A Journey Through England's Woodworking Heritage

DETAILS

Day 1, Monday, September 8th: Arrival

Tour members will arrange their own transport to arrive at Heathrow International Airport, London. Reservations will be made for each guest at the airport hotel.

Your Hosts will welcome you with a dinner that evening at the hotel (included in the tour price).

Day 2, Tuesday, September 9th: London School of Furniture Making and the Museum of the Home

After breakfast, the group will get on a chartered bus and travel to the London School of Furniture Making. The school was founded in 2013 by Helen Welch, a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers. The mission statement of the school is to meet the needs of individuals looking to learn the art of woodworking and furniture making, without committing to long college or university classes.

After lunch, we'll jump back on the coach and head to the Museum of the Home. This unique museum offers a look into the home over the last several centuries. The Museum of the home is housed in the almshouses built in 1714, and first opened up as a museum in 1914 as a museum of furniture and woodwork. This afternoon will allow us, as woodworkers to view various styles of furniture in their intended settings.

The day concludes at the Hotel Riu Plaza with an included group dinner.

Day 3, Wednesday, September 10th: Victoria and Albert Museum, and London Free-Time

The morning of day 3 will have us traveling to the Victoria and Albert museum, the world's largest museum of applied arts. Here, we'll have the chance to view one of the largest collections of furniture in the world. The collection of furniture and woodwork was started 150 years ago, and spans six centuries.

As we wrap up the visit to the Victoria and Albert museum, we'll break for some free time to explore London. Hop a cab and visit Buckingham palace, or wander around the historic Tower of London. You'll be free to enjoy dinner on your own, in one of the quintessential London Pubs.

Day 4, Thursday, September 11th: Kraftinwood Chairmaking Museum, and Wormsley Estate

On the morning of day 4, we'll load our luggage into the coach and
travel to the Kraftinwood Chairmaking Museum in High Wycombe.  Here, we'll explore traditional chairmaking techniques and the techniques required to convert the local beech trees into chairs. At it's peak, the town of High Wycombe was producing an astonishing 4,700 Windsor chairs per day!

Leaving the Chairmaking museum, we'll stop for an included group lunch, before traveling to the Wormsley Estate. This breathtaking 2,700 acre estate is the location for one of the first new boxwood plantation since Queen Elizabeth 1st, in 1603. This wonderful wood has been used for centuries to various degrees; as a instrument wood, plane making,  tool making, and turning. These little trees take several hundred years to reach a harvesting size, and Huw Crompton will walk us through the process, from planting to harvesting. 

We'll conclude the day a hotel in Cheltenham with a group dinner.

Day 5, Friday, September 12th: Westonbirt Arboretum, and Rodmarton Manor

Day five of our trip leads us to the Westonbirt Arboretum. This 600-acre forest is home to over 2,500 species of trees from all over the world.  The Arboretum hosts various classes throughout the year, including green woodworking and Windsor chair making.

The group will break for some free-time, as well as lunch on your own in the town of Tetbury. In the afternoon, we'll visit the Rodmarton Manor house, which is an amazing Arts & Crafts estate. Wandering through the rooms, you're sure to be jotting down notes on all of the historical pieces of arts and crafts furniture, design elements, and décor.

We'll retire back to the hotel in Cheltenham with a group dinner.

Day 6, Saturday, September 13th: Gordon Russel Museum, Wilson Art Gallery & Museum

Today, we'll travel to the Gordon Russel Museum in Worchestershire. Gordon Russell was a design pioneer in the furniture industry, designing pieces from the Arts and Crafts style to fully modern designs. The museum is a tribute to his legacy, as well as the evolution of woodworking as a whole.

After free time in Broadway, we'll gather for a visit to the Wilson Art Gallery & Museum. This museum in Cheltenham houses art and furniture pieces from around the world, and features changing exhibits throughout the years.  

We'll retire back to the hotel in Cheltenham with a group dinner.

Day 7, Sunday, September 14th: Yandles

We've even arranged each group member to leave with a give away from Triton. After lunch, we'll head to Yandles, a large woodworking and craft store. Yandles has an on-site sawmill and lumber
yard, and you're welcome to wander through the store, browse, and fill your
suitcase.

This evening, we'll make our way back to the Heathrow Airport for a final group dinner before departing for home.

Day 8, Monday, September 15th: Departure

Tour members can choose to return home or continue traveling on their own.

4-star relaxation and comfortable coach travel. 

Hotel Accommodations: 

After full days touring London, we will retire to the comfort of 4-star hotels. 

• Crowne Plaza Heathrow 2 nights
• RIU Plaza London Victoria 2 nights
• Kings Head Cheltenham 3 nights

Coach Travel: 

Daily will be provided by a modern, comfortable coach operated by an experienced driver.