Image: Raby Estate courtesy of David Forster

Our summer visit will be a full day at Raby Castle, Park and Gardens.  Raby Castle is the largest and most impressive intact castle in the north of England.  Built in the 14th. century by the powerful Neville family, it was the home of Cecilly Neville, mother of two kings of England; the place where the Rising of the North of 1569 was planned; and a Parliamentary stronghold in the English Civil War.  After the failure of the Rising of the North, the castle was forfeit to the Crown, and in the 17th. century it passed to the Vane family.  It is now owned by the 12th. Lord Barnard, who has family connections to the Nevilles.  Visitors approaching the castle first see its spectacular profile across a 200acre deer park. 

The Castle Interiors

Behind its powerful fortifications, Raby Castle is a family home, but with magnificent Medieval, Regency and Victorian interiors. The rooms display art, textiles and furniture from England and Europe, dating from the 17th. to the 21st. century. There are family portraits by leading artists, including Sir Anthony Van Dyck and Sir Joshua Reynolds; 18th. and 19th. century sporting paintings, including work by Sir Alfred Munnings; and important works such as ‘The Circumcision of Christ’ and ‘The Adoration of the Magi’ by Luca Giodano.

The Park and Gardens

Raby has several acres of gardens, and there are signed walks through the park.  Lord and Lady Barnard are undertaking an ambitious programme of restoration and renewal of the estate. The walled garden was recently remodelled and replanted by award winning garden designer Luciano Giubbilei.  The formal garden features mazes and water features, and there is a new green amphitheatre which is used for outdoor performances.  The less formal west garden has areas for growing flowers for cutting, fruit and vegetables.

Our Visit

Raby Castle has two large cafes, and a shop.  Our visit will include a guided tour of the interiors late morning, which will last about an hour, after which you will be free to explore the gardens and park, and revisit the house.

We will travel by 37seater coach, departing Bewick Street at 9.15am and arriving at Raby at about 10.15am, in time for coffee and a first look round.  After the guided tour the rest of the day is yours for exploring.  We will depart Raby at 4.15pm, arriving in Bewick Street at about 5.15pm.

For a booking form and prices please click HERE

Shandy Hall

 (Image courtesy of The Laurence Sterne Trust)

We will depart Bewick Street at 9am sharp, stop for morning coffee en route, and arrive at Shandy Hall in the small village of Coxwold, at about 11am. Shandy Hall is an attractive medieval house, dating from the 15th. century, which has been lived in by various families over 600 years. The house is now a lived-in museum celebrating the life and work of the writer Laurence Sterne. Sterne lived in Shandy Hall from 1760 to 1768 as curate of Coxwold, while also making frequent journeys to London to promote his writings and enjoy city life. At the heart of the house is Sterne’s study and library, where he wrote sermons, journals, letters and the novels which made his name. The best known of these “The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman”, with its cast of memorable characters, humour and digressive style, has been described as the first modern novel. The house is furnished as it would have been during Sterne’s life there. On arrival we will meet the curator, Patrick Wildgust, who will take us round the house. We will have time to explore the two acres of gardens, a mix of cottage garden planting and woodland, which are maintained by volunteers. We will depart Shandy Hall at 12.30pm, arriving in York at about 1pm. Please note that while we always try to keep to the timings advertised, these may change on the day depending on circumstances.

Explore the York you know and don’t know

You may know York well and wish to revisit favourites such as York Minster, with its exceptional medieval glass, the Treasurer’s House, the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall, one of York’s many museums, the Shambles or the city walls. However there is another side to York, equally interesting, which you may enjoy discovering: • There are cats carved on many old houses in York, to frighten away rats and mice. The Cat Gallery, 45 Low Petergate, has a self guided walk, or try https://www.yorkluckycats.co.uk/york-cat-trail/ • The tiny, peaceful chapel of St Margaret of Clitherow, martyred for her faith in 1586, is hidden in plain sight at 35 The Shambles. • The Guy Faulkes Inn, High Petergate, close to the Minster, was the birthplace of the ringleader of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. • Opposite St George’s Church, near Walmgate Bar, is the grave of the highwayman Dick Turpin who was hanged in York in 1739. • The scarlet Stonegate Devil, said to depict a printer’s apprentice or “devil”, is carved on the front of a former printer’s shop in Stonegate. • York’s many independent bookshops. York Minster group admission Visit prices include the option of group entry to York Minster at £15.00pp (full price £20.00), and we have requested a guided tour (2.30pm for c.45 minutes)*. We need 10+ people to obtain the group discount: if we do not get this number we will refund you the group admission price. General information There are walking maps of York on the internet, and we will have paper maps on the coach. Please note that many museums and historic sites in York charge for admission, and that these charges are not covered in the price of the trip. We will depart York at 4.15pm, arriving in Bewick Street for about 6.15pm.

*While guided tours almost always run as scheduled, they do depend on volunteer guide availability on the day of the visit.

FOR A BOOKING FORM CLICK HERE

Do join us for our next day trip, to two beautiful and important houses and gardens in North Yorkshire. We will travel by coach, departing from Bewick Street, Newcastle (opposite Central Station) at 9.15am sharp. 

Our first visit is to Mount Grace Priory (English Heritage), arriving at about 10.30am. Mount Grace is the best preserved Carthusian monastery in England. Founded in 1398, the last of the great Yorkshire monasteries, it was home to about 25 monks. Carthusian monks lived as hermits, and one of their individual cells, with its walled garden, has been reconstructed for visitors to see. After the Reformation the priory passed to secular owners, and in the 1650s part of the guest house complex became a manor house. In 1898 the house and estate were acquired by the industrialist, Sir Lothian Bell, who had the manor house interiors preserved and some rooms remodelled and furnished in the Arts & Crafts style. Today the house is much as Bell left it. Bell created the 13 acres of gardens, with their colourful terraced borders, in the same style; the gardens are being rejuvenated by the award winning designer Chris Beardshaw. You can also see the remains of the monastic church and imposing gatehouse, and walk down to the monks’ pond. Morning coffee, and lunch if you wish, is available at the Orchard Cafe. We depart Mount Grace at 1pm, arriving at Beningbrough at 1.30pm approx.

Beningbrough Hall (The National Trust), is a large Baroque mansion, with surrounding gardens and park. Completed by John Bouchier in 1716, the classical proportions of the building, and its interior decoration, reflect Bouchier’s tastes acquired on the Grand Tour. Later owners neglected the house, but in the 1920s it was saved by its final owner, the formidable Edith, Countess of Chesterfield. Lady Chesterfield renovated the house and made it into her family home, bringing paintings and furniture from her ancestral home at Holme Lacy in Herefordshire. The historic rooms on the ground floor, now re-opened after a two-year renovation, tell the story of life in a large country house for generations of its owners, their friends, servants and estate workers, and of the experiences of the young servicemen and women billeted there in WW2. The first floor Reddihough galleries have special exhibitions. “Whispers of the Wilderness: Exploring Wilderness Gardens” opens on 2 September 2025, linking to the reimagining of the gardens. Café and shop. There are 8 acres of formal gardens, a walled kitchen garden, and parkland. The gardens are being redesigned by RHS Gold Medal winner Andy Sturgeon, and now include a new Mediterranean Garden. We depart Beningbrough at 4.30pm to return to Newcastle for about 6pm. Timings and prices We will try to keep to the timings advertised, but these may change on the day if circumstances change. Tour prices are set out on the accompanying booking form, and reflect the differing admission policies of The National Trust and English Heritage. If you book the tour on the basis that you are a member of NT or EH, you must have your membership card(s) with you on the day. 

For a Booking Form click here .

The Great Tapestry of Scotland shows in a wonderful way the compelling and rich history of the land and its people which all come to life in skilfully embroidered panels by a thousand people across Scotland. Instigated by the writer Alexander McCall Smith, designed by the artist Andrew Crummy, executed by teams of volunteer stitchers working to a tightly controlled design the tapestry was produced following the narrative by historian Alistair Moffat. It is magnificent, intriguing and full of charming detail. As hoped it is a community project that has produced an artwork for the nation by the nation. It is also a wonderful artwork to be left by our generation for the future. There is also an excellent restaurant/café in the Centre and plenty of other cafes and places to eat within minutes. If the tapestry does not fill the entire time we have (unlikely, but your choice) there are small shops and other attractions nearby including The Old Gala Hall Museum and Art Gallery. The coach leaves Bewick Street at 9.15 am and will return at approximately 6.00 pm though timings are dependent on conditions on the day.

To download a booking form click here

On July 10th 2019 there will be a visit to Preston Park on Teesside followed by a visit to the house and garden of the Evans family in Low Worsall. Please click here for an application form

Preston Park is a 100-acre public park located next to the River Tees. It is highly popular and it hosts many events each year that attract people from across Teesside and further afield. The site incorporates Preston Park Museum & Grounds and Butterfly World. There is a walled Kitchen Garden which has re-opened it's doors this year where you can find out what our gardening team and volunteers have been up to over the winter months, as well as picking up some tips for your own garden. The museum also contains a replica Victorian Street and some interesting information on the two families that made the Hall what it is today. 

Following our visit to Preston Park we shall make our way to Worsall Hall, a Grade II  listed building with an enchanting garden. This is the home of the previous North East Area Chairman and we are being offered a private guided tour and tea to complete an excellent day on Teesside.

We have booked a private tour of the wonderful annual Sculpture Show at Cheeseburn Grange Hall Stamfordham NE18 OPT 10 miles west of Newcastle on the B6324 close to Stamfordham, 10 miles east of Hexham and 4 miles west of Ponteland.

This unique event has ORIGINAL sculptures throughout  the gardens and woods with inside visits to the interesting chapel and converted stables.  We are very fortunate to have such a marvellous venue in our locality.

We plan to meet at 10.30 a m at Cheeseburn travelling in our own private cars and would be grateful if members would offer to take others without transport.

Tea or coffee and delicious home-made cakes will be provided and the curator will talk to us about this year’s show. We are then free to wander to the indoor gallery, the chapel and the gardens and woods, leaving individually whenever we wish.  We plan to put drivers offering lifts in touch with those needing lifts to make their own personal arrangements.   Please click here for an application form

On May 7th we had a private visit to Mellerstain House near Coldstream, a Robert Adams masterpiece set in 100 acres of Parkland. We had the good fortune to be shown around the house by expert guides whose wealth of knowledge greatly enhanced our visit. Begun in 1725 and finally completed in 1778, this grand stately home has a fascinating history and is of unique architectural interest. It was the result of a fruitful collaboration between the Baillie family and two of Scotland's greatest architects, William Adam and his son Robert. Take a look at our gallery of photographs to give you an idea of the delights contained within the house.

Photo by By Steve Kent, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=613973

This is a splendid tower house, probably built sometime after 1584 by the Wallis family following a border commission recommendation that there be built a chain of forts to protect the frontier. It has been added to over the years and was restored in C19 by Thomas Bates. The Castle, a Grade 1 listed building sits in 25 acres of garden, arboretum, woodland and paddocks.

The Tower is furnished in period style and enhanced by a large collection of very interesting paintings. These are mainly the work of the present owner’s mother Pauline Konody who painted in watercolours, and her maternal grandmother Isabel Codrington RA who painted in oils. They both exhibited widely during the 1920’s and 1930’s. 

We shall be going by coach and you can join us at the Central Library, John Dobson Street, Newcastle at 10.30 to leave at 10.45am or at Kenton Road, near the Montagu Avenue Junction, Gosforth at 10.45 to leave at 11.00am.

We shall be stopping at Heatherslaw Mill where lunch can be bought. If you wish to visit the Mill it will cost £3.00 payable on the day.

At Coupland we shall have a tour of the castle with the owner and there will be time to enjoy the gardens.

We plan to leave Coupland at about 4.30pm to return to Newcastle for about 6.00pm.

If you are interest please click here for an application form.

Ushaw College has been described as one of North East England's true hidden gems. With its roots in Douai in France dating back to 1568, the College trained priests for the Catholic Church until 2011. It is now open for the public to enjoy its rich nineteenth century chapels and reception rooms some designed by Augustus Pugin about whom we will be having a lecture on the Monday following the visit, so this will be an excellent opportunity to see some of the best examples of his work in the area. Please contact Carol Kerr on 0191 2853215 for an application form.

Timings and pick-up points       

11.00              Gosforth (Kenton Road by Moorfield Care Home- near Kwikfit)

11.15            John Dobson Street  outside the Central Library

Itinerary

12.15              Arrive at Ushaw College

                        Light lunch of sandwiches and a drink

13.15              Guided Tour of Ushaw College

15.00              Leave Ushaw

15.45/16.00   Arrive back in Newcastle and Gosforth

The Arts Society Tyneside is organising an overnight visit to Glasgow to see its arts and treasures. 

We will be met at the railway station by coach which will be at our disposal for the two days. From there we will start our adventure by visiting the City Chambers (which boasts the largest Carrera marble staircase in Europe) where we will have a guide who will introduce us to the history and culture of Glasgow.

Lunch will be taken at the renowned Rennie Mackintosh designed Willow Tea Room after which we shall enjoy a trip along the Clyde by coach to Helensburgh to see Mackintosh’s design masterpiece at Hill House where he oversaw not only the design of the house but its contents too

We shall stay at Glasgow Central Hilton, William Street  (5 star) with a Celebration Dinner in the evening. (included)

On Thursday morning after a full Scottish breakfast we go to the William Adam designed Pollok House which was built in 1752 for the Maxwell family.  We will tour the house and see the period furniture, Spanish paintings, Edwardian kitchen and extensive landscaped gardens.  Depending on time we may be able to visit Glasgow Cathedral. 

We then proceed to Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery where there is a very good restaurant for lunch.  The afternoon will not be long enough to see all its treasures.

Our coach will then take us to the station for a train at approximately 1700 train, arriving into Newcastle at 19.39.  We will advise when timetable available.

The cost will be £190 for those having a single room at the Hilton and £130 per person in a shared double room.  The cost does not include train fares or admission to Hill House and Pollok House (these are free for National Trust members) or lunch at Kelvingrove.

Unfortunately the Burrell is closed for four years and the Hunterian Museum was unable to accommodate large numbers.

Numbers will be limited and applications will be dealt with on a first come, first served basis.  Please send a cheque for the full amount to reserve your place.  Cheques will not be cashed until July 26 and will be returned if you cannot be accommodated.  Arts Society members will be given priority.   

Applications to Carol Kerr, Programme Secretary, 19 Wilson Gardens, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 4JA, tel: 0191 285 3215.  Please enclose a return stamped addressed envelope. 

Click here for a booking form or go to the Documents section

Day Outing to Manderston House On Wednesday 15 July 2015 Manderston is the supreme country house of Edwardian Scotland, ‘the swansong of its era’. It was completely rebuilt between 1903 and 1905 with high quality craftsmanship and domestic sophistication. Manderston House and Garden is just over the Border some 10 miles north of Berwick on Tweed, near to the town of Duns. A guided tour is included in the fee. The recently restored silver staircase is unique being the only silver staircase in the world. In addition to the house there are 56 acres of formal and informal gardens. Timings 09.30 Depart Newcastle Central Station (in Bewick Street) 09.45 Gosforth (Kenton Road by Moorfield Care Home- near Kwikfit) An additional pick-up at Morpeth can be arranged if requested. Lunch will be at Manderston where the tearoom will be opened for our party. Lunch is not included in the fee. Do bring along friends on this special trip - all welcome in addition to TYDFAS members