Events & lectures
Visit to Abthorpe Manor
Thursday 4 July 2019
This visit is a special invitation to see the garden at Abthorpe Manor. The owner has spent many years creating the garden, including lovely architectural topiary and carving his own stonework for this beautiful and interesting garden.
Please note there are no toilets and no access to the manor house.
Venue: Abthorpe Manor (Post code: NN12 8QN)
Time: 6.30 p.m.
Cost: Members – £8 to include wine and nibbles . Visitors are welcome – £10.
Parking: Free. Please park in the field and walk up to the Manor to appreciate the approach.
Summer Party
Friday 5 July 2019
An evening to look forward to! We are very pleased that we can celebrate our Summer Party at Deene Park.
Deene has been home to the Brudenell family since it was acquired by the lawyer Sir Robert Brudenell in 1514, over 500 years of family residence. The mansion has been added to, altered and partially rebuilt during the succeeding centuries, but the general arrangement of the medieval house has survived, and the buildings wonderfully reflect the styles of each period of its development. The gardens too indicate these historic influences, the designs, the ideas and their enjoyment by its owners, right up to the newly designed and recently planted Rose Garden on the east side of the house. We shall explore this beautiful and historic garden, and then have our supper.
Venue: Deene Park – entrance via Deene Village, through the Estate Office entrance gate
Time: Arrive at 7.00 p.m for drinks and canapés
Cost: £18 per member and £20 for each guest – to include welcome drink and canapés, two-course supper and a glass of wine
Parking: Car park on right after Estate Office entrance
Visit to the Swiss Garden, Old Warden
Wednesday 17 July 2 p.m.
The Swiss Garden has been described as an ‘oasis of surprises’. It was made by the 3rd Lord Ongley of Old Warden Hall in the early C19 and centred upon a Swiss cottage atop a hill. Lord Ongley also gave the village a Swiss flavour. The estate was purchased by Joseph Shuttleworth in 1872 who gave the garden new impetus in a more Victorian style.
The garden was rescued from dereliction by the Bedfordshire County Council in 1976 and is now administered by the Shuttleworth Trust. We have booked a group tour of the garden itself, but would point out that the Shuttleworth collection of aircraft, etc. is also open (9.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. extra cost) and there is a restaurant on site for lunch and teas if members wish.
Venue: Meet at the Visitor Centre car park (Post code: SG18 8EP)
Time: 2.00 p.m.
Cost: Members – £8 . Visitors are welcome – £10.
Visit to East Carlton Country Park
Thursday 15 August
The East Carlton Country Park is administered by Corby Council and was the landscape park of East Carlton House built by the Palmer family in the style of a French chateau. Stewarts and Lloyds steelworks purchased the house and grounds in the 1930’s as a residential hall for employees and the house itself is now privately owned and undergoing repairs etc. The park has some lovely trees and walks through woodlands within it and also has a café in the old stable buildings where we shall have tea.
Venue: Meet in the car park of the Country Park (Post code : LE16 8YF )
Time: 2.00 p.m.
Cost: Members – £8 to include tea and cake . Visitors are welcome – £10.
Parking: Free.
Visit to Courteenhall
Wednesday 11 September
At Courteenhall we shall have a guided tour of the wonderful Arboretum to discover the variety of trees which are planted there. The estate has a programme of tree planting to endeavour to follow the designed parkland of Humphry Repton in the Red Book he produced for Sir William Wake, the 9th Baronet. The Arboretum itself is used by the Royal Forestry Society for its educational programme of Teaching Trees, a hands on session for children to learn about trees, wildlife and forestry. Repton also advised Sir William on the site for the new house he was constructing at Courteenhall to sit alongside the Palladian stables erected by the 8th Baronet c.1780.
Venue: Meet at Courteenhall estate (Post code NN7 2QD)
Time: 10.30 a.m.
Cost: Members – £12 to include coffee on arrival and a picnic lunch . Visitors are welcome – £14.
Parking: Free.
Do come along to one of our events – see what you have been missing …
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If these sound interesting, why not join us?
“Through the series of lectures and visits I learned a great deal more about the man (Lancelot Capability Brown) and his ideals and in turn this gave me a greater understanding and appreciation of the history behind what we take for granted, as the ‘English’ landscape." Gwen