St Mary’s Church Batcombe

A Visit to the Parish of Batcombe, England

Provisional Programme

(Details subject to change)

Saturday 11^th June to Sunday 19^th June 2005

Day 1 – Saturday 11^th June

am – Visitors arrive Heathrow early morning – collected by bus (with Batcombe escorts on board). Ideally visitors should arrive within narrow time span. [Otherwise collections from train stations at Castle Cary or Gillingham, Dorset could be made for later arrivals or visitors arriving under their own arrangements]. Drive to Batcombe (about 2 ½ hours); coffee & biscuits at Village Hall; formal briefing on itinerary & format for the week; introduction to hosts.

Lunch with hosts

pm – Free; afternoon spent with hosts.

6pm to 9pm - Supper & event in Village Hall (History of Batcombe by Donald Sage). The evening will include an archive display.

Day 2 – Sunday 12^th June

Morning Free. Option to attend morning service at St Mary’s Church, Batcombe; possibility for Roman Catholics to attend service at Downside Abbey.

Traditional Sunday lunch with hosts

3 pm – Depart Village Hall by bus, for 18^th century Stourhead House and gardens

6.30 pm – Light classical concert by the Wessex Strings in St Mary’s Church, followed by supper at Batcombe’s village pub, The Three Horseshoes

Day 3 – Monday 13^th June

9.30 am – Depart Village Hall by bus to a local train station, picturesque train ride into Bath. Remainder of day in Bath starting with a privately booked open-top bus tour of the city. Visits will include: - Roman Baths, Abbey, Museum of Costume, Postal Museum, etc. Dr Raimund Herincx, a former member of the Metropolitan Opera in New York and now a steward at Bath Abbey, will guide part of this tour, which will include lunch and supper in Bath.

10.15 pm – Arrive back at Batcombe

Day 4 – Tuesday 14^th June

7.30 am – Depart Village Hall by bus for early morning private visit to Stonehenge (arranged through English Heritage). A late breakfast followed by visit to Wilton House and gardens. Lunch by the river at 16^th Century pub, The Rose & Crown, Harnham. Visit Salisbury Cathedral and Mompesson House in The Cathedral Close; (the Chapter Clerk at the Cathedral will conduct a private tour not available to the ordinary tourist); walk around old town (market day).

7 .30 pm – Arrive back at Batcombe;

Supper with hosts

(After the visit to Stonehenge there may be an alternative opportunity to visit the prehistoric Avebury Stone Circle, followed by picnic breakfast and a visit to a farm)

Day 5 – Wednesday 15^th June

9.30 am – Depart Village Hall by bus for the city of Wells, a tour of the Bishop’s Palace, and a private guided tour of the Cathedral to include the upper levels not normally open to visitors. Walk around the old town (market day). Lunch either at Cathedral Cloisters or at the Bishops Palace.

4 pm – Bus to Mells, the original home of ‘Little Jack Horner’. Guided tour of Mells Manor, tea in gardens, visit church and Main Street, followed by supper at The Talbot Inn - a 15^th Century coaching inn in Mells

10 pm – Arrive back at Batcombe

Day 6 – Thursday 16^th June

9.30 am – Depart Village Hall by bus for visit to Dorset & Isle of Purbeck

- coffee in 15^th Century pub in Cerne Abbas; walk around village centre & church

- visit Athelhampton House (15^th Century) and gardens, Lunch at Athelhampton

- visit Corfe Castle (10^th Century). Visit 14^th Century church at Steeple Manor (in the 14^th Century the Lawrence family from Steeple Manor married into the Washington family and the Lawrence coat of arms from this church was used by George Washington as a part of the design for The Stars and Stripes). Tea in grounds of Steeple Manor & private tour of Manor House. Supper at Scott Arms Hotel, Kingston

10.15 pm – Arrive back at Batcombe

Day 7 – Friday 17^th June

9.30 am – Depart Village Hall by bus for Bradford on Avon; visit 14^th Century Tithe Barn; ride a “narrow boat” on the 18^th century Kennet and Avon canal to Freshford; picnic at Iford Manor whose gardens were laid out by Harold Peto. (If wet, lunch in pub on the river at Freshford).

3 pm – Bus to Hadspen House, tour of the gardens led by the architects of the gardens, tea and talk by member of the family who formerly owned the house, followed by tour of the house. Visit Bruton Church (from where early colonial immigrants settled in Williamsburg, Virginia, and called their church “Bruton Parish Church”). Visit the chapel of Sexey’s Hospital in Bruton, an early almshouse and hospice) followed by supper at the Clair de Lune restaurant, a town house dating from the 15^th century

10 pm – Arrive back at Batcombe

Day 8 – Saturday 18^th June

Free day - Organised by hosts

6 pm – A gala dinner at the Village Hall; starting with a garden reception at Batcombe House, a display by Bathampton Morris Musicians (Morris Dancing & music); after dinner speaker is the internationally renowned military historian and former local resident Sir John Keegan who will describe the American military presence in the South West of England leading up to the Normandy landings and subsequent campaign in Western Europe.

Day 9 – Sunday 19^th June

am - Meet at Village Hall (timing depends on visitors’ departure schedules)

- Official goodbyes and final fund raising, before departing Batcombe. Bus will be available to take visitors back to Heathrow. Other private arrangements for departure may be made with hosts.