• Henley DFAS

Past Day Visits

Buscot Park Grounds
Kelmscott Manor and Buscot Park

This Day Visit was to the upper Thames region near Lechlade where the group enjoyed touring Kelmscott Manor and Buscot Park.  Kelmscott Manor dates back to Tudor times and dominates the tiny villag

Clerkenwell Green Tuesday 28 March 2017 (Booking 19 January)
Clerkenwell and Smithfield with Andrew Davies

With Andrew Davies as our indefatigable, knowledgeable and entertaining guide, this promises to be a fascinating day.  Beginning with the engineering marvel of the Victorian Market, this tour will

Sezincote House Gardens Tuesday 6 June 2017 (Booking 20 April)
Burford, Oxfordshire, and Sezincote House, Gloucestershire

Burford, a historic Cotswold market town formerly associated with the wool trade, has attractive 15th and 16th century houses.  There will be independent time to see the beautiful church of St John

Tuesday 11 July 2017 (Booking 18 May)
Broughton Grange Gardens and Broughton Castle, Oxfordshire

Broughton Grange Gardens are distinguished by an impressive walled terraced garden designed by Tom Stuart-Smith, six times Chelsea gold medalist.  This private visit is an opportunity to experience

Dale Chichuly Chandelier Saturday 25 November 2017 (Booking 25 November)
Victoria & Albert Museum, London SW7

The V&A is an Aladdin's cave of painting, sculpture, ceramics, glass, textiles, fashion, furniture, photography, metalwork and numerous other decorative arts.  The recently renovated Europe 160

Andrew Davies Wednesday 21 March (Booking 18 January)
Andrew Davies Tour - Old Westminster and the River Thames
The masterly guide Andrew Davies promises another fascinating day in London.
 
Eltham Palace Wednesday 23 May (Booking 15 March)
Eltham Palace and the Red House (William Morris)
A moated manor house and altered in the early 1300’s into Eltham Palace, it was fit to accommodate the entire Tudor Court and visited by generations of Kings and Queens.
Mary Rose Thursday 12 July (Booking 17 May)
The Mary Rose Museum – King Henry VIII’s Favourite Warship, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
The Mary Rose Museum reopened in 2016, the final stage of a £39 million project.
Waddesdon Thursday 29 November (Booking 20 September)
Waddesdon Manor, Christmas Lights and Fair
The festive season will be in full swing at Waddesdon Manor with rooms beautifully decorated for Christmas.
Standen House Thursday 25th April 2019 (Booking 21st February)
Standen House and Gardens, East Grinstead, West Sussex and The Priest House, West Hoathly, West Sussex

Standen House is a lovely family home designed by the architect, Philip Webb, a friend and colleague of William Morris.  It was built for the prosperous Beale family in the 1890’s.  We are especial

Wednesday 5th June 2019 (Booking 18th April)
‘Leonardo da Vinci- A life in drawing’ exhibition. The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace. Apsley House, home of the Duke of Wellington Piccadilly, London.

We will visit the Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace to see a special exhibition of over 200 of Leonardo da Vinci’s drawings belonging to the Royal Collection and not normally on view to the public

Thursday 29th August 2019 (Booking 20th June) These are both private visits.
Dorney Court, Dorney, Buckinghamshire and Frogmore House, Windsor Park

Dorney Court, a glorious Tudor manor house of architectural and historical importance, is also still very much a family home.  Built in the fifteen century it has been lived in by the Palmer family

Thursday 3rd October 2019
Andrew Davies’ Tour – Kensington and Knightsbridge, London.

 Our favourite guide, Andrew Davies, has promised us another fascinating tour of London, this time around Kensington and Knightsbridge.  He has planned a walk for us, starting and finishing at the

Wednesday 7th November 2019 (Booking Thursday 19th September 2019)
Last Supper in Pompeii

PLEASE NOTE: Monnik Vleugels is handling this event.  For all enquiries please contact her direct on monnik.vleugels@gmail.com or telephone 07505 778405. Thank you.

Everything from the exquisite mosaics in the villas of the wealthy to the remains found in kitchen drains reveals what the people of Pompeii loved to eat and drink.  The Ashmoleans's 2019 summer exhibition will tell the story of this ancient Roman town's love affair with food. (Click blue print above "Last Supper in Pompeii" for more).

Thursday 14th May 2020 (Booking Thursday 19th March 2020)
Brighton Pavilion and Art Gallery, The Lanes and Seafront.

 

Brighton Pavilion, an exotic and eccentric palace, was built by George IV as a retreat from his parents and the formality of the royal court where he could indulge his various passions for gambling, women, horses and lavish entertaining.

Designed by architect John Nash in 1815, it dramatically reflected the unusual taste and interests of the then Prince Regent, who was fascinated by the Orient. 

The pavilion combined the grandeur of the Regency period with the opulence of Indian and Chinese inspired design.  It caused a sensation when completed in 1823 with its Indian type minarets, domes and pinnacles.

(Please click on the blue print above to continue reading)

Thursday 12th November 2020 Online at 10.30am and 2.30pm
Soho, the Last 150 Years

The West End, with its theatres, hotels, luxury shops and huge mansions, has always been one of the most glittering districts of London.  However, there is a small part of the West End that has had an altogether darker reputation. 

(Please click the blue print above to continue reading)

Online Thursday 10th December 2020 at 10.30am and repeated at 2.30pm. An email will be sent to you the day before this Christmas Show with a link to it.
The Spirit of Christmas

 

Whilst  Covid  restrictions are in place and a usual annual visit to the local panto is not going to happen, we decided to bring a little bit of Christmas cheer to you from the comfort of your own homes.  This live online virtual tour “The Spirit of Christmas” will be celebrating all things Christmassy.

(Please click on the blue print above to continue reading.)

Thursday 4th February 2021 live online at 11.00am. An email will be sent to you the day before with a link to it.
A Live Walking Tour of the District of Venice called Cannaregio

 

Starting at the Church of the Jesuits, Luisella will move to the Fondamenta della Misericordia, pass the old Brotherhood of Santa Maria Valverde and reach the Madonna dell'Orto Church.  We will then see the House of Tintoretto, the Campo dei Mori and finally a visit to the Jewish Ghetto. 

(Please click on the blue print above to continue reading) 

Thursday 8th April 2021 live online at 2.00pm. An email will be sent to you the day before with a link to it.
A Live Walking tour of the District of Venice called Dorsoduro
A Delightful Live, Online Walking Tour
in the District of Dorsoduro, Venice

Dorsoduro is a large section of Venice, lying south and stretching up to the port of the city, created in the late 1880s. Our tour begins near this section and in particular at the Campo di San Nicolò dei Mendicoli, where mainly fishermen would live. Known also as the Nicolotti, the inhabitants of this part of Venice were very poor and we’ll admire what today are lovely examples of minor Venetian architecture.
 
 
Tuesday 11th May 2021 at 10.30am. A Virtual Live Walking Tour. An email will be sent to you the day before the visit (10th May) with a link to it.
A Virtual Live Visit to Budapest
 
Highlights of Buda - A Walking Tour of the Castle District
 

Our guide, Adam Marot, will walk you through the key sites of the Buda Castle Hill neighbourhood, 
starting with a breathtaking view of
 

The Chain Bridge.

(To read more please click on the blue print above)

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