South East Staffordshire Association of National Trust Members

Wednesday 30th April National Memorial Arboretum, near Alrewas (ref: car04/25)

The Arboretum is a British site of national remembrance with the objective to honour the fallen, recognise service and sacrifice and foster pride in the British and Allied Armed Forces and civilian community.

As well as containing more than 25,000 trees, there are in excess of 400 memorials for the armed forces, civilian organisations and voluntary bodies who have played a part in serving the country.

 

Our visit has been organised by SESANTM committee member Andy Beck, who is a volunteer at NMA and he has arranged a specially tailored itinerary for our group led by knowledgeable guides. So no matter how many times you may have visited before, you will doubtless learn something new

 

Our tour will begin at 10.50 at the Chapel Daily Act of Remembrance followed by a “Welcome to NMA” talk. Our guided walk will follow at 11.30, ending at 12.30 at the “Shot at Dawn” presentation.

Lunch options are available at the NMA or in nearby Alrewas.

 

Tuesday 20th May World of Wedgwood, Barlaston (ref: car05/25)

World of Wedgwood, based in Barlaston near Stoke on Trent is a combination of factory, museum, retail outlets, dining and much more.

Our visit will begin with a 45 minute factory tour where our guide will lead us through the manufacturing process of Wedgwood Jasper Ware and China, watching the skilled workforce in action.

 

After the tour, the rest of the site is available to you for the day.

 

Lunch can be taken in the tearoom or restaurant and the V & A Wedgwood Collection is home to 165,000 works of art and ceramics, manuscripts and designs. In the purpose built museum around 3500 objects are on display ranging from iconic jasper work, black basalt vases and ornaments and bone china tea sets from 1730 to the present day.

 

If you need some retail therapy, both the Wedgwood Store and the Outlet Store stock a range of Wedgwood china and Waterford crystal and the newly opened Josiah & Co showcases the products of over 35 local artisans from the local area.

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Tuesday 10th June Catton Hall and Gardens, near Alrewas (ref: car06/25)

We last visited Catton Hall on a balmy evening in August 2016 and the owners Robin and Katie Neilson are now retired from the Cattton Estate business interests, but Katie has agreed to arrange a guided tour of the hall and gardens for us in 2025.

 

Catton Hall has been in the hands of the same family since 1405 and still remains the private home of the Neilsons. There are family connections with Lord Byron as well as with Napoleon and the Duke of Cumberland, the brother of George III.

 

The current house dates from 1742 and contains it’s original collection of family and royal portraits as well as 17th and 18th century portraits and antique furniture. Catton has it’s own chapel and herbaceous gardens to the rear bounded by the River Trent.

 

On this occasion we will be making an afternoon visit for the guided tour followed by tea/coffee and cake and numbers are limited to a maximum of 30.

 

Thursday 24th July Wenlock Abbey, Much Wenlock (ref: car07/25)

Wenlock Abbey listed grade 1, was originally part of the Cluniac Wenlock Priory (now in the care of English Heritage) and is separate from the priory ruins.

 

Now a private residence, the house was bought in 1983 by artist Louis de Wet who restored the ancient fabric. Behind it’s glorious Renaissance facade, the prior’s private apartments are barely altered and comprise of an L-shape of two ranges, one the monks infirmary built in the 12th century, the other the Prior’s Lodging of 250 years later.

 

Upon arrival members will be given a copy of the Abbey guidebook and a digital copy will be sent to us ahead of our visit.

After an introductory talk, our guided tour, taking about two and a half hours, starts by climbing a spiral staircase leading to a fenestrated gallery from which the Prior’s private suite is accessed adorned by treasures from Louis de Wet’s collection.

We then enter the Great Hall with it’s cusped casements and spectacular timber framed roof of 1425 together with a 15th century stone calvary. In the 12th century wing we will see a short film outlining the restoration of the Abbey before moving on to the Chapel with it’s intricate carved oak screens.

 

Our visit will conclude with a visit to Louis de Wett’s artist studio, before tea/coffee and cake is served in the Venetian room on the ground floor.

 

Visitor numbers are restricted to 20 for this event.