The Parish of the Epiphany
   Winchester, MA

An English Pilgrimage of Legacy and Legend
 

Many of you have inquired about a spiritual pilgrimage to England, visiting places of interest to our Anglican Heritage. Liza and Bob have developed a remarkable journey that includes such important Anglican sites as Canterbury, London, Winchester, Salisbury, Oxford and Cambridge. We will visit important places in the English Christian tradition, to hear talks from professors at Oxford and Cambridge and to dine at High Table in a few colleges. It is also possible that we will visit places that are not open to the public such as the Archbishop’s Palace in Canterbury and Lambeth Palace in London. The Reverend Brian Mountford, Canon and Vicar of the University Church of St. Mary the Virgin at Oxford will join us.

 

We will also investigate the literary and historical roots of the Arthurian Legend so important in British and Western history including Stonehenge, Tintagel, Glastonbury, Bath, and Cadbury Castle.

 

This journey is not limited to Epiphany parishioners, but they will receive first priority (limit 25 participants).

 

If you are interested in this pilgrimage come to the Rector’s study on Sunday, Nov. 18 at 9:00 am or Monday, Nov. 19 at 7:00 pm.

 

Trinity World Tours

~ presents ~

An English Pilgrimage of Legacy and Legend

Hosted by The Reverend Robert Trache and Eliza Ragsdale

The Parish of the Epiphany Winchester, Massachusetts

 

Proposed Itinerary for June 15 to 29, 2008

 

Estimated Price: $3,999 per person, based on sharing twin room.

Plus $145 per person in tips. Based on a minimum of 25 persons.

 

SUN, JUNE 15, DAY 1: DEPART USA

All passengers will make their own airline reservations for this journey, so our pricing includes only the land portion of the program.  Our program begins in London and ends in London, so it will be easy for each of us to arrange our own airline arrangements.  We will gather at our hotel in London on June 16 for dinner at our London. The London hotel information will be sent to you so you can make your way easily to the hotel on your own, via taxi or Tube, whichever you prefer. Since passengers will be arranging their own airfare, you may wish to go over the U.K. early or extend your stay after our tour is complete.

 

MON, JUNE 16, DAY 2: ARRIVE LONDON

We all gather today at our London Hotel (check-in starts after 3:00pm). We enjoy dinner this evening as we prepare for our two week journey together.  (D)

 

TUES, JUNE 17, DAY 3: LONDON: EXCURSION TO CANTERBURY

Today we enjoy a full day of sightseeing in Canterbury, the most important ancient city in England. Canterbury’s history began when Augustine arrived from Rome in 597, sent by Pope Gregory the Great from Rome.  In 598, he established a Benedictine monastery that became the cathedral and the burial place of the Kings and Archbishops. 

 

We begin our visit at the Christ Church Cathedral. Along with St. Augustine’s Abbey and St. Martin’s Church it is a UNESCO World Heritage site.  The cathedral is the mother church of our Anglican Faith throughout the world, and has held pilgrimage status since St. Thomas a Beckett was martyred inside the cathedral by the Knights of Henry II in 1170.   The cathedral contains a wealth of stained glass windows, the oldest dating from the 12th century.

 

Next, we visit the ruins of the abbey of St. Augustine, which is situated outside the eastern walls of Canterbury.  It is the oldest Anglo-Saxon abbey in England, founded by St Augustine and King Aethelbert in about 598.  We take some time to visit St. Martin’s Church, the oldest church in England still in use.  We see as well the Archbishop’s Palace, now used largely as a “weekend palace”. After lunch on our own, we enjoy some time at leisure before returning to our hotel. Dinner is on our own. (B)

 

WED, JUNE 18, DAY 4: LONDON: LAMBETH PALACE, ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL & WESTMINSTER ABBEY

Today we visit Lambeth Palace, known as the official residence and headquarters of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the palace houses the world’s most complete collection of books and manuscripts relating to the Church of England.  Historically significant are the Chapel, the Guard Room and the Picture Gallery. 

 

Next, we visit St. Paul’s Cathedral, built by Sir Christopher Wren, it replaced the earlier Gothic cathedral that had stood there since the Middle Ages.  Known as the greatest landmark on the London skyline, the Cathedral houses many large and elaborate memorials, including one for 28,000 Americans who perished during active duty in Britain.  It’s known for its exquisitely carved walls and gold wrought iron screens.

 

We move on to Westminster Abbey.  An architectural masterpiece of the 13th to 16th centuries, Westminster Abbey has been the setting for every Coronation since 1066.  Neither a cathedral nor a parish church, Westminster Abbey is a “Royal Peculiar” under the jurisdiction of a Dean and Chapter, subject only to the Sovereign. Its aisles are crammed with an extraordinary collection of tombs and monuments honoring some of Britain’s greatest politicians and poets.    

 

After our visit of Westminster, the balance of the day is at leisure.  (B)

 

THURS, JUNE 19, DAY 5: LONDON: HISTORIC SITES

London was an ancient Roman Camp on the Thames, later to be occupied by the Angles, Saxons, and Normans.  Henry VIII and Elizabeth I ruled here.  Hitler bombed and Churchill spoke of courage.  London is a city of history, shopping, and the arts. 

 

Our morning sightseeing tour includes the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace (if held), the Marble Arch, Mayfair, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben.  Our final stop of the day is the infamous Tower of London.  The Tower has been among other things, a prison and a palace, and Thomas Moore, Anne Boleyn and Sir Walter Raleigh, all spent their last days here before execution on Tower Green. 

 

The balance of the afternoon is at leisure, perhaps for shopping at Harrods or enjoying a ride on the Millennium Wheel, the gigantic Ferris wheel that offers unrivalled views of London.  (B)

 

FRI, JUNE 20, DAY 6: LONDON / ST. ALBANS / CAMBRIDGE

This morning we depart London for Cambridge, stopping first at Albans Cathedral and the grave of Lord Runcie.  The church, originally built in 1077, stands on the site of the shrine of St. Alban.  Known as England’s first martyr, he was beheaded for helping a priest escape persecution.  In the 13th Century the Magna Carta was drafted in St. Albans. 

 

We continue on to the university city of Cambridge, delightfully situated on the River Cam.  We will visit St. Benet’s Church, St. John’s and Kings College (if open to the public) with its wonderful chapel, see something of student life and watch lazy punts gliding down the river in a tranquil area called "the Backs."   Dinner tonight is will be taken at one of the college dining halls (pending confirmation).   (B, D)

 

SAT, JUNE 21, DAY 7: CAMBRIDGE / BLENHEIM PALACE / OXFORD

This morning, after breakfast, we travel to Blenheim Palace, home to the 11th Duke of Marlborough and considered by many to be one of Britain's greatest houses. It is also the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, the distinguished member of parliament and Prime Minister during the second world war and in the 1950`s. Many of his paintings are hanging on the walls.  We continue on to Oxford. Dinner is served at our accommodations. (B)

 

MON, JUNE 22, DAY 8: OXFORD: VISIT OF THE UNIVERSITY

We begin today with a visit to the University church of St. Mary the Virgin.  There has probably been a church on this site since Anglo-Saxon times. The earliest part of the present building is the Tower (1280) with its profusely decorated spire (1315-25).   The first library of the University was established at this church. It is believed that scholars first met here in the 12th century. 

 

Three Anglican bishops, Latimer, Ridley and Cranmer, who were burnt at the stake in Oxford during the reign of queen, 'Bloody Mary', underwent part of their trial in St Mary's. Their principal crime was not to believe the doctrine of 'transsubstantiation', although Cranmer, as Henry VIII's Archbishop, had also played a crucial role in the downfall of Queen Mary's mother, Catherine of Aragon.  The place of martyrdom is marked by a cross in the centre of Broad Street, outside Balliol College.

 

We’ll visit the Bodleian Library, the main research library of the University of Oxford, one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in England is second in size only to the British Library. It is one of five copyright deposit libraries in the United Kingdom.  We visit as well the magnificent Fellows Gardens. The garden fills the southeastern corner of the old walled city of Oxford.  We take some time to enjoy Magdalen College Grove with its unique deer park. 

 

The balance of the day is at leisure to visit sites of individual interest.  Some of us might wish to visit The Eagle and Child” pub.  J.R.R. Tolkien, and a group of literary friends (known as “The Inklings”) frequently met at this, their favorite haunt, for liquid refreshment. 

 

This evening we gather for a lecture at Trinity College, followed by dinner at the dining hall (subject to final confirmation).   (B, D)

 

TUES, JUNE 23, DAY 9: OXFORD: EXCURSION TO STRATFORD UPON AVON

This morning we travel to Stratford-Upon-Avon, birthplace of the Bard William Shakespeare.  We will visit his birthplace; see the 16th century Harvard House, the Guildhall, the Shakespeare Centre and other points of interest in this beautiful old market town with numerous timbered old buildings.  We will have time to explore on our own and browse the shops for pottery items and souvenirs.  We return to Oxford for the balance of the day at leisure. Dinner is served at our accommodations.  (B, D)

 

WED, JUNE 24, DAY 10: OXFORD / WINCHESTER / SALISBURY

This morning we depart Oxford’s world of science, facts and scholarly dissertations and combine our Anglican journey with a search for King Arthur and his Knights in the misty world of myth and legend.  Who was King Arthur, this “Once and Future King”?  Historians disagree, but most think that the legend is very loosely based on Riothamus, also known by his baptismal name, Artorius sent by Leo I in 467 to take back Britain from the Saxon invaders.  What and how much of the wonderful, entertaining Arthurian story is real?  For the next several days we’ll visit famous Arthurian sites-then, you decide!

 

Our first stop today is the town of Winchester, the capital of the Saxon kings in the 7th century and capital of all England two centuries later.  Our first stop is Winchester Cathedral.  The Cathedral was begun in 1079,  it features the longest Gothic nave in the world and contains the Winchester Bible An interesting fact is that the Cathedral was built on rafts floating on a peat marsh! For 800 years the raft was able to carry the weight but, by the 19th century, the Cathedral was in danger of collapse and the foundations were rebuilt by a diver working under water.   

 

Next, we visit the Great Hall, the only remaining part of the 13th Century Winchester Castle that remains above ground. Built in 1232-1240, by Henry III, of flint with stone dressings it originally had lower walls and a roof with dormer windows.  The hall contains what legend still maintains is the Round Table of King Arthur, (although it is  now known to have been constructed in the 14th Century, and repainted in its present form for Henry VIII).  We continue on to our hotel in Salisbury for dinner and the evening.  (B, D)

 

THURS, JUNE 25, DAY 11: SALISBURY: SALISBURY CATHEDRAL, STONEHENGE & LEISURE

We begin today at the Salisbury Cathedral with the tallest church spire in England. Begun in 1221, it was completed in only 38 years. The Cathedral’s chapter house displays the best-preserved of the four surviving original copies of the Magna Carta.  The cathedral also contains the oldest working clock in existence, dating from 1386.

 

Next, we travel the short distance to Stonehenge to visit the fascinating collection of ancient monoliths placed there nearly 2000 years before the birth of Christ.  It is thought they were once used to calculate the eclipses and equinoxes.

 

Arthurian legend has it that “The Giants' Ring” or “Giants' Dance”, were stones transported from Ireland under the direction of the wizard Merlin and plopped down on the Salisbury plain.  Merlin said they were needed to help memorialize the 460 nobles that Saxon leader Hengist had murdered at a supposed peace conference.  (Examinations of Stonehenge have proven that the stones are older than Arthurian times. However, some of the stones in the inner circle do seem to have been brought from a long way off, most likely Wales.)

 

We return to Salisbury for the balance of the day at leisure, perhaps to visit the 15th century Poultry Cross., or stroll through some of the lovely medieval streets, and visit the Antique Center.  Dinner tonight is at our hotel.  (B, D)

 

FRI, JUNE 26, DAY 12: SALISBURY / GLASTONBURY / BATH

This morning we’re off to the town of Glastonbury for a visit to Glastonbury Abbey that calls itself "traditionally the oldest above-ground Christian church in the World" in the mystical land of  Avalon” dating the founding of the community of monks at AD 63. Legend has it that Joseph of Arimathea was supposed to have brought the Holy Grail to the abbey and planted the Glastonbury Thorn, some grafts of which still live and are presented annually to Queen Elizabeth.  In 1965 The Queen erected a wooden cross at Glastonbury with the following inscription: “The cross. The symbol of our faith. The gift of Queen Elizabeth II marks a Christian sanctuary so ancient that only legend can record its origin.”

 

Glastonbury Abbey is one of the best supported sites for King Arthur because it may have held a specific grave maker for Arthur and Guinevere’s tomb. In 1191 abbey monks claimed to have found the graves.  In 1278 Henry II ordered he legendary graves exhumed.  A man and woman’s skeletons were found with a lead cross naming Arthur, but later mysteriously disappeared.

 

Next, we visit Glastonbury Tor, one of four hills overlooking the flatlands surrounding Glastonbury and named as a potential Island of Avalon.  The hill is artificially shaped and has remnants of an ancient pathway.  In the periodic flooding of the area, it would have been an island. 

 

After our visit, we continue on to the beautiful Georgian town of Bath situated on the River Avon.  Dinner tonight is on our own. (B)

 

SAT, JUNE 27, DAY 13: BATH: VISIT OF TOWN & EXCURSION TO CIRENCESTER

This morning we visit Bath, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Archaeological evidence shows that the site of the Roman Baths’ main spring was treated as a shrine by theCelts. The Romans probably occupied Bath shortly after their invasion of Britain in 43 AD. They knew it as  Aquae Suliis (literally "the waters of Sul" or "Sulis").

 

During the 18th century, Bath became the leading center of fashionable life in England. It was during this time that  much of Bath's stunning architecture was created.   

After spending some time admiring Baths’ beautiful surroundings we visit Cirencester, the second largest town in Britain during Roman times.  As the Roman town of Corinium, it held a central position at the junction of three major roads.   Cirencester's market town status was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086.

Here we see the parish church, Weavers Hall, the arches of St John's Church, Spitalgate, St John's Almshouses and Coxwell Street. Cirencester Park, the home of Lord Bathurst, is probably the finest example of geometric landscaping in the country.  After some time on our own, we return to Bath. Dinner is on our own. (B)

 

SUN, JUNE 28, DAY 14: BATH / LONDON

Today, after breakfast, we depart Bath for London, where the balance of the day is at leisure, perhaps for some last minute shopping or to visit a favorite site.  Tonight we gather for a special farewell dinner at a local restaurant. (B, D)

 

SUN, JUNE 29, DAY 15: RETURN TO THE USA

After breakfast we all go our separate ways, either returning home to the USA or continuing our travels on our own. (B).

 

NOTE: While no changes are anticipated, there might be occasions when certain alterations become necessary to this itinerary due to changes in airline schedules or for other reasons.  Lectures and meals at Cambridge and/or Oxford Universities subject to confirmation.   

 

$3, 995 per person PRICE INCLUDES FOLLOWING {based on current rates of exchange):

  • 13-nights accommodations in first class hotel in London; superior tourist class hotels in other locations, all with private facilities.

  • 13-breakfasts with English breakfast served daily, except in London where breakfast is Continental. [B=Breakfast]

  • 7-dinners per the itinerary (D=Dinner]

  • Transportation by private deluxe motor coach.

  • Entrance to all sites per the itinerary.

  • Blue Badge British Guide from arrival to departure for all sightseeing per the itinerary.

  • All local taxes and fees.

  • Based on a minimum of 25 persons joining and is the discounted price for paying by check. For payment by credit card, price is $4,168 per person, plus gratuities.

  • Gratuities of $145 per person to be invoiced additionally.

  • Single room supplement: $995.

  • Airfare from Boston to London estimated at approximately $950 per person, including current taxes and fuel surcharges for a minimum group of 10 persons.

 

Note: No reservations have been made and final price is subject to confirmation of hotels and services.

 
 

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