Association Newsletter

An Association of National Trust Members and Supporters

September 2019 Number 190 Contents Page Chair’s Letter 3 Membership 4 Talks 4 Social and Fundraising Events 6 Day trip and Christmas Lunches 8 Holidays 9 Country walks 11 NT News 14 Day Trip Review 16 Holiday reviews 17 Website Information 19 Dates for your Diary Back cover

Enclosed with this Newsletter are the 2020 Holiday Programme and booking forms for Social Activities, Christmas Lunches x 2, and (3 forms). Please contact the Newsletter editor if any of these are missing.

Chair: Catherine Brophy [email protected] 01904 331273 Secretary: Jean Haywood [email protected] 01904 702402 Treasurer: Valerie Laud [email protected] 01904 704600 Membership: Elinor Bailey [email protected] 01347 821262 Day Trips: Colin Sherwood [email protected] 01904 640915 Walks: Alison Rutter [email protected] 01904 703430 Holidays: Peter Drew [email protected] 01904 702285 Events: Christine Truman [email protected] 01937 541163 Website: Mike Morrow [email protected] 01904 654546

Newsletter: Catherine Brophy [email protected] 07947 854923

Talks: Roger King [email protected] 01904 761274

Publicity: Mererid Hunt [email protected] 01653 690992

Cover: Trentham Gardens © G. Mortimer

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Chair's Letter Thank you to everyone who helped our big fundraising effort at The Summer Fair at St Crux, particularly everyone who staffed stalls and the refreshment area and to those who provided delicious jam, beautifully handcrafted items and books and other objects to sell. In particular I wish to warmly thank Jenny Denton for many years organising and leading excellent day trips with her husband Peter and sadly on her own over the last few months. We are really lucky to have had Jenny’s input and leadership and we wish her well in the future. We know that anyone willing to take up the baton from her will have Jenny’s advice and support. Our committees have worked hard providing enjoyable day trips, full day walks, talks, the Garden Party and other events. However we are now at a crucial moment for the Association where we do need more members to volunteer to help with all these activities if we are to continue to flourish. All three committees have members and office holders retiring this year so please do not be shy in coming forward; you are really needed and will be warmly welcomed by each committee. The committee chair’s details are on page 2 or contact myself; we are happy to have an informal discussion with you without any obligation. As we don’t have a YANT office please can you mention you are a YANT member at the beginning of the call when you phone any of us? The contact numbers are home numbers. It makes life easier for those of us who are active in several organisations. The new number for day trips, mystery tour, etc. is 07852 163013 We have lots of exciting events for you this autumn including talks on Saturday afternoons at Friends’ Meeting House to which you are encouraged to bring your friends and neighbours. Also enclosed are details of the 2020 holiday programme. The NT shop is offering us another shopping evening in November – see page 15. I look forward to meeting you at many of these events throughout the autumn.

Catherine Brophy Chair

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Membership

At present we have 586 members and are pleased to have welcomed the following to membership over the past three months:

Christine Jarratt Mike Day Teresa Mikola

Elinor Bailey, Membership Secretary

Talks

Talks are held at the Friends’ Meeting House in Friargate on Saturdays, starting at 2.30pm, lasting for about 45 minutes, with time for questions afterwards. Below are the synopses of the October and November talks. Remember non-members of YANT are welcome to attend so please bring relatives, friends and neighbours. The charge of £4 is to cover room and equipment hire.

Roger King, Talks Organiser

19th October, Neil Sanderson, “A Day in the Life of York Minster”

As we travel through a single day, we will look at the amazing variety of activities and events which take place in and around the precinct of York Minster. From being a house of prayer, worship and sacred music, to one of the countries most visited attractions, where people discover history and architecture in both vast and intimate spaces. From a place of learning and study to a place where traditional skills are shared and preserved, a place where some of the country's finest architecture is lovingly protected and restored. From a place where people are entertained to a place where the seasons of the year are marked as they have been for centuries. Hopefully you will learn that York Minster is a place for everyone.

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16th November, Patrick Eyres, “Humphry Repton in Yorkshire”

During the Napoleonic Wars, Repton (1752-1818) was Britain’s leading landscape gardener. He is renowned for inventing the Red Book as a means of presenting his ideas. Each one is a unique artwork that contains handwritten proposals, illustrated with ingeniously theatrical before-and-after watercolours. This overview will focus on the six surviving Red Books created for Yorkshire aristocrats, gentry and industrialists.

2020 Talks. Further details in the December Newsletter starting with:

18th January, Glennis Whyte “The Determined Ladies of Minster Yard”

Mystery Tour

PLACES STILL AVAILABLE

Tuesday 10th September

This year we will be approaching our destination by a route that you will almost certainly not know. We will have a break for coffee at around 11am and reach our lunch venue by approximately 1.15pm.

Cost £35.

A booking form was enclosed with the June newsletter, a copy is available as usual on the website

Ingleby’s Coach leaves Memorial Gardens at 9.30am and Middlethorpe Drive at 9.45am. Return to York by 4.30pm approximately.

Elizabeth Hjort

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History Wardrobe Presents: ALL WRITERS GREAT AND SMALL Friday 1st November 7pm at St Edwards Community Hall, Road, York YO24 1GG

A celebration of Yorkshire authors, from the Brontës to James Herriot, (and a lot of other good ones in between). Historian Lucy Adlington links costumes and stories in this lively literary show featuring many favourite writers, poets and dramatists.

Lucy Adlington at Middlethorpe Hall © History Wardrobe

Booking form enclosed with this newsletter. Tickets, including wine or juice, £15. Please book by 18th October and note that parking here is limited.

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Social and Fundraising Events

The St Crux Summer Fair was a successful fund raising event, which raised £761 for the NT wish list of projects. We were grateful to members who supported the event by staffing the stalls, helping with refreshments as well as making or collecting items to sell. If we are to organise another of these events in the future, we will need to recruit more committee members for all three committees who together organise this event. We would appreciate any ideas members have for enjoyable fundraising activities.

We had a sunny August day for the Garden Party at Goddards. This was an enjoyable occasion for those members who attended and thanks to the Projects Group Committee for providing a delicious tea.

On November 1st we welcome back the History Wardrobe with their presentation on “All Writers Great and Small”. At this celebration of Yorkshire authors we will also hold a Yorkshire raffle, as well as providing wine or juice and nibbles. More details above on page 6 and the enclosed booking form.

On November 30th there is the Winter Coffee morning – see details below.

We do hope to see many of you at future events.

Christine Truman, Chairman Projects Group

Winter Coffee Morning Saturday 30th November 10am to 12pm at St Edward’s Church Community Hall, , York YO24 1GG

There will be a couple of stalls and a raffle so please do pop along and support this fund-raising event. Limited car parking, but on bus routes 4, 13 and the “Coastliner” and not far from the “Park and Ride”, Askham Bar.

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Day Trips Haddon Hall Christmas Trip - Thursday, 12th December

After a gap of 10 years we are returning to Haddon Hall, Derbyshire for our Christmas trip. The Hall dates from the 12th to 17th centuries. It is a Grade 1* listed building, built on a limestone bluff above the valley of the River Wye. Because of the nature of the site there are many different levels within the house itself. The ground floor is mainly flag stones, which have a worn, uneven surface. Care and attention must be paid especially in doorways which, because of changing floor levels, means there are small steps between rooms. The upper storey has wooden floors with floor coverings. Every effort has been made to aid visitors to see as much of the hall as possible, but access for visitors with disabilities is very restricted. The restaurant is reached by 10 steps with a handrail.

The coach park is situated on the opposite side of the A6 road from the house and grounds. The distance between the coach park and the house entrance is approximately 400 metres and includes some gravel surface and 30 steps. There is a buggy available to transport the less mobile from the gatehouse, which is on the opposite side of the A6 road from the coach park, but because the buggy is not taxed to travel on public highways the A6 has to be crossed by all visitors. Please indicate on the booking form if you would like to use this facility.

The cost is £45 per person to include coach hire, entrance charge, two course Christmas lunch and coffee/tea and gratuities. Please note that the detailed menu has not yet been finalised by the caterer so the booking form gives the barest information. From 2.00pm there is musical entertainment in the Banqueting Hall, at which visitors are free to "drift" in and out at any time.N.B. There is no exemption from the admission charge for HHA members at Christmas - see the Haddon Hall website.

Roger King, day trip leader.

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York College Christmas Lunches Friday 5th December OR Wednesday 11th December at 12 noon This event has proved so popular that this year we are offering two sessions. Please indicate if you are available for one or both of the dates, we will then let you know which date you have been allocated. The full menu is shown on the enclosed booking form and includes a welcome drink on arrival, tea or coffee with mince pies, and a tip for the staff for £23. Erica Barnes Holidays Just two holidays remaining this year if you are still needing a last minute break. Both holidays have spaces available, just ring Brightwater on 01334 657155, use your booking form in your brochure or print off the form from the website’s Holidays page to make a booking. Remember you can view the full itineraries of these holidays and view all the previous holidays reviews and photos in the Holiday Section.

Sweden & Denmark 23–30 Sept – £2,295.00 (single supplement £455.00) Included in the price 7 nights’ DB&B 2nights Uppsala, 1 night Malmö, 2 nights Copenhagen and 2 nights Aarhus. Return flights from Manchester to Stockholm and Copenhagen to Manchester Return coach transfers, York to Manchester Airport and comfortable coaching in Sweden and Denmark Standard class rail journey from Stockholm to Malmö Visits to the archaeological sites at Gamla Uppsala and Anundshög; Skokloster Castle; the Vasa Museum and the Swedish History Museum, Stockholm; Ales Stenar megaliths; Rosenborg Slot, the National Museum and the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen; Frederiksborg Slot, Roskilde; Moesgård Viking Museum, the Silkeborg Museum ‘bog bodies’, the archaeological sites at Jelling and Fyrkat (Viking castle) including porterage and tips. Services of Clive Warsop as tour manager.

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A Keswick Christmas Carol, 5-6 Dec, £225 per person (single supplement £30.00) Thursday 5 December By coach from York to Keswick, where we have some free time to explore Keswick. Visit the Derwent Pencil Museum, home of the first pencil, the Puzzling Place, an exhibition based on optical illusion or the Keswick Museum, which went through a major renovation in 2014, where you can explore fascinating stories of local people, places and artefacts. We then check-in to our hotel, the 3-star Skiddaw Hotel, with a welcome drinks reception before an early dinner. In the evening we attend “A Christmas Carol” at the Theatre by the Lake. Friday 6 December This morning, after breakfast, we will check out of the hotel. There will be further free time in Keswick before we depart on a scenic drive to Lake Windermere and the surrounding area (depending on prevailing weather conditions). In the afternoon we will arrive at the 4-star MacDonald Old Hotel & Spa for a traditional Afternoon Tea (included) in the restaurant overlooking the lake. Later we return to York.

2020 Holidays Wednesday 30th October at 10am

“Walmgate Ale House”, 25 Walmgate, York

Andrew Sharples from Brightwater Holidays and Peter Drew, YANT tours organiser, will discuss and show slides of the holidays planned for 2020.

Whether you have already booked or are thinking about booking do come along and find out more about the holidays.

Space is limited to 40 members so please let Peter Drew know if you are coming. Phone 01904 702285 /07510 673599 Email: [email protected] Peter Drew, YANT Tours Organiser

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Walks Group

Country Walks

Full-day walks with coach transport and afternoon tea.

There is still time to book for our last full day walk of the year:

Saturday 21 September CWP 2019/8 – Yorkshire Dales: Gargrave & /Liverpool Canal 7 miles Leader: Dorothy Pope Tel: 01904 762794 or 07985 553523 Standard: Easy

This easy, flat walk with a few slight inclines and descents starts at the small, pretty village of Gargrave, between Skipton and Settle on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Following the Pennine Way we walk across undulating fields to the village of East Marton. The walk then joins the towpath of the Leeds/Liverpool canal, which takes us back to Gargrave where we will join the coach for the 20 minutes journey to Settle. A salad and cake tea will be prepared by member of St John’s Methodist Church.

Ingleby’s coach will leave Memorial Gardens at 8.30 am and Rawcliffe Bar P&R at 8.45 am. Return to York by 7 pm.

Cost of the trip to include coach, tea and gratuities is £22. Bookings to Celia Rutt at the latest by Saturday 14 September using the booking form with the June Newsletter or online. Contact Celia on 01904 627384 for possible late bookings.

NB. Walkers participate at their own risk and must be capable of completing the distance in open countryside over uneven ground, with some ascents and descents, in a variety of weather conditions. Suitable clothing and footwear must be worn and a packed lunch and drinks carried.

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Circular half day walks using own transport.

Tuesday 10 September: 4 mile walk to Leaders: Alison and Nigel Rutter (01904 703430) Standard: Easy This 4 mile easy walk starts at 10. 15 am at the Social Club on Main Street, Bishopthorpe and, after following a short stretch of the Solar Way, crosses fields on good paths to Acaster Malbis. The return route follows the River Ouse back to Bishopthorpe, passing the Palace and old church ruins. There is some road walking.

Parking may be difficult in Bishopthorpe. The half-hourly No 11 bus – 9.40 am from the Railway Station – arrives in the village just before 10 am. There are numerous cafes and pubs for lunch.

Tuesday 8 October: 5 miles Roman Road from Copmanthorpe Leader: Steve Holman Standard: Easy Meet at 10.30 am at The Royal Oak Pub in Main Street, Copmanthorpe. The walk will follow the Roman road between York and Tadcaster. It is flat but there are several stiles. There is a pub at Colton about halfway into the walk and toilet facilities at Bilborough Top after 2 miles.

Parking is on-street, but buses 13, 843, 844 and 845 call at Copmanthorpe. Possible lunch venues are Scotts fish and chips at Bilborough Top or The Nag’s Head pub in .

Thursday 14 November: 4.5 miles around Fulford Leader: Anne Harvey. Standard: Easy, no stiles Meet at the entrance to St Oswald’s school/Fulford Library car park on School Lane, Fulford, at 10.am. Turn at the traffic lights by Fulford church on Fulford Road, left from town, right from A64, and School Road is first right. We have permission to use the car park but space is limited. Some space may be possible on School Lane. Buses 7, 18, 36, 42, 415 and 416 stop at Fulford church from where it is a short walk left then right to the start. The library will not be open and there are no toilets at the start. We walk down to Germany Beck and along tracks and a field path to Heslington Lane then on, via the university and Walmgate Stray, across Fulford Road and back via riverside paths to the start. Some sections may be wet and muddy. The 12 final section can be changed if it has been very wet. Lunch is possible at various pubs in Fulford, a sandwich bar and a fish and chip shop.

Please park with consideration where roadside/village parking is involved. NB. Walkers participate at their own risk and must be capable of completing the distance in open countryside, over uneven ground with some hill ascents, in a variety of weather conditions. Suitable clothing and footwear must be worn and light refreshments carried.

An administration charge of £1 will be collected on each walk.

Details of the December, post-Christmas walk will be in the December Newsletter. Suggestions for walks and offers to lead for December and into 2020 are always welcome. The Walks Committee hope that you are enjoying our programme of short and full day walks. Sadly, unless we get more volunteers to join the committee and/or offers to lead walks, the group will be unable to continue. Several long-standing members have retired this year and the Chairperson is also stepping down after 9 years in office. We are sure that there are some of our regular walkers who would be able to bring fresh energy and ideas to help us to continue.

If you can help please contact Alison Rutter on 01904 703430 or 07523 944065 or e-mail at [email protected] if you would like to know more about what is involved. Many thanks in anticipation.

Social Evening and Quiz Night

A date for your diary: The ever popular quiz night and social evening, organised by the Walks Group, will be held at New Earswick Bowls Club on Friday 20th March, 2020. Full details and booking form in the December Newsletter.

Brenda Batty (Secretary)

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News from the NT in Yorkshire

Beningbrough: Yorkshire! Achievement, Grit & Controversy Exhibition

This exhibition of sculpture, painting, photography and printmaking features over 25 well known Yorkshire achievers, game changers and nonconformists, and considers some of the typical character traits most associated with God’s Own County!

Heritage Open Days at Beningbrough – visit for free on these dates: Friday 20th and Saturday 21st September.

Fountains Abbey: Monastic Powerhouse: an exhibition by Joseph Hayton

See the abbey as the powerhouse it once was through sculpture. This Exhibition is in the Mill with sculptures by stone carver Joseph Hayton.

Treasurer’s House: John Goodricke Tours

John Goodricke, a famous Georgian astronomer, lived at Treasurer’s and made an astonishing discovery in the night sky. Find out more on this tour about how this 18 year old observed a type of variable star that ultimately helped us measure the size of the universe.

No need to pre-book. £4 + admission charge The Tour is available on September 10, 12, 17, 18, 24 and 26th.

Goddards House: National Chocolate Week 16th to 20th October

Join in the Chocolate fuelled celebrations at the home of one of York’s chocolate families. Discover more about one of the world’s most iconic chocolates – the Terry’s Chocolate Orange.

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Members’ Discount Evening At The National Trust Shop, Goodramgate, York Wednesday 13th November 6-8pm

The shop has kindly agreed to open late exclusively for YANT members and is offering a 20% discount on all items bought on the night. We hope you will take advantage of this excellent opportunity to do some Christmas shopping and benefit the National Trust.

YANT group at Mrs Gaskell’s house © G. Mortimer

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Day Trips Review

Manchester: Gorton Monastery and Mrs Gaskell’s House – 9th July

An almost full coach driven by Darren and led by Roger King made its way to our first visit of the day, the Gorton Monastery in Manchester.

On arrival at the Monastery we were greeted by our guide, Emma, who showed us into the Welcome Centre where we were seated and presented with an extensive and interesting history of the Church and Friary of St. Francis, known locally as Gorton Monastery. Emma illustrated her talk with slides of significant events in the monastery’s history the most dramatic of which was the vandalisation in the early 1990s. Now almost fully refurbished in its original style, there is still on-going minor restoration taking place.

Building of the friary began in 1863 and was completed in 1872. Designed by the renowned Victorian architect A W Pugin the friary is no longer used for worship, but is open for many events, including weddings, conferences and gala dinners. We were served with a very enjoyable lunch in the nave, overlooked by the saints returned to their original plinths during the restoration of the friary. Before joining our coach for our next visit, we had time to explore the building and learn a little more of its history.

A short drive from the monastery took us to Mrs Gaskells’s house. A grade II listed building on the outskirts of Manchester, the Gaskell family moved into the house in 1850. This is where Elizabeth Gaskell wrote some of her most famous novels, including Cranford and North & South. Although there is very little left of the original furniture, the information offered by the guides helped the place to come alive. In particular we were shown into William Gaskell’s study and it was very easy to imagine him sitting there surrounded by his favourite books.

Many famous people visited the Gaskells, including Charles Dickens and Charlotte Bronte and the guides told us several funny stories about Charlotte’s visits to the house.There is also a small tea-room in the basement which was enjoyed by our group, assisted by the very friendly staff.

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We left the house at 4.00 pm and made our way back to York after a very enjoyable visit to two very interesting and unusual places.

Janet Harper

Holiday Reviews

Brittany, 18th – 23rd May

Brittany's long history, no less than it's geography, has made it one of the most distinctive regions of France. Our tour made it possible to follow its development from 5000BC to World War II.

Around 5000BC local populations began to adopt a settled and social way of life and to build impressive monuments. The oldest and most spectacular is the Cairn de Barnenez, built around 4500BC, the largest and oldest cairn in Europe. It contains 11 dolmens, or tombs, 2 of which can be entered. No less spectacular are the menhirs, or standing stones, at Carnac. We saw 555 stones alligned east to west in 13 rows; an amazing sight. Nearby, the Grand Menhir Brise is 20m long and weighs 350 tonnes. It lies broken into 4 pieces, the largest menhir in the western world. On the same site is a neolithic galleried grave and a 140m long tumulus.

During the Middle Ages Brittany evolved into a feudal state divided into fiefdoms ruled over by powerful families from their mighty castles. We visited the castles of Josselin and Combourg. The Chateau de Josselin was the stronghold of the Rohan dynasty. It is a fine flamboyant Gothic building defended by 4 great towers built in the 14th century. The Chateau de Combourg is another imposing building with pepperpot towers. In 1751 the Chateaubriand family acquired it. Francois Chateaubriand, the great romantic writer, wrote in his memoirs, "It was in the woods of Comburgh that I became what I am." It is not known whether he encountered the black cat and wooden leg, which haunt the castle!

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Concarneau is one of the largest fortified towns in Brittany, despite being only 350m long and 100m wide, and was our base for part of the holiday. It is accessible only by a narrow bridge leading to the outer defences. The high walls and flanking towers made the town impregnable as we could see as we walked the walls and streets of what is known as the "Ville Close".

St Malo is another walled city, heavily fortified, the foremost port in 17th century France. Tragically, during August 1944 80% of the city was destroyed by allied bombing. Amazingly it has been rebuilt in its original form so we were able to appreciate its historic heritage.

Surrounded by water, Mont St. Michel, standing on the estuary of the Couesnon, is perhaps the jewel in Brittany's crown. The rocky islet was the home of a small chapel in the 8th century. Work on the abbey began in the 10th and by the 16th the height of the island had doubled. Fortifications were added to protect it from English attack and it was used as a prison during the French Revolution. Despite the huge number of visitors the Mont has a majestic and imposing atmosphere.

These are some, but by no means all, of the highlights of what was a fascinating and hugely enjoyable holiday and our thanks go to Clive Warsop for his leadership and expertise.

Roger Bridgewater

Website Reminder

www.yant.org.uk

User Name is: member Password is: yantmember

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The YANT website and Social Media The YANT website went live in May 2014 and, despite a number of changes, still retains its initial focus of an area for Public access (yant.org.uk) and an area for our Members (yant.org.uk/members-home).

The Public area is designed to give an overview of YANT and, potentially, to attract new members. If friends or relatives ask about YANT, please direct them to this area. The Members' area is designed to keep you both informed of what is going on within YANT and provide reviews and photographs of past activities. Along with our email reminder system, it is also a way to keep you fully up to date with YANT group activities, including those that missed inclusion in our quarterly Newsletter.

The Members' Home Page has links to all upcoming events, Thank You letters from the NT for our donations, details of events at our local National Trust properties and, at the moment, the Oberammergau Passion Play. The current version of our Newsletter, along with old copies, can be be found in the "Newsletter" section of the site along with all the current booking forms. The majority of the Members' area is open, but you will need a username and password to access Booking Forms, Reviews, photographs and Contacts. The current username and password can be found in the box above on page 18.

YANT is also now on Social Media. If you use either Facebook or Instagram you can find us using @yorknt on Facebook or @ntyorkassociation on Instagram. Please feel free to add your own photographs or comments to our Instagram feed using #ntyorkassociation. Social Media is just another way to promote YANT and ultimately to attract new members.

I hope you enjoy using our website. Let me know if you have any suggestions for how the site may be developed in the future. Please send me any photographs you take on your Day Trips, Social Events or Holidays; there is always a space ready on the website to receive them.

Michael Morrow Website Administrator

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DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

SEPTEMBER 10 Short Walk: Bishopthorpe 10 Mystery Tour 21 Full-day walk: Yorkshire Dales 23-30 Holiday: Denmark & Sweden

OCTOBER 8 Short Walk: Roman Road from Copmanthorpe 19 Talk: “A day in the Life of York Minster” by Neil Sanderson 30 Pre-holiday meeting at Walmgate Ale House, 10.00am 30 Drop-in lunch, Walmgate Ale House & Bistro from 12 noon

NOVEMBER 1 History Wardrobe: St Edward’s Church Community Hall 7pm 13 NT shop evening for YANT members 6-8pm 14 Short Walk: Fulford 16 Talk: “Humphrey Repton in Yorkshire” by Patrick Eyres 27 Drop-in lunch, Walmgate Ale House & Bistro from 12 noon 30 Winter Coffee Morning: St Edward’s Church Community Hall 10am

DECEMBER 5-6 Holiday: Lake District 6 Christmas lunch at York College at 12 noon 11 Christmas lunch at York College at 12 noon 12 Day Trip: Haddon Hall and Christmas Lunch

Please send contributions and photographs for the December Newsletter to Catherine Brophy [email protected] by Wednesday 6th November

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