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Saturday 26 October 2024

ANTHONY WOODVILLE – SOPHISTICATE OR SCHEMER?

A talk by Danielle Burton.

Was Anthony Woodville, brother of Queen Elizabeth Woodville, as bad as some have portrayed him or was he really a man of many talents?

Danielle is a historian and author. Her book on Anthony Woodville was published in February 2024.

Long Bennington Village Hall 7.30pm.

Saturday 30 November 2024

CHRISTMAS AT TEMPLE NEWSAM

Temple Newsam is often referred to as 'The Hampton Court of the North'. It is a magnificent mansion of the Tudor and Jacobean era, packed full of history and beautiful things and sitting in 1000 acres of glorious parkland.

The house will be beautifully decorated with Christmas trees and traditional garlands and you just might get a glimpse of Father Christmas!

You will have free time to wander around the house and grounds, followed by a sumptuous afternoon tea specially prepared for us in The Lady Hertford Suite of the house.

Please note* The tea promises to be substantial so do not over indulge at lunch time.

There is a cafe and a shop on site.

Take your own lunch or treat yourself to lunch in the cafe. Be aware that the cafe is likely to be rather busy.

Price - Will depend on numbers.

Depart - The Royal Oak, Long Bennington. Newark and Balderton pick-ups are available if required. 

Time - To be advised.

Please book with Jean Now, mentioning any special dietary requirements. Booking is urgent as Jean needs to know if the trip will run before sending a deposit to secure the booking.

Thursday 5 December 2024

BRANCH CHRISTMAS DINNER.

By popular request we return to The Royal Oak, Long Bennington. 

Time - 7.30pm

Price - To be advised

Menu choice available from Jean.

Please book with Jean by the end of OCTOBER. Deposit of £10.00 per person is required with booking. 

Please make out cheques to Richard III Society Lincolnshire Branch marked Christmas Dinner on the back and send to Branch Treasurer. Payments by BACS also welcome. Event Reference XMAS DINNER - see inside back cover.

Saturday 25 January 2025

WINTER WARMER. A NEW YEAR GET TOGETHER. 

Pub lunch at Whittakers Bar and Restaurant, 96 Main Road Long Bennington NG23 5DJ. 

Time - 12 noon.

Menu choice available in the New Year.

Thursday 27 February 2025

OWN CARS VISIT TO ST. WULFRUMS CHURCH GRANTHAM

Followed by lunch at the Angel and Royal. (price and menu choice available in the New Year).

A guided tour of the church and the chained library will be given by John Manterfield. 

Coffee/tea will be served at the church on arrival.

St Wulfrums is a magnificent church and would have been seen and possibly visited by Richard III.

We are extremely grateful to John for giving us his time and expertise.

Meet inside the church at 10.00am.

Price per person £8.50 for the tour and refreshments. 

Book with Jean by the end of January.

Cheques made out to J Townsend marked St Wulfrums on the back.

BACS payment, use Event Reference WULFRAM - see inside back cover. 

Friday 21 March 2025

A MYSTERY TRIP (WITH LUNCH)

Come along and explore somewhere unexpected. 

As usual Jean will issue clues about the venue and a small prize will be awarded for the correct answer.

We must have enough people to cover expenses before Jean can book the coach and organise the lunch.

Friends and family are most welcome to join us. Please book with Jean by the end of January. 

Price will depend on numbers. The more passengers the cheaper the trip.

Coach will depart from The Royal Oak, Long Bennington. Pickup time - To be advised.

Saturday 29 March 2025

THE LUTTRELL PSALTER, NATURE AND THE SUPERNATURAL IN A 14TH CENTURY MANUSCRIPT 

An illustrated lecture by Professor Alixe Bovey. Alixe is Executive Dean and Deputy Director of The Courtauld Institute of Art.

She is a specialist in the art and culture of the Middle Ages with an interest in illuminated manuscripts. 

We are incredibly privileged to have Alixe come to speak to us, so please support this lecture.

The Luttrell Psalter is a Lincolnshire treasure. It was produced for the Luttrell family of Irnham Hall and a facsimile of the manuscript can be seen in Irnham church.

Long Bennington Village Hall 7.30pm.

Sunday 13 April 2025

SAINT GEORGE’S DAY 

Our popular St George’s Day celebration will consist of a traditional Sunday lunch at The Royal Oak, Long Bennington. 

Try to wear something patriotic in St George's colours of red & white.

The roast beef of Old England will be on the menu along with lots of other choices including vegetarian and other dietary requirements.

Menu will be available from Jean along with the price.

Time - To be advised 

Please book with Jean by the end of February enclosing £10 deposit per person.

Cheques made out to Jean Townsend. BACS payment Event Reference GEORGE - see inside back cover.

Saturday 26 April 2025

STITCHES IN TIME, RECONSTRUCTING THE ARNOLFINI GOWN

An illustrated talk by Ninya Mikhaila. 

Ninya returns by popular request.

The Arnolfini portrait painted by Jan Van Eyck in 1434 is probably one of the best known medieval portraits in the world.

Ninya will give us insights and details of the reconstruction processes of that famous gown for the BBC television programme.

Ninya will bring along the reconstructed gown and it will be on display during the talk.

Long Bennington Village Hall 7.30pm.

Saturday 10 May 2025

BRANCH FUNDRAISING COFFEE MORNING

Westborough Village Hall, NG23 5HJ – Note the venue

Please Keep This Date Free.

Time 10.00am - 12.00pm. Setting up from 9.30am.

Following the huge success of the coffee morning last year we have decided to repeat the event.

The Branch needs your help and ideas to make this a profitable and successful morning.

We will have a book stall and a plant stall and of course the usual raffle.

We need volunteers to man the stalls and to serve refreshments. 

We also urgently require donations of books, plants and home-made cakes.

Please support this event by contacting Jean with your ideas and offers of help.

All the proceeds from this enjoyable morning help us to cover the rising cost of speakers and venue hire.

Wednesday 28 May2025

BRANCH COACH TRIP TO CHILLINGTON HALL STAFFORDSHIRE

Chillington is the family home of Charlie and Tessa Giffard and their three children. 

They are the 30th generation of Giffards to make this special place their home.

The hall will be opened especially for us and it promises to be a wonderful experience. 

We will have tea/coffee on arrival, followed by a tour of the house.

After the tour we will take a covered trailer ride through the Capability Brown park and woodland, to view the lake, the beautiful James Paigne-designed bridge and the Grecian temple.

We will then have a ploughman's lunch at the house followed by free time to explore the lovely gardens.

We hope that you will support this rare opportunity to visit a unique and much-loved house.

Please note * Anyone with dietary requests please inform Jean when you book. *

Price will depend on numbers. Jean calculates between £65 - £70 per person including lunch.

Depart - The Royal Oak, Long Bennington.  Other pickups may be available.

Time - To be advised.

Please book with Jean now. 

Saturday 28 June 2025

MOVE OVER MAID MARIAN, WOMEN IN THE MEDIEVAL ENGLISH FOREST

An illustrated talk by Professor Louise Wilkinson 

Louise is professor of medieval studies at the University of Lincoln.

She was previously professor of medieval history at Canterbury. 

Long Bennington Village Hall 7.30pm.

Saturday 5 July 2025 

The Mugaseth Memorial Lecture

MUSIC FROM THE TIME OF RICHARD III

A Concert of Medieval Music by The City of Lincoln Waites.

Wearing appropriate clothing and playing music of the period on replica instruments, the City of Lincoln Waites aim to reproduce the sights, sounds and atmosphere of a mayor’s band of the medieval period.

Venue - All Saints Church, Westborough, Newark, Notts. 

Time - 7.30pm

Price - £10 per ticket, INCLUDING REFRESHMENTS

Tickets will be on sale in April from Niz Smith

Cheques payable to Richard III Society Lincolnshire Branch or by BACS using Event Reference MUSIC - see inside back cover.

Please note we would like to decorate the church a little for the occasion. Jean can supply lots of greenery and rosemary. If we have any flower arrangers in the branch, please contact Jean with offers of help.

Friday 15 to Sunday17August 2025.

COACH HOLIDAY TO BISHOP AUKLAND TO SEE THE SPECTACULAR HISTORY PAGEANT ‘KYNREN’

An epic tale of England, Kynren is the UK's "must see" spectacular outdoor live active show.

Witness 2000 years of history come to life before your very eyes.

With a cast of thousands, it is a thrilling tale told on an epic scale.

Everyone should see this.

We will be based at the Mercure George Washington hotel set in the tranquil surroundings of Washington. 

The hotel has a swimming pool, spa and an 18-hole golf course. Room facilities include a flat screen tv, tea & coffee making facilities and hair dryer. All rooms are ensuite and the hotel has a lift.

We will visit Beamish, Tynemouth, Jarrow Anglo Saxon Village, the Bede Museum and St Pauls Church and Monastery.

Those who prefer to shop can visit the Viking Centre Jarrow instead.

Price £417.00 includes coach, bed breakfast and 3 course evening meal both nights, superior tickets to Kynren and all entry fees and visits.

Single room supplement - £75.00. Please note there are only 7 available.

We require 20 people to run this trip at this price.

Please book with Jean NOW with a non-refundable deposit of £100 per person - this is necessary to secure the hotel - Cheques payable to Jean Townsend marked Kynren on the back. BACS welcome, using Event Reference KYNREN - see inside back cover.

Depart from Westborough Lodge. Secure parking available. See Jean for details.

Departure time to be advised.

Saturday 30 August 2025

BRANCH FUNDRAISING EVENING, ‘CORONATION CHAOS’ 1066 - 1953

An illustrated talk by Jean Townsend.

Behind the lavish displays and the outward signs of Christian piety, coronations often produced moments of chaos and high farce.

This talk explores some of those moments.

Some were gleefully reported by the chroniclers of the times while others were rarely spoken of.

Be prepared for a few surprises!

Long Bennington Village Hall 7.30 pm.

Tickets £6 per person available from Niz Smith. Cheques made out to The Richard III Society Lincolnshire Branch or by BACS using Event Reference CHAOS - see inside back cover.

Friday 12 September 2025

BRANCH PICNIC TO OAKHAM, RUTLAND

We will have tea/ coffee on arrival followed by a guided tour of Oakham Castle, including the most complete Norman Great Hall in England.

The castle is known for its massive collection of horse shoes. The oldest surviving horse shoe in the collection is one presented by Edward IV after his victory at the battle of Losecoat Field.

After the tour you will have free time to picnic in the Castle Gardens and to explore the town.

Oakham is a traditional and pretty market town with much of historic interest, including a beautiful parish church (look out for the Green Man) a butter cross and an excellent museum. It also retains an engaging variety of independent shops.

Oakham unveiled the first posthumous statue of Queen Elizabeth II in the world in April 2024. It is situated in Oakham Library Gardens and is well worth viewing.

We will end the day with our usual scrumptious afternoon tea. 

Depart - The Royal Oak, Long Bennington. 

Time - To be advised

Price - To be advised. This will depend on the number of passengers. 

Price includes coach, guided tour, refreshments and afternoon tea.

Book with Jean before the end of JUNE.

Cheques made out to Jean Townsend and marked Picnic on the back. BACS payments, Event Reference PICNIC - see inside back cover. 

Saturday 27 September 2025

Branch Annual General Meeting. 

Long Bennington Village Hall 7.30pm.

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