News and events for spring 2019 Bedfordshire | | Essex Hertfordshire | Norfolk |

This is just a selection of what’s on. Visit our website Book an event for more events and inspiration www.nationaltrust.org.uk/eastofengland Essex Book online at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/events Hatfield Forest or call our central box office to book Takeley, CM22 6NE events at the following places… Anglesey Abbey, Cambridgeshire Introduction to Photography 21 April & 23 May, 10am - 3pm Blakeney National Nature Reserve, Norfolk Join award winning and local photographer Bourne Mill, Essex Helen Hooker for a unique beginners Brancaster Beach, Norfolk introduction to digital photography. Learn how to get more from your camera surrounded by Blickling Estate, Norfolk the serene setting of Hatfield Forest. Coggeshall Grange Barn, Essex £60 per person B Dunstable Downs and Whipsnade Estate, Landscape Photography Masterclass with Bedfordshire Justin Minns Dunwich Heath, Suffolk 6 April, dawn Felbrigg Hall, Norfolk Learn the finer points of landscape photography with professional photographer Justin Minns. , Suffolk £135 per person B Hatfield Forest, Essex Bedfordshire Woodland Elves and Fairies Heigham Holmes, Norfolk 28 – 30 May Houghton Mill and Waterclose Meadows Join the learning team to track down fairy campsite, Cambridgeshire doors across the forest and make a craft Dunstable Downs Easter Break: Signs of Spring item to take home. Ickworth, Suffolk Dunstable, LU6 2GY 6 - 22 April £6 per child B Guildhall, Suffolk Join us for a Wildlife Trial, Ladybird Houses, Melford Hall, Suffolk February half term Planetarium Apple Bird Feeders, Spring Crafts, and Cabury’s 12 - 15 February, 10am - 3pm Egg Hunts, with a Signs of Spring theme for the Paycocke’s House Oxburgh Hall, Norfolk £4 per person the Easter holidays. Learn about the wildlife on Coggeshall, CO6 1NS Orford Ness, Suffolk Whipsnade Estate and Dunstable Downs. Sheringham Park, Norfolk Stargazing Family Evening Weaving with Words – part of the Essex Book 12 & 13 February, 5.30pm - 8.30pm Wildlife Photography Workshops with Festival Sutton Hoo, Suffolk £12 per adult / £8 per child Rosalind White Saturday 16 March, 1pm - 4pm Wicken Fen, Cambridgeshire Join photographer Rosalind White, who will be Join local writer/artist Wendy Constance for a Stargazing Valentines evening hosting a photography program in May and fun family drop-in session where you choose Willington Dovecote and Stables, Bedfordshire 14 February, 6pm - 10pm June. Learn how to take stunning widlife photos words which best describe Paycocke’s House Wimpole Estate, Cambridgeshire Planetarium and Stargazing will include the return alongside a professional. and Garden. Compose a list, a sentence or of Dark Sky Wales supported by UK Astronomy. £25 per person poem - then write it on one of the strips of 0344 2491895 This year’s extras including eco glitter, space talks fabric which we will all weave together to and popcorn, space photo booth, alien hunting, create a banner to celebrate this special place. and solar and night telescopes. To book events at the following places, please call the number listed… Bourne Mill Colchester, Essex CO2 8RT Elizabethan House Museum, Norfolk 01493 743930 Discovery Tours Paycocke’s, Essex 01376 561305 From 13 April - Saturday 11 May, 10am – 11am Peckover House, Cambridgeshire 01945 583463 Easter fun and Cadbury Easter Egg Hunts A series of regular short talks and tours looking at the history of Bourne Mill, from when it was Theatre Royal, Suffolk 01284 769505 Being outdoors, surrounded by nature, can help Join the hunt at: a fishing lodge 500 years ago to its more recent revive us as adults and feed the imagination of Anglesey Abbey B role as a grain and fulling mill. A welcome cup Normal admission applies unless otherwise stated. children. So during the Easter holidays, to get Blickling Estate of tea and coffee included. More details of B = Booking essential. Please book early to the family out and about, many of our special Bourne Mill each event on the Bourne Mill NT website. avoid disappointment. places will be hosting a number of nature based Dunstable Downs £6 per person B activities and trails. Dunwich Heath Family ticket includes two adults and two children. Felbrigg Hall Children must be accompanied by an adult. What’s more, follow the Easter bunny on one of Flatford our Cadbury Easter Egg Hunts and claim a Houghton Mill & Waterclose Meadows chocolate prize. Trails cost £2.50 per child. Ickworth Lavenham Guildhall Melford Hall Orford Ness Oxburgh Hall Paycocke’s Peckover House Shaw’s Corner B Sheringham Park Sutton Hoo Wicken Fen Wimpole Estate

For more events visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/events Spring 2019 3 Make more of your membership – join your local centre, association or volunteer group. Call 01284 747500. Norfolk Cambridgeshire

Peckover House Family Quiz Night Saturday 6 April 6pm, and Garden doors open 5.45pm North Brink, Wisbech, PE13 1JR A family quiz night in the Reed Barn Tearoom. Maximum of 6 people per The Garden in Winter team. Saturdays and Sundays £3 per person B 12 & 13, 19 & 20, 26 & 27 January, 2 & 3, 9 & 10, 16 & 17 February Bookbinding Exhibition An opportunity to enjoy the early Throughout May, season with a stroll around the Exhibition of hand bookbinding, garden. Warming soups and hot plus a chance to try these crafts drinks available. Come along to the on specific days. Blickling Estate Sheringham Park Orangery at 2pm for a talk about Anglesey Abbey Blickling, Aylsham, NR11 6NF Upper Sheringham, NR26 8TL Wild Animal Tracking caring and maintaining the garden Mother’s day Afternoon Tea Lode, , CB25 9EJ Monday 18 February, 10.30am – 12.30pm, during the winter months. Sunday 31 March, 12noon - 3.30pm The Tiger Who Came to Tea Tracker Trail Tuesday 19 February, 10.30am – 12.30pm Special afternoon tea available in Special Collection Snowdrop Tours Saturday 12 January – Sunday 3 March Daily 16 – 24 February, 10am – 4.15pm & Tuesday 16 April, 10.30am – 12.30pm the Reed barn Tea Room Monday – Friday, 12.30pm, As part of the ongoing conservation Find out how to spot the tell-tale Foxes, badgers and deer live in the £15.95 per adult / £7.50 per child B 28 January -15 February about the importance of books, join signs animals leave behind with a fun Park but are seldom seen. Learn the Make the most of these exclusive us for Judith Kerr’s The Tiger Who quiz trail. Solve the clues to win a signs animals leave behind and make weekday tours where you’ll see our Came to Tea exhibition. In addition prize. Tracking wild animals is one a plastercast print. Then take a walk Blakeney National renowned Snowdrop Collection, with to Judith’s illustrations, this exhibition of the 50 things to do before you’re off the beaten track to look for animal over 300 varieties. These behind the from Seven Stories, The National 11 and ¾ ! signs – footprints, feeding signs and Nature Reserve scenes tours are led by our garden Centre for Children’s Books, will £2.50 per child poo! Finally we’ll check our camera Morston, NR25 7BH teams and garden guides sharing feature storytelling, a family trail, fully trap to see animal activity from the their specialist knowledge. Normal interactive play kitchen and life-size Family Survival School night before. Blakeney Point Beach Clean admission applies. Places are limited. model tiger. Wednesday 20 February & 17 April, Cost £5 children, accompanying Saturday 30 March, 10am – 1pm B please call 01223 810086 10.30am - 3.30pm adults £3 B Help us to keep our coastline clean Easter nature adventures Has your family got what it takes to by joining us for a beach clean on Whatever the Weather Changing Rooms: Repairing Saturday 6 – Monday 22 April Blue festival survive in the wild? Make your own Blakeney Point. Each year a lot of Monday – Friday, 10am – 11.30am, & Restoring Join us every day for family fun Saturday 27 April – Monday 27 May weatherproof shelter and get a fire rubbish washes up on Blakeney Point. 18 – 22 February Daily 11am – 4pm, across the estate, as we celebrate To celebrate the return of our started without using matches. We Help us to clean this up before the With our new garden opening time of 19 January – 28 April spring awakening. beautiful bluebells, we’re turning will look for edible plants and learn breeding bird season starts. Bags and 9.30am get a head start on your half Our house is now open 362 days a Blickling blue for a whole month. how to navigate using a compass. litter-pickers provided. Please bring term family fun whatever the weather. year and January is the start of an Join us for an array of blue-themed Come prepared for a full day out in sturdy gardening type gloves with you. Join our friendly staff and volunteers exciting project to redisplay part of activities across the estate, including the Norfolk backwoods! Meet at Cley Beach car park (not NT). Wimpole Estate Spring Concert Season in the Hoe Fen Wildlife Discovery Area the collection, and give some rooms a bluebell walks and talks in the park. Includes free Survival Kit for Arrington, Royston, SG8 0BW Monday 11, 18 & 25 March to take part in all sorts of outdoor fresh coat of paint. The house will even be bathed in a participating children Discover Blakeney National Nature Classical concerts held in the adventures. Join our house team as they return blue light. Cost £22 children, accompanying Reserve From Design to Demolition: 400 atmospheric setting off Wimpole’s You can finish up with an early hot these rooms to Lord Fairhaven’s * Please note that although the adults £18 B Saturday 27 April, 10am – 12pm years of making Wimpole home Long Gallery see website for lunch for little ones from 11.30am to original vision, from selecting paint house will be lit up from 27 April – Join our ranger for a stroll around From 16 February performers programme. top up before heading home. colours to moving precious objects. 27 May and will be seen best at Blakeney National Nature Reserve and This year we’re celebrating the nationaltrust.org.uk/wimpole night by passers-by, the front discover the history that has shaped changing and complex history of Tickets for each performance £20 B gates close at 5.30pm it; from monasteries to tidal surges Wimpole. During your visit delve a Wicken Fen Willow Basket Workshop Spring into Spring: and everything in between. Hear little deeper into the stories of some with Nadine Anderson Baby Paws and Claws about our important conservation of Wimpole’s past owners who shaped National Nature Friday 26 April, 10am – 4.30pm Tuesday 16 and Wednesday 17 April Felbrigg Hall Made in Norfolk work and how we look after this it into the house you see today. Make your own round basket with 10.30am – 12.30pm & 13.30pm – 15.30pm Felbrigg, Norwich, NR11 8PR Wednesday 29 May, 11am – 5pm internationally important nature Reserve decorative zigzag side weave, ideal What new life can we expect at Wicken An event dedicated to all things ‘Made reserve. Sorry, no dogs. Lambing Time Wicken, Ely, CB7 5XP for fruit, bread or to store your bits Fen this spring? Enjoy crafts, games Birds Songs and calls in Norfolk’. See the best that Norfolk B 27 April – 12 May, 10.30am - 5pm and bobs. and outdoor exploration with a spring Saturday 4 May, 5.30am – 8.30am has to offer with stalls selling everything Celebrate the arrival of spring as Go Wild: Winter Outdoor Survival Ticket £68 per person, includes all wildlife theme. Age 4+. Identifying birds by their songs and from food, crafts and produce. newborn lambs frolic in the fields. Thursday 21 February, materials B £5.75 per person B calls is a great skill to have, is less tricky Oxburgh Hall Junior Ranger Day Head to Home Farm to meet our 10.30am - 12.30pm than you might think and adds a whole Oxborough, PE33 9PS Wednesday 20 February, rare breed ewes and lambs and if and 13.30pm - 15.30pm new dimension to being outdoors. 11.00am – 3.00pm you’re lucky you may see a live birth. What do humans and animals need to This workshop is aimed at beginners Snowdrop walks Join the Ranger and the outdoors Learn more about lambing from our survive in the wild? Learn map skills, and sets out to help familiarise you Saturday 26 January – Sunday 10 March team in Home Covert woods farm staff. simple orienteering, animal tracks and with the songs and calls of birds most Daily walks over half term will be for a range of exciting woodland signs and how to build shelters. commonly encountered in woodlands taking place at 11.30am and 2pm. activities. Discover new skills with Wild Wimpole Welly Walk Age 8+. and gardens. After an early start to Meeting our knowledgeable garden wood carving, making campfires, 6 - 18 April, 10am – 5pm £5.75 per person B listen to the dawn chorus, we will help stewards and learn about the many toasting marshmallows and Tick off as many of our ‘50 things’ as you ‘tune in’ to individual species, varieties of snowdrops, or take identifying trees species and you can and be rewarded for all your before consolidating knowledge over a stroll at your leisure among the creatures in the winter woodland. hard efforts in our Welly Walk. Learn coffee in a short classroom session. beautiful flowers peppered with bright Wear clothes you don’t mind getting map skills, go bug hunting, and learn This workshop is part of a partnership aconites through the gardens and muddy, plus sturdy boots or wellies. how to build shelters. Age 8+. programme between Norfolk Wildlife woodlands. The perfect way to lift For children aged 6-12 and must be £2.50 per trail Trust and the . the winter blues! Children’s trails accompanied by an adult. £17.50 per person B are available for families. Please check our website for more details, including cost B Elizabethan Household, Help! Monday 27 May, 11am - 4pm House Museum Some of the servants are ill today Great Yarmouth, NR30 2QH – can you fill the gap and help with the daily running of the house? See if Awesome Amulets, Terrific you have what it takes to be hired. Talismans Monday 8 April, 11am – 4pm Learn about the magic behind Heigham Holmes Wellies and Waders Walk International Dawn Chorus amulets and talismans as well as Martham, Norfolk Sunday 24 March, 10.30am – 12.30am Day Walk creating your own unique design to Join a ranger to discover this unique Sunday 5 May, 5am – 8.30am take home with you for luck. World Wetlands Day Walk nature reserve hidden away on the As part of International Dawn Chorus Sunday 3 February, 10.30am – 12.30pm Norfolk Broads. Along the way find Day, enjoy an early morning guided Mystic Medicine: To celebrate World Wetlands Day why out more about the site, experience walk with the National Trust Ranger Witch, doctor, healer? not wrap up and join us for a walk out its important wildlife and hear about on this special reserve. Experience Monday 15 April, 11am - 4pm on the marshes at Heigham Holmes our conservation work to help the the dawn chorus and look for marsh Discover the weird and magical world Nature Reserve? We will look for breeding wading birds. Sorry, no harriers, wildfowl, spring migrants of potions, lotions and cures from the harriers and other birds of prey, dogs. and even bittern and cranes. At the Tudor period. winter wildfowl even cranes and £10 per adult / £5 per child B end of the walk enjoy a continental deer. Sorry, no dogs. breakfast. Beginners and older £10 per adult / £5 per child B children welcome. Sorry, no dogs £14 per adult / £7 per child, includes continental breakfast B

4 Spring 2019 For more events visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/events For more events visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/events Spring 2019 5 Suffolk

Orford Ness Melford Hall Conservation in action Dunwich Heath , Sudbury, CO10 9AA Wednesday 24 April & 29 May, Dunwich, IP17 3DJ National Nature 1pm – 4pm Lavenham to Melford Railway walk Meet our staff and volunteers who Wilderness School Reserve Saturday 20 May, 10.30am demonstrate how we care for different Monday 15 April, 10.30am – 1pm Woodbridge, IP12 2NU A guided four-mile walk retracing the part of our collection. Join our survival expert and learn route of the former Great Eastern about bush craft, survival and Bombs and Beasties Railway from Lavenham to Long wilderness living. All equipment is Saturday May 11 (other dates available) Melford. provided, please dress for the All day guided walk with a Ranger Overnight Photography Tour Cost £18 per person, includes weather. including access to the Atomic 13 - 14 April refreshments at Lavenham, lunch £25 per child, Weapons Research Area Stay overnight in our self-catering and admission at Melford. B accompanying adults £10 B £18 per person B bunk house and experience dawn and dusk on the Ness. 3 Mills Walk Early morning birdsong walk Photography Tour £135 per person B Join us on a guided 6 mile walk from Wednesday 1 May, 6.30am – 8am Saturday 27 April (other dates available) Melford Hall, retracing the route of Join the ranger team for an early We are pleased to offer a small Trailer Tour the Great Eastern railway, passing morning walk around Dunwich Heath number of places on a rare expedition Wednesday April 24 through the 13th century water to listen to the dawn course followed to spend a whole day photographing 3 hour trailer tour with a Ranger meadows and thre historic water by a hearty breakfast in the tea room. Orford Ness including access to the including access to the Atomic mills, before ending in Sudbury. £18 per person, including cooked Atomic Weapons Research Area. Weapons Research Area £12 per person, includes picnic bag breakfast B £65 per person B £17 per person B and drink B

Theatre Royal The Remains of the Day Flatford Boat House Gallery Exhibitions , IP33 1QR 26 – 30 Mar, 7.30pm, Wednesday 27 Flatford, CO7 6UL Saturday 3 November – Sunday March, 2pm & Saturday 30 March, 3pm 24 February: Meanderings – The Wind in the Willows 1930s . Darlington Hall runs Constable Country Rambles photographic prints by Justin Minns. Thursday 18 April, 7pm, Friday 19 April, like clockwork under its butler, Saturday 16 February, Saturday 16 Saturday 2 March – Sunday 28 April: 3pm & 7pm, Saturday 20, 10.30am & 3pm Stevens. 20 years later, Stevens travels March, Saturday 18 May; 10.30am – Riverlands – paintings by Jane Lewis. Join Mole, Ratty, Badger and Toad in to find one last chance at happiness. 1.30pm (other dates will be added – see Saturday 4 May – Sunday 30 June: Alan Bennett’s delightful and witty A story for anyone who has ever been our website for more information) Scenes from the Stour Valley – adaptation of Kenneth Grahame’s afraid to follow their heart. Join a knowledgeable guide for a walk paintings by Roy Connelly classic children’s story. Theatre Royal through the beautiful Dedham Vale. Meanderings is a collection of Bury St Edmunds’ talented Young Book online at Follow quite paths to pretty villages landscape prints by photographer Bird identification walk Company will whisk us all off on a www.theatreroyal.org and visit the scenes that inspired the Justin Minns which capture the Tuesday 28 May, 8am – 12pm madcap adventure. or call 01284 769505 artist . See the peaceful atmosphere of the East Whether you’re new to birdwatching website for more details of each walk. Anglian rivers. Riverlands is a collection or hoping to brush up your skills, our The Wisdom Club £7 per person B of Jane Lewis’s latest works in highly half-day walks led by Suffolk bird 30 Jan – 9 Feb, 7.30pm, Thursday 31 & saturated ink, inspired by her expert, Steve Piotrowski, are a Wednesday 6 March, 2pm & Saturday observations of land and water. Scenes fantastic opportunity to learn how to Matinees, 3pm from the Stour Valley is an exhibition of identify a wide range of birds in A heart-warming story about paintings by Roy Connelly which varied habitats around Dunwich friendships and growing old, looking celebrates the beauty of the Stour Heath. A light lunch will be provided. at society’s views and expectations of Valley in all weathers. £35 per person B the elderly. Working out where they Car park change applies. fit in, three friends aren’t ready to give up and exist without really living. Ickworth Bat Walk Horringer, Bury St Edmunds, Wednesday 17 April, 8pm – 10pm IP29 5QE. To celebrate National Bat Appreciation Day join our experts on Sutton Hoo Dawn Chorus and Sunrise tours: 95th Rifles: Battle of Waterloo a walk to discover the difference Woodbridge, IP12 3DJ Monday May 6, 6am Saturday 6 & Sunday 7 April, between the calls of a Pipistrelle and a Be inspired by Sutton Hoo as the sun 10.30am – 4.30pm Daubenton’s; learn about their Myth and Magic twilight tour begins to rise to see this special place Huzzah, the battle comes to Ickworth. habitat and what we can do to Friday 26 April, 6.15pm - 7.30pm & come to life. Either join the Dawn 95th Rifles & many other regiments improve it. Explore why Ickworth is Friday 10 May, 7pm - 8.15pn Chorus walk with our Ranger and battle it out with Napoleon. Join us one of the premier bat sites in the UK. Take this exclusive tour around the discover more about the birds you this weekend as they take over the £10 per adult / £5 per child B enigmatic burial ground as twilight can hear or take a stroll to the Royal grounds with authentic living, training Lavenham descends and discover the beliefs Burial Ground to learn more about and grand battles galore to a Anglo-Saxons held about the magical what was found at Sutton Hoo in 1939 triumphant conclusion. Lots of fun Guildhall properties the landscape held. and beyond. Afterwards our café will for all the family, including Children’s Lavenham, Sudbury, CO10 9QZ £10 per person B be open for breakfast. drill workshops, living history £10 per person B demonstrations of camp surgery and Discover Lavenham’s Secrets Walk authentic living. 12 January, 9 February, 9 March, 18 Nightingale guided walks March, 13 April, 15 April, 11 May & 20 May, Saturday 27 & Sunday 28 April, Cooking in the Kitchen; 10.30am start Friday 3 May & Saturday 4 May, a 1930s experience Join us on a private tour and discover 8pm - 10pm Wednesday 27 March, Lavenham’s secrets past and present. As the sunsets, Nightingale song 10.30am – 12.30pm & 1.30pm – 3.30pm Why was the village so important in floods the valleys at Sutton Hoo. Join our Living History Cooks for a medieval times and what lay behind This rare bird travels all the way from unique chance to try out traditional the success of its fabulously wealthy central Africa to nest at Sutton Hoo. 1930s recipes in Ickworth’s beautiful merchants. How did the money Join ornithologist Steve Abbott or our finishing kitchen. A truly disappear so quickly and why is the Ranger, Jonathan, as they take you to unforgettable cooking experience! village so perfectly preserved today? hear their iconic song. £30 per person B Oh, and where did they film Harry £10 per person B Potter’s parent’s house? £10 per person, includes pastry and coffee to start B

6 Spring 2019 For more events visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/events