
© Boughton House
Wednesday, 17th August 2016 – Boughton House
We visited this beautiful home of the Duke of Buccleuch in Northamptonshire and enjoyed a tour of the house and estate.
This was the first time that we had visited Waddesdon and it proved to be another successful and very enjoyable visit. The house was beautifully decorated with every room following a different theme but each having a huge Christmas tree. The decorations looked so fresh and as new as they must have looked when the Rothschild family occupied the house. Around the house was a Christmas Fair with many stalls selling food and other seasonal goods to help with the Christmas shopping. We had a superb lunch with turkey and all the trimmings, Christmas pudding with a glass of wine which was perfectly cooked and presented. When it got dark, a light show finished the visit and we all left Waddesdon feeling that the festive season had definitely started.
Chasubles For Harbury Church
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The two completed chasubles were on display at the 2011 Annual General Meeting.
A white one lined in gold with patchwork embellishments and a purple one made to the same design now grace the services.
The vicar Reverend Craig Groocock was delighted with the results of Annette and Helen’s hard work.
In February 2015 a study day was given, at the Glebe Hotel, Barford, by Anne Howarth, entitled ‘Spain, a history of Art, Power and Passion – A Memory of Al Andalus’. This was chosen to link with our short break to Andalucia, and gave us a good deal of information about many of the places we later visited. It also covered the history, geography, art and architecture of the area.
In November 2014, at the same hotel, Ann Clements presented a most illuminating day to us on ‘ Three Scandinavian Painters – Splendour and Surprises’- featuring the painters Anders Zorn, Karl Larsson and Wilhelm Hammershoi. It was a most enlightening day, prompting several questions from the audience, and giving people an insight into a somewhat hitherto little known genre of painting.
In November 2013 our study day was given by Anne Howarth, and was entitled ‘3000 Years of Chinese Civilisation’. It covered art, history and culture from the Quin Shi Huang Di dynasty (259 – 210 BC) to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It was a most interesting and informative day which we enjoyed very much.
On 20th November 2015, we held a very successful study day (Day of Special Interest) at the Glebe Hotel , Barford, on the work of John Singer Sargent, entitled – ” Fizz and Crackle – Imagination, Innovation and Curiosity on the work of John Singer Sargent.”
Mary Alexander was our lecturer for the day, and gave us a most informative, entertaining and visually enjoyable three lectures about this prolific artist.