A Royal Celebration!

Farncombe Courses celebrates its 10^th anniversary with a right royal knees-up

on   

Sunday 15^th September 2013

Join us for a fabulous celebration of a decade of lifelong learning, wonderful weekends and study breaks in the Cotswolds!

On Sunday September 15^th, we welcome one of the country’s foremost Royal historians, Kate Williams, to talk on the topic of “A Baby in the Palace: the Infancy of Princess Victoria.”

Kate specialises in royal history and was a key commentator for the 2011 Royal Wedding.  Also speaking is another young historian, Victoria McGuinness, Projects Manager for the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology in Oxford.  Her presentation features items from the museum, which is soon to open a new wing in Broadway.

There are two ticket options:

Talks and Tea     £25 to include both talks, with tea, cake and sing-song to finish 

From 3pm

The Full Works  £40 as above, but starting with a Great British lunch: roast beef,

                                Yorkshires, apple pie…  From 1.30pm

To book your place, please call us on 0333 456 8580

Busy Bees At Farncombe

Farncombe will be buzzing this July as it welcomes amateur bee keepers to a new course on the Estate.

The one-day Introduction to Beekeeping course is perfect for those new to beekeeping covering topics like the life of the honeybee, how to set up an apiary and products of the hive. 

Students will get to open a hive and handle bees on the day and all bee suits will be provided.

Chris Wells, experienced beekeeper, author and owner of Cotswold Bees Ltd. is leading the day. Said Chris, “This course is open to anyone with an interest in beekeeping but perhaps doesn’t know where to start. Bees are very important insects that we depend on for pollinating food plants but they have been in rapid decline over recent years. Keeping honey bees at home is one way to help preserve the population.”

Added Mandy Morrison, Programme Manager at Farncombe courses, “We like to offer an eclectic mix of courses throughout the year and have had a lot of interest in beekeeping with Chris. By the end of the day I’m hoping everyone will leave feeling ready to start keeping bees and enjoying their own honey!”

Farncombe is based in the heart of the Cotswolds, between Cheltenham and Stratford-upon-Avon, just five minutes from Broadway.

For more information about Farncombe Courses or to book your place visit www.farncombecourses.co.uk  

A sharing event with a difference......

Here at Farncombe Estate we are hosting a leaflet exchange event on the 1st July from 4 pm - 6 pm. 

Guests will include those from popular tourist and leisure attractions in the surrounding areas for an opportunity to share leaflets with the venues and to network with other businesses. 

However its not all work! Guests can enjoy our beautiful 400-acre Estate in a location in the heart of the Cotswolds, whilst enjoying quint afternoon tea and cakes. The perfect afternoon in the country!

Our Farncombe courses attract hundreds of visitors and are considered a widely popular leisure activity in the Cotswolds. This event will therefore enable us to affiliate with other leisure venues by providing a mutually-beneficial way for us to get to know each other. 

Who's your Mr Darcy?

In concurrence with the 200th year anniversary of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, here at Farncombe we are feeling nostalgic as we remember some of our favorite literature classic heroes and how they inspired us.

From the Bronte sisters’ brooding Heathcliff and defiant and strong willed Jane Eye to Dickens' sweet Pip, we all have a soft spot for one of those 19th Century characters, especially Austens’ own iconic Mr Darcy.

Although we will forever remember Colin Firth as the delectable Darcy in the film adaptation, Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and its characters, in their own right can never be forgotten.

Here at Farncombe we are still hosting two events this autumn to celebrate and to capture the essence of Austen as a writer and what inspired her to write the classic and beloved Pride and Prejudice.

Jane Austen’s Library- Reading 18th Century course taking place 6th September until 8th September looks at some of the novels that provided inspiration behind her work to give an insightful look at her as a writer.

“You must learn some of my philosophy. Think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure.” 

Alternatively delve into the life of this great classic author with our; “Who was Jane Austen?” course taking place from 18th October to 20th October to find out who really was Jane Austen?

Dambusters raid remembered at Farncombe Estate

The 70^th anniversary of the Dambusters raid to destroy the Ruhr dams has been marked with a special memorial event at Farncombe Estate near Broadway.

 

Farncombe has a special link with the Dambusters as one of the RAF pilots who took part lived at the Estate’s Grade 11 listed Foxhill Manor.

 

Henry Maudslay DFC was B Flight Commander of the 617 Squadron which took part in the raid but tragically he was killed on his return home from the daring mission, on 17^th May 1943. At Farncombe – an award-winning conference centre and leisure venue - a new courtyard development bears his name and one of the bedrooms is even numbered 617.

 

More than 60 people, many with RAF connections, gathered at a short church service in Willersey before making their way to Farncombe’s Maudslay Court. Here they viewed a commemorative picture of Henry before he set off on the raids and a plaque in the entrance hall dedicated to Henry and his fellow RAF pilots. They then went onto Foxhill Manor, the home of the Maudslay family between 1937 and 1954.

 

Among those paying their respects were three members of the Maudslay family: Jamie Maudslay, a second cousin, his wife Arabella and their 17-year-old son Henry. Henry, who attends Eton College like his famous forebear, is second cousin twice removed from the Dambusters hero. 

 

Jamie Maudslay said: "As soon as we walked into Maudslay Court and I saw the portrait, I said he's the spitting image of my father."

 

Farncombe Estate’s Operations Manager Richard Howdle said of the remembrance event:

 

“It was a real pleasure to have members of the Maudslay family turn out to remember Henry, a true British hero.  We are proud of our association with the Maudslay family name. In 2011 Henry’s niece, Victoria Trevelyan, officially opened Maudslay Court, while room 617 was opened by Wing Commander Keith Taylor of OC 617 Squadron on the same day.”

Farncombe celebrates anniversary of Jane Austen’s masterpiece

Fans of Jane Austen can celebrate the 200^th anniversary of Pride and Prejudice in style thanks to a popular Cotswold venue.

Farncombe Courses, based on the 400-acre Farncombe Estate near Broadway, is hosting three courses in honour of the ever-popular author: Celebrating ‘Pride and Prejudice’ in May, Jane Austen’s Library – Reading 18th Century Novels inSeptember and October’s Who Was JaneAusten?

Mandy Morrison, Programme Manager for Farncombe Courses, said: “Jane Austen is one of our most important novelists and has a hugely loyal following.  Her stories are still relevant today and many people want to explore her life and works.

“We’ve also had great interest in our writing courses this year so who knows, maybe we’ll find the next Jane Austen at Farncombe!”

Farncombe is based in the heart of the Cotswolds, between Cheltenham and Stratford-upon-Avon, just five minutes from Broadway.

To book please visit our website www.farncombecourses.co.uk or call us on 0333 456 8580

Learn How To Sew At Farncombe

Interest in sewing courses is on the rise at a Cotswold venue after TV show The Great British Sewing Bee hit the nation’s screens last week.

Farncombe Courses, based on the 320-acre Farncombe Estate near Broadway, has seen a spike in enquiries for three of its upcoming courses: Sewing Machines - How To Use Yours or Ours in May, Patchwork andQuilting - An Introduction For Absolute Beginners in June and October’s Baby Bits To Sew.

Mandy Morrison, Programme Manager for Farncombe Courses, said: “Sewing is fast becoming a favourite British pastime again thanks to the popularity of programmes like The Great British Sewing Bee and previously Kirstie Allsopp’s Handmade Britain.  Traditional skills like sewing are definitely on-trend at the moment and something we’ll look to offer more of in the future.”

Sewing expert Sue Hazell, who will lead all three one-day courses, said: “With sales of sewing machines on the rise it’s great to see more people coming on courses and learning how to use them properly to make beautiful clothes, quilts and whatever else they fancy!

“As well as learning an important skill, we make sure all these courses are loads of fun too so they are accessible to people of all skill levels.”

Farncombe is based in the heart of the Cotswolds, between Cheltenham and Stratford-upon-Avon, just five minutes from Broadway.