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English Villages: East Anglia & Kent
offered by supplier M07510 (view this supplier profile)
Key Information:
Tour Duration: 13
day(s)
Group Size: 8
- 16
people
Destination(s):
England
Specialty Categories:
Archeology/History
Cultural Journey
Season: June
Airfare Included: No
Tour Customizable: No
Minimum Per Person Price: 5899 US Dollar (USD)
Maximum Per Person Price: 5899 US Dollar (USD)
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This tour runs only once a year, and is scheduled for June 2009. If you would like us to set up this itinerary for you to travel on your own or with your own group, we would be happy to do so. We can do all the reservations and trip planning for you and can customize the tour for you to meet your individual wishes and budget.
Tour price includes:
-Roundtrip airfare from Boston or New York (airfare price can be deducted)
-2 nights in London
-6 nights in Ipswich, Suffolk
-5 nights in Canterbury, Kent
-Visits to: London, Cambridge, Ipswich, Sutton Hoo, Southwold, Dunwich, Westleton, Thorpeness, Aldeburgh, Snape Maltings, Hadleigh, Little Kersey, Groton, Little Waldingfield, Lavenham, Bury St. Edmunds, Long Melford, Col-chester, Constable Country, Flatford Mill, Norwich, Canterbury, Dover, Pen-shurst, Westerham, Emmetts Garden
-13 full English breakfasts
-9 complete dinners (8 gourmet and one pub dinner with drinks)
-Travel on comfortable minibus
-Local "Blue Badge" guides
-Full time escort
-All tour guides, museum and monument entrance fees
-All tips and taxes
Where do we come from? Who are we? Where are we going?” The famous French painter Paul Gauguin wrote these words in 1897 on one of his paintings of Polynesia, but the words apply equally well to any of us at any place in any time. Our Puritan fathers, who first came to the shores of Massachusetts in 1630, must have had these same thoughts. The majority of these Puritans came from a region in England known as East Anglia— primarily the counties of Suffolk, Essex, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire— from towns such as Ipswich, Cambridge, Norwich, Haverhill, Braintree, Harwich, Chelmsford, Little Waldingfield, Dedham, Sudbury, Attleborough, Wenham Grange, Boxford, Groton, Middleton, Acton, Toppesfield. What are the roots of these pioneers who came to the new world to sow the seeds of our American culture? What homes did they leave back in England? What can we learn about ourselves from a look into the land the founders of our country chose to leave behind?
On this tour of the English Villages of East Anglia and Kent Counties, we are going to show you the homeland where the first settlers of New England were born, grew up, and painfully said goodbye. Of course East Anglia today is not East Anglia of the 1600s. But in the picturesque villages dotted with ancient churches, half-timbered and plaster fronted cottages, and narrow cobblestone streets, you may feel like you are back in the 17th century. Windmills in Norfolk are a common site; “Constable country” is a Constable painting come to life; the beautifully restored mansions such as Christchurch in Ipswich, Lavenham Guildhall, Blickling Hall, Sandringham House, or Framlingham Castle are all accurate reproductions of the magnificent homes the Puritans knew in the early 17th century. Our experienced “Blue Badge” licensed local guides will bring the past to life for us as we explore this beautiful and oldest settled region in England. Come join the Ipswich Historical Society on this very special adventure to discover our heritage!
Your Itinerary:
Day 1: We arrive at Heathrow Airport in the early morning and take a shuttle into London to our hotel in a central location. We have a day to relax from our flight and orient ourselves to the sights, sounds, smells and accents of Great Britain. We can enjoy a guided walking tour of some interesting neighborhoods or explore on our own. Included: (D).
Day 2: Refreshed and ready for our East Anglian adventure, we board our coach for a two hour ride to Ipswich. We check into our elegant country hotel, a former 16th century hunting lodge, set in seven acres of parkland just perfect for strolling. We meet our local Ipswich guide and head into the downtown, which looks about as different from Ipswich, Mass. as possible. Our guide leads us on a walking tour of the historic center, following the trail of twelve medieval churches. We rest for a cup of tea (or an English brew) before walking to the Christchurch Estate, Ipswich’s most glamorous and impressive historic attraction. This beautiful Tudor mansion is set in more than 65 acres of attractive parkland and houses excellent collections of furniture, ceramics, and the most important collection of paintings by Constable and Gainsborough outside London. The original mansion was built as a Priory in the 12th century but was seized by King Henry VIII and sold in 1545 to a London merchant. Since then the house has undergone many changes and additions, the stories of which will be told by our guide. Back at our hotel we can take a swim, go for a walk or relax in the garden pub before dinner in the elegant manor restaurant. After dinner a local historian will entertain us with stories of old Ipswich. Included: (B), (D).
Day 3: Today is an all day excursion to the delightful city of Cambridge, by far the largest and most famous city in East Anglia. An important town since Roman times, Cambridge has been an academic and religious center since the 12th and 13th centuries. Cambridge is dominated by its famous university, founded in 1284, and is today made up of 31 colleges. We visit King’s College, the most famous of these, with its spectacular chapel. When King Henry VI founded the chapel in 1441, he decided that it should dominate the city, which it still does today. Its fan vaulted ceiling, magnificent doors, stained glass windows, paintings, woodwork, Gothic gatehouse, and ornate façade are all features which make it one of the most important examples of late medieval English architecture. The King’s College Choir has been giving Christmas concerts all over the world since the tradition was begun in the 15th century. We also visit St. John’s College with its superb Tudor and Jacobean architecture, the beautiful Bridge of Sighs, Queens’ College, Trinity College, and the Fitzwilliam Museum— one of Britain’s oldest public museums containing outstanding paintings, ceramics and antiquities. On our way back to Ipswich we pass through Newmarket to see the National Stud farm with its famous stallions. Included: (B), (D).
Day 4: Today is an exciting day for us to drive to nearby Woodbridge to visit the unique and fascinating Anglo-Saxon archeological site Sutton Hoo. It was recently discovered that this site was the burial ground of an Anglo-Saxon warrior king— probably King Raedwald— around 700 A.D. An entire ship and the king’s most treasured possessions some 1,300 years ago. Our tour is led by a National Trust guide and tells the story of this important king, how Anglo-Saxon nobles lived in the 7th century and founded a new kingdom in East Anglia. After lunch in the charming town of Orford, we take an interesting drive up the coast, seeing the villages of Southwold, Dunwich, Westleton, Thorpeness, Aldeburgh, and ending with tea or a home brew in Snape Maltings. Dinner tonight is in a delightful old English pub for some traditional East Anglian fare. Included: (B), (D).
Day 5: Today we take an historic excursion through Hadleigh and little Kersey to Groton, where we pay homage to John Winthrop and see the church attended by all the Winthrop family. Then on to Little Waldingfield, where the Appleton family lived up until 1638 when they moved to Ipswich across the ocean. We have lunch in Lavenham, a beautifully preserved medieval town that was once a great center of the wool industry. Lavenham has some 300 beautiful historic buildings, including the superb 16th century timbered Guildhall. Our route next takes us to the lovely town of Bury Saint Edmonds, rich in archaeological and historic treasures. St. Edmond came here in the 9th century to become the last king of East Anglia. He was murdered by the Danes because of his Christian faith, and after his burial here the town became a place of pilgrimage. For many years St. Edmund was the patron saint of England. We see the ruins of the great abbey built in his honor. It was here in 1214 the Archbishop of Canterbury met with the Barons of England, who swore that they would force King John to honor the proposals of the Magna Carta. The Abbey Gardens include an Old English rose garden, a water garden and a garden for the blind, where fragrance equals sight. Of the many interesting structures in Bury St. Edmunds (almost 1,000 preserved buildings) are Ickworth House, a very unusual 18th century mansion with a gigantic rotunda; St. Mary’s Church, where Mary Tudor is buried; and Moyse’s Hall, built around 1180 and today houses a collection of artifacts from the Bronze Age, Roman pottery, and Anglo-Saxon jewelry. A must is a visit to the famous Dog and Partridge pub, to sample a few local ales made using the centuries old traditional method. Our last stop of the day is in the village of Long Melford to visit the grand National Trust property Melford Hall. It was here in 1578 that Queen Elizabeth I was entertained by “200 young gentlemen in white velvet, 300 in black and 1,500 serving men”. Another visitor to the Hall was Beatrix Potter, whose cousins, the Hyde Parkers, were the owners. She tried out several of her stories on their children. A Melford fireplace appears in The Tailor of Gloucester, and a stuffed model of Jemima Puddleduck that Potter used for her paintings can be seen beside some of her original work. Tonight there is an optional performance at Ipswich’s fine theater. Included: (B), (D).
Day 6: Today is a special day with our friends Liz and Steve, who show us around their town of Colchester, the oldest recorded town in Britain. Colchester was capital of southeast England when the Romans invaded in 43 A.D. and established the first Roman colony in England. We can still see the Roman walls built as a defense around the town in 60 A.D. and the Roman town gate, the largest in Britain. Colchester also boasts the largest Norman keep still standing in England. Twice the size of the White Tower at the Tower of London, it was built in 1076 on the platform of a Roman temple, with stones and tiles from other Roman buildings. Today the castle is a museum with relics dating from prehistoric times. After lunch a National Trust guide leads us on a walk through “Constable Country”, following a picturesque section of the River Stour, frequented by the famous landscape painter John Constable (1776-1837). The walk encompasses beautiful country scenes often painted by Constable, including Flatford Mill, the subject of at least ten of his most important paintings. We’ll have time to relax back at our Ipswich manor before dinner. Included: (B), (D).
Day 7: Today’s excursion is to Norwich, one of the best preserved cities in Britain. Fortified by the Saxons in the 9th century, it became a prosperous market town when Flemish settlers came here in the 12th century and was the second most important city of England until the Industrial Revolution in the 1800s. Our visit to Norwich includes its magnificent cathedral, dating from the 11th century. At one time a monastery was added and the surviving cloister is the most extensive in England. The cathedral spire is the second tallest in England after Salisbury. After lunch we have time to explore the quaint shops of the medieval streets of Elm Hill and Tombland, the old Saxon market place. Next we head out to the country to visit the splendid estate Blickling Hall, where Anne Boleyn spent her childhood. On the way back to Ipswich we stop in the small village of Framlingham to admire the views from the top of its wonderful castle. On our last night in Ipswich we enjoy a gourmet dinner at our hotel. Included: (B), (D).
Day 8: After breakfast, we head off to Canterbury in Kent County, our base of exploration for the next five days. We'll check into our hotel and then relax and get to know our surroundings before dinner. Included: (B).
Day 9: Today we visit the Canterbury Cathedral in the morning. After a break for lunch we will explore the fascinating remains of St Augustine's Abbey. Some will find this a perfect point for "afternoon tea" in one of the many quaint tea rooms in Canterbury. We will regroup for dinner in the city. Included: (B), (D).
Day 10: Our day begins with a beautiful ride through the country to Dover. We'll have time to explore the famous Dover Castle before lunch. Then, a stop at the breathtaking (and equally famous) White Cliffs of Dover. Return to Canterbury for another lovely dinner. Included: (B), (D).
Day 11: Today we visit two lovely estates: Penshurst Place and Gardens in the morning and Chartwell in Westerham after lunch. A stop at Emmetts Garden on the way home will repay the detour with breathtaking views of Kent. Included: (B).
Day 12: We have our last group excursion in Kent County this morning. The afternoon is free to explore or relax. Included: (B).
Day 13: Back to London we head. After checking into our hotel we will meet our guide at the British Museum for a guided tour with a focus on East Anglia. The afternoon is yours in London; see a Broadway show, pick up your last minute British souvenirs, or check out the sites -- just make sure to "mind the gap"! Tonight we say goodbye to England in style at our last dinner in London. Included: (B), (D).
Day 14: Drive to Heathrow Airport for your return flight home. Included: (B).
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Single supplement TBD.
Also see tour packages in:
Europe
England
Archeology/History
Cultural Journey
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