Syon House & Gardens
Sunday, 26th April 2020
Syon is the last surviving ducal residence complete with its country estate in Greater London; it has been in the Percy family, the Dukes of Northumberland, for more than 400 years.
Syon Park is known world-wide as one of Robert Adam’s best examples of neo-classical splendour. View the magnificent State and Private Apartments (guides in each room) and see an array of art (Van Dykes, etc.) and antiques collected by the Percy family.
Visit the 40 acres of gardens designed by ‘Capability’ Brown and the Great Conservatory. The Park and Gardens feel like deep countryside, although nine miles from Charing Cross.
Accessibility/Mobility
The entrance to the House has around 8-10 stairs. Inside the House there are around 4 or 5 stairs from the Great Hall to the rest of the principal floor (all the Robert Adams rooms) and then a large staircase (about 30 stairs with a couple of landings in between) to the 1st floor which contains the Victorian bedrooms including Princess Victoria’s bedroom where she lived for many years as the 3rd Duchess was her governess. There are no lifts.
Lunch
There will be a pre-ordered lunch on arrival then you are free to explore the house and gardens at your leisure.
The Park Inn, Radisson, Heathrow, 4 Stars
Sunday NIght, 26th April 2020
Double/Twin or Single Rooms on a B&B basis. 3-course Group Buffet Dinner
Free access to Leisure Club facilities including Gym, Sauna, Steam Room and Pool
Strawberry Hill House
Monday, 27th April 2020
Strawberry Hill House is internationally famous as Britain’s finest example of Georgian Gothic Revival architecture. The House’s story begins in 1747, when Horace Walpole discovered and purchased ‘Chopp’d Straw Hall’, one of the last remaining sites available on the banks of the Thames in fashionable Twickenham, to build as his summer residence. He set about transforming a couple of cottages into his vision of a ‘little Gothic castle’ with pinnacles, battlements and a round tower.
Walpole delighted in entertaining foreign ambassadors, royalty and English aristocracy, several of whom were near neighbours. The popularity of Strawberry Hill House was a key factor in the emergence of Gothic Revival architecture that grew throughout the 18th and 19th Centuries, taking its inspiration from gothic cathedrals around Europe. Largely designed by Walpole’s friends, known as the ‘Committee of Taste’, which comprised John Chute and Richard Bentley, chimney pieces, doors and ceilings were based on gothic vaulting, medieval tombs and rose windows: ‘all Gothicism, gold and looking glass’ as the poet Thomas Gray described it.
Accessibility/Mobility
There are some stairs but also a lift if necessary.
Tour and Lunch
There will be a 90-minute guided tour on arrival then you are free to explore the house and gardens at your leisure. There will be a pre-ordered lunch before departing for Norfolk.
Cost includes: Round trip coach fare from King’s Lynn to West London plus tip, entrance to both venues including one 90-minute tour, 2 lunches, one-night’s stay on a B&B basis at the 4* Park Inn, Radisson, Heathrow, 3-course Group Buffet Dinner.
Total Cost: £170 pp double occupancy. Single supplement £42.50
Booking Deadline: 20th December, 2019 in order to guarantee hotel room prices
Minimum number needed to offer trip: 30. Maximum number: 48
Booking Form and Itinerary for 2-day, 1-night trip to Syon House & Strawberry Hill House, Sunday -Monday, 26th - 27th April, 2020
Cost includes round trip coach fare from King’s Lynn to West London plus tip, entrance to both venues including one 90-minute guided tour, two lunches, one-night’s stay at The Park Inn, Radisson, Heathrow on a bed & breakfast basis, 3-course Group Buffet Dinner at Hotel.
Total Cost per person, double occupancy: £170.00. Single supplement: £42.50
Itinerary, Day 1, Sunday, 26th April 2020
9.00 Leave Knight’s Hill, King’s Lynn
9.30 Pick-up Harrods Coaches, Bexwell Aerodrome, Downham Market
12.00 Arrive Syon House
12.30 Pre-ordered light lunch
13.30 Self-guided tour of house (guides in each room) and garden
16.45 Leave for The Park Inn, Radisson, Heathrow
17.15 Arrival and check-in at hotel.
18.45 3-course Group buffet dinner
Itinerary, Day 2, Monday, 27th April, 2020
9.00 Check-out of hotel
9.45 Arrive Strawberry Hill House
10.00 90-minute guided tour then free time to explore. Pre-ordered lunch at the Garden Café in the Great Cloister.
14.00 Board bus for return home
17.00 Drop off Harrods Coaches
17.45 Knight’s Hill drop off
Completed forms and your cheque should be handed in at the monthly meeting or sent to: ‘Syon House Visit’, 16 – 18 Ash Close, Swaffham, Norfolk PE37 7NH. Please note that bookings are not firm until payment has been made and that a refund will only be possible if a substitute can be found.
PLEASE NOTE: DEADLINE FOR SIGN-UPS: 20th DECEMBER 2019 IN ORDER TO GUARANTEE HOTEL PRICES
MINIMUM NEEDED TO HOLD TRIP: 30 MAXIMUM: 48
Any problems, please text or leave a message on 07568 375 805
***************************************************************************
Name: Telephone Number:
Mobile Number: E-mail address:
I should like to reserve ____ places for the Syon House Visit on Sunday-Monday, 26th-27th April, 2020. I enclose a cheque for ___________ (£170 pp double occupancy, or £212.50 single occupancy) made payable to The Arts Society King’s Lynn.
I wish to be picked up at Knights Hill I wish to be picked up at Harrods Coaches