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Our new programme of activities for autumn and winter 2024 is available in the July newsletter for Members and is listed in greater detail in our Events Calendar on this website. This includes coach outings, informal coffee mornings and the first lectures of our winter lecture series in October to December.

Day Visits by coach from Oxford for Members

For more information, see Visits.

Baddesley Clinton, Warwickshire – 8 August

An atmospheric moated medieval manor house given to the National Trust in 1980. The history of the house includes tales of how the priests’ holes sheltered Catholic priests in the 15^th century. 

The bridge over the moat leads via a gatehouse to a pretty courtyard and into the great hall. 

In the gardens there are medieval fishponds, a lakeside walk, a walled garden and an orchard.

Beaulieu Abbey, Gardens and Motor Museum – 24 September

The 800 year old Abbey was founded by King John in the 13th Century before being destroyed on the orders of King Henry VIII in 1538. It is now a conserved ruin in a peaceful setting which visitors can enjoy. 

The world famous motor museum contains 285 vehicles, and there is a veteran London open-topped bus and a monorail to take you around the grounds.

There is something to suit everyone in this day out!

Sheffield Park and Garden, East Sussex – 16 October

The garden is a horticultural work of art, formed through centuries of landscape design, with influences of Capability Brown and Humphrey Repton. The vast collection of trees and large shrubs are planted around 4 lakes to create vistas that enhance the feeling of grandeur. The garden was purchased in 1954 by the National Trust but the house passed into private ownership. It took many years to restore the grounds to their former glory.

Sheffield Wood has a mosaic of different habitats: conifer woods, broadleaf woods, coppice hornbeam, open rides and glades, all vital for wildlife.

Winter Lectures

In our winter series, between October and March, there will be 4 lectures at Magdalen College Auditorium, and 2 lectures available to members via Zoom. Non-members are welcome at our lectures at Magdalen Auditorium.  For more details, see Lectures. 

22 October at Magdalen Auditorium: Sharing stories of caring for our National Trust gardens and plant collections with Pam Smith, Senior National Consultant for Gardens and Parklands at the National Trust

NB  This is a change to the lecture published in our Newsletter.  Professor Whyte will now be talking to us in March.

19 November at Magdalen Auditorium: Histories of Childhood: uncovering new heritage narratives with historians of modern British history, Dr Gillian Lamb and Professor Siân Pooley

9 – 15 December via Zoom link: Saving Country Houses with speaker Ben Cowell, Director General of Historic Houses

Coffee mornings and a lunch

Our informal coffee mornings continue on the last Tuesday of most months from 10.30am to 11.45am at a Café in central Oxford. This is a chance for members and those interested in joining Oxford Centre to make friends and exchange experiences and news. See Events Calendar for details of venues. 

Winter lunch

In January 2024, over 30 members enjoyed lunch at Brown’s Restaurant in Oxford, a welcome chance to meet up after the Christmas and New Year Festivities were over. We plan to arrange another lunch in New Year 2025.

Summer visit to Worcester

It was a fine day for the Oxford Centre’s visit to Worcester on 18 June. Our time was divided between National Trust properties Greyfriars House and Garden and The Commandery with informative guided tours at both. Greyfriars is a medieval timbered merchant’s house, which was saved from demolition in the 1930s and lovingly restored, often with recycled materials, by siblings Elsie and Matley Moore, and handed to the Trust in 1966. The Commandery is most famous for being the Royalist Headquarters during the deciding battle of the English Civil War – the Battle of Worcester 1651 – and includes much memorabilia from this period. Built on the site of an early medieval chapel, The Commandery has also been a monastic hospital, family home, school for the blind, and the location of the Littlebury Printworks, before becoming today’s museum revealing significant stories of the city’s history. A very interesting day enjoyed by all!

The Last Walks?

The last two walks of the season were very different! Our visit to Nuffield Place in May was on a very wet day, with only four of us present. We were due to walk through the woods and along part of the Ridgeway path near Nuffield village, after a briefing about the history of Lady Nuffield’s restored garden. However, the House Manager, Steven, took pity on us and invited us to an indoor tour of the House in the dry, which we enjoyed very much. It was still raining when we had our very interesting guided garden tour with volunteer Gill from under umbrellas! We abandoned any idea of walking beyond the café across the road.

Our June walk was on White Horse Hill near Uffington, when we were much luckier with the weather, as after early rain it cleared and we had sunshine for exploring up the hill with National Trust Ranger Andy who told us fascinating facts about the history, geology, flora and fauna. We were able to go close to the white chalk lines of the horse on the hillside, finding out how they would be cleaned and rechalked at the end of June. At the highest point of Uffington Castle we could see 360 degrees to the horizon in seven counties!

Unfortunately, these were the last walks for our Walking Group, as we regret that Jonathan Anelay has stepped back as the Organiser and Leader after three years of very interesting and enjoyable walks at or near National Trust properties around Oxfordshire. Members of the Walking Group are very grateful to Jonathan for his detailed planning and expert leadership of the walks.  We are looking for a new Leader/Organiser for our walks! 

Our new programme of activities is available in the February newsletter for Members and is listed in greater detail in our Events Calendar on this website. This includes coach outings, informal coffee mornings, guided walks and the last lecture of our winter lecture series on 19 March, which follows our AGM.

Day Visit to Broadway Tower and Snowshill Manor – May 2024

Broadway Tower, the brainchild of Capability Brown, is a folly at the highest point in the Cotswolds with a viewing platform on the roof. From there, it’s a short coach ride to Snowshill Manor (NT), the unconventional home of eccentric Charles Wade, a treasure trove of quirky and curious objects. There’s also an Arts and Crafts garden laid out in a series of outdoor rooms.

Change to the Worcester Visit Itinerary: 18 June 2024

We had planned to include a visit to the Cathedral on this visit to Worcester. However, a special service is being held in Worcester Cathedral on 18 June, and the cathedral is shut to visitors. Sadly we have had to amend the visit to Worcester and miss out on the Cathedral – however we will see it, during the day, from the outside.

The Commandery

As a fascinating alternative we have been able to arrange a visit to the Worcester Commandery, a rather unique building which goes back to around1085. It was founded as an Almshouse and a Hospitality for Pilgrims by the Knights Hospitallers. There are some fascinating medieval paintings and a medieval banqueting hall, to view, from this period of usage, through to the reformation. Later it became a home to the Wylde Family, from the 1540’s and whilst in their hands the HQ for the Royalists in the Battle of Worcester 1651. It went through further changes in the last 200 years which were equally fascinating. You will be guided through the twists and turns of this building, hopefully avoiding the resident Ghost!

There is a small cafeteria where you will be able to get a bite to eat. From here we will walk through the medieval city of Worcester to Greyfriars House (NT), a 15th century timbered merchant’s house, saved from demolition in the 1930s, restored and handed to the Trust in 1966. Here you will have a further guided tour, and an opportunity for a National Trust afternoon tea.

Please note there are some old uneven stairs to climb and descend and uneven floors in the Commandery.

Our Lecture programme

Over the winter months we arrange monthly lectures, some at Magdalen College Auditorium, others via Zoom.

The final lecture of the 2023-24 season will be held in March at Magdalen Auditorium: a lecture by Dr Robert Saunders entitled The Asian Mystery: Benjamin Disraeli and the Poet in Politics. See Lectures page for further details.

Our new programme of activities is available in the November newsletter for Members and is listed in greater detail in our Events Calendar on this website. This includes a coach outing, a lunch at an Oxford restaurant, our winter lecture series, informal coffee mornings, and guided walks.

Visit by coach to Windsor

Our coach outing in February will include a pre-booked visit to Windsor Castle with St George’s Chapel, the burial place of the Queen Elizabeth II and Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and a number of royal weddings including Prince Harry and Prince Charles.

Winter Lecture Series

Our autumn 2023 lectures include a presentation by Patrick Begg, Outdoors and Natural Resources Director for the National Trust outlining how the Trust is facing the impact of climate change; a talk via Zoom by historian Professor Malcolm Airs describing the history and current challenges facing a typical English country estate, Nuneham Courtenay; and an illustrated talk by Anita Bools, NT Senior National Conservator for Paper and Photographs, revealing some of her favourite photos in NT Collections and explaining how they can be conserved.

Lectures January to March 2024 include A History of the National Trust with volunteer David Simmons, via Zoom to members’ homes; a talk by archaeologist Dr Stephen Wass describing The archaeology of Stowe Landscape Garden; and a lecture by Dr Robert Saunders entitled The Asian Mystery: Benjamin Disraeli and the Poet in Politics.

See Lectures page for further details, and Lectures Calendar for dates.

Coffee mornings and a lunch – and walks when the weather is better!

Our informal coffee mornings continue on the last Tuesday of most months from 10.30am to 11.45am at a Café in central Oxford. This is a chance for members and those interested in joining Oxford Centre to make friends and exchange experiences and news. See Events Calendar for details of venues.

Walks

Our walking group enjoys meeting up at a National Trust property within driving distance of Oxford for walks most months from March to October.  It’s another chance to chat to others in the group as well as see some lovely Oxfordshire countryside and take some good exercise! Walks arranged for varying abilities. See our Social Activities page for more.

Winter lunch

In January, over 30 members enjoyed lunch at Brown’s Restaurant in Oxford, a welcome chance to meet up after the Christmas and New Year Festivities were over.