The Historic Houses & Heritage of
Northumbria
Peter Medhurst with Jan Williams
19th – 26th May 2025 / 6 days from £2,429
To book, either download the brochure from here or talk to Sandy Cornish at Tailored Travel on 01227 830624 (Monday to Wednesday 0800-1600, and mornings on Thursday to Friday 0800-1145)
or Telephone Tailored Travel on 020 7064 4970. Email: info@tailored-travel.co.uk
Download brochure HERE
Introduction
Northumbria was an early medieval Anglian kingdom in what is now Northern England and Southern Scotland. Its name derives from the Old English Norþanhymbre meaning ‘the people or area north of the Humber Estuary’, as opposed to the people who dwell to the south of it. Northumberland is a county through which many of us pass, but rarely stop, and this tour is a perfect opportunity to spend time exploring the rich heritage of the area, taking in its country houses, castles, churches, museums and landscape, as well as its great legacy to the world of music.
Day 1
After our morning departure by executive coach from Victoria Coach Station, we journey northwards towards the Jesmond Dene Hotel in Newcastle, where we stay for five nights. Following a necessary break, we visit Doddington Hall, in Lincolnshire, a magnificent Elizabethan prodigy house, but with interiors dating from the 1760s. The Hall was designed by Robert Smythson who was also the architect of Hardwick Hall. Doddington Hall is privately owned and is closed to the public today, but we have an exclusive tour of the building, followed by an especially organised lunch. We continue our journey north, and in the evening, relax over a group dinner.
Day 2
Following a morning lecture at the hotel, we have a brief introductory guided tour of Newcastle, culminating in a visit to the Laing Art Gallery, opened in 1904. Among its many treasures are paintings by John Martin (The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah), William Holman Hunt (Isabella and the Pot of Basil), as well as works by Sir Joshua Reynolds, Edward Burne-Jones, and Ben Nicholson. There is also a collection of watercolours and drawings, by JMW Turner and John Sell Cotman. After an included lunch, we visit Durham Cathedral, described by Charles Spence as ‘one of the great experiences of Europe to the eyes of those who appreciate architecture, and to the minds of those who understand architecture’. Peter or the resident organist will play the organ here.
Day 3
This morning we make our way to the atmospheric remains of Lindisfarne Priory, also known as Holy Island, one of the most important centres of early English Christianity. Irish monks settled here in AD 635 and the monastery became the hub of a major cult celebrating the achievements of St Cuthbert (c634-687), its esteemed bishop. The museum at the priory focuses in part on the famous Lindisfarne Gospels, created on the island in the early 8th century in honour of
St Cuthburt. The present ruins are those of a 12th century priory, which claims direct descent from the earlier monastery. After an included lunch – and continuing with the theme of ecclesiastical buildings – we visit St Aidan’s Church in nearby Bamburgh and St Annes Church in Ancroft. Peter will play the organ in one of the two churches. Time permitting, we will take in the Bagpipe Museum in Morpeth, prior to returning to our hotel.
Day 4
Our explorations today are to do with secular buildings, and we start with a visit to Alnwick Castle, the second largest inhabited castle in England and home to the Earls and Dukes of Northumberland since 1309. The fame and importance of Alnwick Castle goes far beyond its association with Harry Potter, and our visit there takes in the grand Italianate state rooms with their outstanding collection of art and furniture. After an included lunch, we continue to the National Trust’s Cragside House and Gardens, a magnificent Victorian mansion designed by Richard Norman Shaw, and described as ‘the palace of a modern magician’. Cragside was the home of William Armstrong, 1st Baron Armstrong, founder of the Armstrong Whitworth armaments firm. Armstrong was an industrial magnate, scientist, philanthropist and inventor of the hydraulic crane and the Armstrong gun. His inventiveness was applied to his to his domestic sphere as well, since he made Cragside the first house in the world to be lit using hydroelectric power.
Day 5
No tour to this corner of England is complete without a visit to the superb Bowes Museum, a purpose-built public art gallery created by John and Josephine Bowes between 1862 and 1875. Pevsner described it as ‘big, bold and incongruous, looking exactly like the town hall of a major provincial town in France’. Here we enjoy a private guided tour, with time to freeflow through the large collection of Europe paintings, which include works by Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger, Anthony van Dyck, and Canaletto. After an included lunch – and by way of contrast – we drive to Belsay Hall Castle, an astonishing Regency style country house, regarded as the first English country house to be built entirely in the new Greek revival style. Tonight we enjoy a farewell dinner together.
Day 6
After checking out of our hotel – and en route south, to London – we visit The Spanish Gallery in Bishop Auckland, England’s first gallery dedicated to the art and culture of the Spanish Golden Age (16th and 17th centuries). The magnificently displayed collection contains over 120 paintings, and includes masterpieces by El Greco, Murillo, Zurbarán and Velázquez. Our return journey includes an included lunch stop, as well as necessary comfort breaks! The tour ends with our return to London’s Victoria Coach Station.
Accommodation
We stay five nights at Jesmond Dene House (www.jesmonddenehouse.co.uk), a privately owned hotel in a leafy setting with Newcastle’s city centre only a short drive away. We enjoy included private dinners in the John Dobson Room on our first and last nights. The remaining three nights are on bed and breakfast basis. Facilities at the hotel include a restaurant and bar and all rooms are en suite and feature telephone, television, hairdryer, and tea & coffee making facilities.
Features
Tour limited to 24 passengers
Private lecture by Peter on Day 2
Organ recitals on Days 2 & 3
Jan Williams, Blue Badge guide onDays2to5
First class Newcastle-upon-Tyne hotel
Included welcome & farewell dinners
Included lunches each day
All excursion travel & guided tours included
Entrance fees to non-National Trust properties included
Private executive coach throughout
Listening headsets on Days 2 to 5
Highlights
Doddington Hall – private guided tour & lunch
Newcastle-upon-Tyne guided tour
Laing Art Gallery
Durham Cathedral – organ recital by Peter or the resident organist
Lindisfarne Priory on Holy Island
St Aidan’s Church, Bamburgh
St Annes Church, Ancroft – organ recital by Peter
Bagpipe Museum, Morpeth
Alnwick Castle
Cragside House & Gardens
Bowes Museum – private guided tour
Belsay Hall Castle
The Spanish Gallery, Bishop Auckland
Extras to the tour
Insurance (including Covid cover) £36
Entrance fees National Trust properties
(free to National Trust members)
Single room supplement £199
Gratuities
Peter Medhurst with Jan Williams
19th – 26th May 2025 / 6 days from £2,429
To book, either download the brochure from here or talk to Sandy Cornish at Tailored Travel on 01227 830624, or Tel: 020 7064 4970. Email: info@tailored-travel.co.uk
Download brochure HERE
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