Glorious Suffolk: From Gainsborough to Canaletto

Itinerary

DAY 1: SUNDAY 2 SEPTEMBER

You will be picked up at approx 8.15am from Cobham in Surrey* (there will also be a pick-up from Richmond-on-Thames, times TBC) and we then drive by executive coach to Woburn Abbey (journey time approx 1¾  hours) which has been the historic home of the Earls and Dukes of Bedford for nearly 400 years. Founded as a Cistercian abbey in 1145, it was rebuilt in the 18^th century in the Palladian style and boasts one of the finest private art collections in Britain as well as exceptional collections of French and English furniture, silver and porcelain. Woburn has many notable works such as The Armada Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I and boasts the largest private collection of Venetian views painted by Canaletto on public view. Siân will give a talk en route on the history of the Canaletto collection.

There will be time before and after the tour to relax and enjoy the magnificent landscaped gardens. Lunch is included.

We then drive to nearby Bletchley Park, home of the Codebreakers and once Britain’s best kept secret. Explore the different types of machines and codes that were used during World War Two and visit various codebreaking huts and exhibition spaces, all set within an atmospheric Victorian estate.

Following our visits we make our way to our hotel in the beautiful medieval village of Lavenham. The Swan is world-famous and one of the finest luxury hotels in Suffolk.

Lavenham is one of Britain’s best preserved medieval wool towns and still contains many beautiful examples of Tudor architecture. There are no less than 320 listed timber framed buildings, many of them protected by English Heritage – these include our hotel which originally dates from the 15^th century and combines contemporary elegance with historic charm. There is an excellent restaurant and luxury spa – hotel guests enjoy complimentary use of the sauna, relaxation suites and vitality pool.

There will be some free time on arrival to enjoy the hotel’s facilities, explore the village or simply relax with a drink before dinner with wine (included) which is served in the beautiful, timbered private dining room. You may like to join us for a short informal talk before dinner about the hotel’s famous Airman’s Bar which takes its name from the many servicemen from RAF Lavenham who would come to relax here. An inspiring collection of signatures and mementos adorn the walls.

DAY 2: MONDAY 3 SEPTEMBER

After breakfast and some time to explore at leisure we depart on foot and walk to the nearby Lavenham Hall Gallery for a specially-arranged private opening of Kate Denton’s sculpture gallery and the beautiful gardens at Lavenham Hall. Kate Denton is one of the UK’s leading figurative sculptors and is particularly interested in classical traditions, combining the subject’s form with a sense of dynamism and movement. Her animal sculptures are absolutely breathtaking. Lavenham Hall is a magnificent Tudor building, famous for its beautiful gardens which will be in full bloom in September.

When then depart by coach for nearby Kentwell Hall for our second private visit of the morning.

Kentwell Hall is a splendid moated Tudor manor which was built in the early 16th century by the Clopton family who became wealthy thanks to the local wool trade. The house is still privately owned although open in the summer for visits, however we will arrive for a private guided tour (with the owner) before it opens to the public. We will learn how the Tudor exterior has been combined with a mixture of successive periods within the 16th century layout, including neo-Gothic, Georgian and Classical influences. There are also a a number of surprises such as a Brueghel-style ceiling, a camera obscura and a brick-paved maze. Lunch is included, after which there will be a little free time to explore the beautiful gardens which combine ancient features, landscaping and organic planting.

We then drive to nearby Sudbury where there will be a guided tour of Gainsborough’s House. This is the house where Thomas Gainsborough was born in 1727 and has been converted into a museum and art gallery which exhibits a fine collection of his paintings, drawings and prints. The house’s permanent collection encompasses the whole of Gainsborough’s career, from his early portraiture and landscapes to later works from his London period.

En route home we will stop for afternoon tea (included) at Cressing Temple Barns. Given to the Knights Templar, these unique Grade I-listed Barley and Wheat Barns built in the 13th century are among the oldest timber barns and few surviving Templar buildings in England. Tea and scones are served in the tea room next door to the barns and Tudor pleasure garden.

We return in the afternoon and should arrive home by 7.00.

* For those for whom Cobham is not so convenient and wishing to join us en route, optional pick-ups can be discussed – please get in touch. Pick-ups times are approximate and will be confirmed in writing approx 2/3 weeks before travel.