York 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 Yorkshire 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 2 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 3 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. 4 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 5 History Wardrobe Presents: ALL WRITERS GREAT AND SMALL Friday 1st November 7pm at St Edwards Community Hall, Tadcaster 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. 6 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, Dringhouses, 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. 7 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.