Farncombe Courses £99

Due to only having a few bedrooms left on the weekend courses below, we would like to offer non-residential guests a very, very special rate of £99 for a place on these selected weekend courses. This offer includes all meals and refreshments except breakfast over the weekend.


Liszt - Man, Music and Myth, with Roderick Swanston – 4th – 6th of March


Franz Liszt was a phenomenon. He was a prolific composer, letter writer, conductor and pianist. Too relegated to just being a platform dandy he gave the premieres of Wagner's Lohengrin and Berlioz's Benvenuto Cellini. He was the inventor of the symphonic poem and the piano recital. He was an internationalist in outlook but an ardent Hungarian patriot. This course will aim to cut through the myth to find the man and his music. It will explore his choral, vocal and orchestral music as well as his enormous piano output. The course will analyse several symphonic poems, his oratorio Christus and Via Crucis, as well as the widest range of his piano music. It will also explore his critical writings and his letters. The course will set Liszt in the context of his times and use him to explain some of them.

Wagner's Ring Cycle Part 3: Siegfried, with Robert Meikle 18th – 20th March


After Wotan's plans to retrieve the Ring from Alberich and return it to the Rhine had so woefully backfired in Die Walküre, it now looks as if things may turn out for the best after all. So, although this second opera may appear to be the least approachable of the cycle, it actually represents a vital turning-point: Wotan has had no part in Siegfried's birth and upbringing, and Siegfried is now the fearless hero, who overcomes Wotan's resistance, can penetrate the fire surrounding Brünnhilde and awaken her. Part of our study will also spend a little time looking at some of Wagner's voluminous writings about music: did his compositions match his ideas about opera?

This offer is only valid for bookings made by telephone. Please Quote Music11 when booking to receive the reduced rate. Terms and Conditions apply. This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. We can supply a list of B & B’s in the local area.

The following courses are now £99!

Due to our accommodation being fully booked for the weekend of 25-27 March 2011 we are offering a special rate of £99 for non-residential places on the following courses:


Everyone Can Sing - A Voice Workshop, with Dan Evans
This course will help you to find your voice and project it with ease and confidence. You may feel you can't sing or you may be an established singer of any level or style. No former musical knowledge is required. You will be shown how to listen, to sing in tune. You will learn how to breathe to sustain notes and you will be taught the calling technique to project your voice. You will experiment with arrangements to make songs come to life and you will be shown how to sing from the heart, moving others with your song. Everyone can sing and it's great fun.

London: An Architectural History over Two Thousand Years, with Hubert Pragnell
This course, illustrated with slides of paintings, engravings and contemporary photographs will trace the story of London's architecture from the fragments of Roman wall to the Swiss Re building known as the 'Gherkin'. We will see the pre-fire appearance of London through the engravings of Hollar. We will look in depth at the work of Wren and Hawksmoor in the post-fire reconstruction, as well as 18th century London as depicted by Canaletto. With the 19th century we are aided by photographs as a record of famous buildings, now lost. The course will conclude with London in the age of the High-Rise and a discussion of how London may develop in the future.

Drawing & Sketching: A Course for Beginners, with Doug Eyre
Do you dream of being able to draw? Or have you not drawn since school days, and would welcome help in starting to develop your talent. “Drawing on a lifetime’s varied experience” Doug demonstrates techniques and skills for students to take further. The course reveals some of the intricacies of form, construction, perspective, human anatomy, shadow and composition. You’ll be amazed at what you can do in a weekend with masses of fun.

Bookings need to be made over the phone by calling 0333 456 8580. Please quote NR2011 when booking. Offer expires 18th March 2011. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.

Following the theme of Love...

Boudoir Rag Rug Heart Cushion - with Debbie Siniska

Rag Rug making is hundreds of years old, and people would have made clippy and proggy rag rugs for their homes, out of necessity in the early 1900's. They used their worn out clothing and sacks, with simple hand tools. Today these techniques are still relevant and you can create something truly inspired from the wealth of recycled textiles that are available today.

At this course you will learn to use a rug hook and a bodger, to create a hooked or clipped surface, and hopefully you will be inspired to get creative with colour and texture. There will be some hand stitching.

Dormy House Hotel in the Cotswolds 'One of the most Romatic Hotels in Britain'

Congratulations to our Sister company the Dormy House Hotel!

TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel site, yesterday revealed the ten most romantic hotels in Britain, as decided by TripAdvisor travellers. The uniquely converted 17th Century Dormy House Hotel in Broadway, Worcestershire was voted the second most romantic hotel in Britain.

Situated high above the village of Broadway, the hotel grounds are in a rural setting overlooking the beautiful Cotswold countryside. As one TripAdvisor traveller explains, “Back from one night with my boyfriend at the Dormy House in Broadway. One word to describe our weekend – FANTASTIC”

Amongst the top ten list are famous hotels such as ‘Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Oxfordshire’ (5th place), ‘Merchant Hotel, Belfast’ (8th place) and ‘Holbeck Ghyll Country House, Cumbria’ (10th place).

Emma O’Boyle, from TripAdvisor, said, “The list recognises Britain’s most romantic hotels as decided by TripAdvisor’s travellers. They’re perfect for a loved-up weekend not just on Valentine’s Day, but whenever couples crave a cosy few days away”.

Sales and Marketing Manager, Orazio Pollaci, was over the moon when hearing this news. “All the staff at the hotel go out of their way to make every guest’s stay just that little bit more special. Anything from organising flowers and chocolates in the rooms for guests, to impromptu glasses of champagne for marriage proposals in the Dining Room! We do our best to fulfil the wishes of every single guest, as long as it is legal”.

David Field, General Manager of Dormy House Hotel, was overjoyed and very proud on hearing this news and further endorsed that it is all due to the hard work and dedicated commitment of all the staff and management at the hotel. “We will endeavour to come first next time”, he vowed.

To book your romantic getaway or for more information about the Dormy House Hotel visit http://www.dormyhouse.co.uk/

Would you like to Dance?

We are excited to announce that we are taking bookings for dance groups at Farncombe Estate. If you are a member of a dance group and would like to organise a weekend retreat or day courses then we are the perfect venue. We have our own on-site catering which is simply delicious and we also have 53 ensuite bedrooms on the Estate. So if you Jive, Salsa, Foxtrot or Tango then where better to do it than Farncombe?

For more information please contact Rachael Buttery on 0845 230 8580