter darkness for your group by booking them on an adventure through a kaleidoscopic wonderland this December.

Our ‘Enchanted’ events see the landscapes of five of our top sites transformed with light, colour and sound into magical wintry worlds.

Book early for one of these very special evenings at: ■ Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens, Northumberland ■ Brodsworth Hall and Gardens, South Yorkshire ■ Audley End House and Gardens, Essex ■ Eltham Palace and Gardens, Greenwich ■ Witley Court and Gardens, Worcestershire

enchanted at Brodsworth hall

A 15% discount applies for groups of 11 or more at each site on pre-booked timed ticket slots at 16.30, 17.30, 18.30 and 19.30 on 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21 and 22 December. There is no coach parking on site, so coaches must drop off and pick up.

enchanted at Audley end

You can book your discounted group tickets from early August via Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.co.uk/tmgroups or call + 44 (0) 844 844 2121.

MAKE TRACKS TO BATTLE We’ve teamed up with Kent and East Sussex Railway to give your group a full day out to remember - combining a visit to 1066 Battle of Hastings, Abbey and Battlefield with a trip on a steam train through lovely countryside.

The ‘Shields and Passing Fields’ railway tour begins at Battle Abbey.

Groups will have the morning to take in the exhibitions and battlefield walk, as well as the rooftop viewing area, abbey ruins and walled fruit garden. There will be time to take some refreshments in our tearoom – where your group members will enjoy a 10% discount - before catching a train from nearby Northiam to Bodiam. A ploughman’s lunch is served on the return trip

from Bodiam to Tenterden, where group members can explore the historic high street.

1066 Battle of hastings, Abbey and Battlefield, Battle, East Sussex TN33 0AE tel: + 44 (0)1424 775705 email: battle.abbey@ english-heritage.org.uk www.english-heritage.org.uk/battleabbey

(See pages 18-19 of the Group Visits Guide 2018/19)

Battle Abbey gatehouse

Prices

The package costs £30 per person in groups of 15 or more.

Book your train with the railway, Tel: + 44 (0)1580 765155 or visit: www.kesr.org.uk/yourvisit/joint-visits/battle-abbey Contact Battle Abbey to complete your package booking.

ContACt Us english heritage travel trade Department, 29 Queen square, Bristol Bs1 4nD +44 (0)117 975 1349

traveltrade@english-heritage.org.uk

the english heritage trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a company, no. 07447221, registered in england.

(Cm4863_7/18)PAr6,000