Kingham Plough, fit for a queen

Liz Nicholls

Posted on

Round and About

We enjoy The Plough in Kingham which has earned rave reviews as one of the best foodie pubs with rooms in the country

One week on and I can’t stop rabbiting on about my fairytale slice of Cotswold heaven… So I might as well tell you about it as well.

Kingham, out in the laciest Oxfordshire fringes, is the sort of honey-hued village that tourists dream about but rarely wake up to. The 17th century Plough, right opposite village green, canopied by an awesome oak, is arguably (from a visitor’s POV) its beating heart, throbbing with friendly, thirsty locals. Among this fun-loving crowd is the amazing Blur bassist and cheesemaker Alex James (who hosts The Big Feastival on his idyllic dairy farm) and his big family.

The Plough has won rave reviews and Gastro Pub awards as one of the UK’s best, earning foodie fame thanks to Great British Menu winner Emily Watkins. Since 2019 it’s been in the capable hands of Matt and Katie Beamish who have worked with the likes of Raymond Blanc, Jamie Oliver and Fergus Henderson, and for hotels across the country. Even if you’re a hotel-hopper of Princess and the Pea proportions, you’re sure to be won over by the full royal flush of hospitality.

Swathed in summertime blues in the middle of a tricky week, I was lucky enough to book into a room above the oak-beamed barn that was fit for a queen. Tucked into the eaves, this super-classy space was the perfect luxe crashpad for two hungry girls, with its rolltop bath, double vanity sink and humungous, comfortable bed big enough to accommodate a side of morris dancers (maybe next time).

Back down into the pub for that much-anticipated dinner and we were greeted by the smiley staff and punters with a welcome warmer than the weekend heatwave. The interior is achingly cool and quirky (think mismatched furniture and original art and photography on the wall, all for sale).

A rarity for me (I’m very decisive when it comes to food, and only food) the menu presents a challenge because all of the seasonal dishes conjure up pure magic. Matt and Katie continue Emily’s legacy of championing local artisan products and sourcing the best fresh, local ingredients in this fertile patch, resulting in first-world conundrums such as: “watercress, wild garlic and pea soup or Smoking Brothers teriyaki salmon tartar, with caviar, avocado & wasabi, radish & crostini…” And that’s just for starters. The chicken liver parfait, with crispy chicken skin, sauterne and the most adorable still-warm mini brioche was the ultimate choice, by the way, and I want it again.

Proving that this is a proper boozer rather than pretentious in the least, the mains include (I gawped, and, yes, also tried) a stunning fish & chips and an epic cheeseburger, all cooked on the new wood-fired grill and oven. But there was no food envy because I fell, hook, line & sinker, for my pan-roasted tender halibut, in white wine sauce, with asparagus, Cornish Mussels (which I don’t normally even like), samphire and little copper saucepan of new potatoes with hazelnuts (my new fave combo).

Afterwards, we devoured a carrot cake baked Alaska with blood orange sorbet but (rubbernecking at the nearby tables) the baked mint chocolate torte, meringue and fruit and sticky ginger cake with rum butterscotch sauce, lime curd and coconut sorbet seemed to hit the spot as well.

Throw in a couple of cosmic Cosmopolitans to start and bookend the meal with a couple of fat fingers of Cotswold Cream (which puts Baileys in the shade) and I was grinning like a Cheshire cat, having left all my troubles at home.

The pub has an amazing wine list, if that’s more your jam, and the friendly team recently launched a new outside catering service, The Potted Goose, for private parties.

As the lucky winner of our May competition is about to enjoy, the Plough’s Little Barn, a luxurious two-bed self-catering cottage 300m from the pub, sleeps four and includes wood burner, fully equipped kitchen, wifi and outdoor space with barbecue. I’d consider booking in for any kind of special occasion (or when there’s a y in the day of the week) as soon as I can.

And, just when the hype is at fever pitch, I have to say that the Plough offers what might just be Britain’s best breakfast – so heartwarming for your onward journey that I had to hunt down the source of the sourdough (Marks Cotswold Bakery) to buy some of that sourdough to take home…

Double rooms £150-£195 a night on a B&B basis. Little Barn from £375 a night on a B&B basis. Dog-friendly rooms £10 a night extra per dog. Call 01608 658 327 or visit The Kingham Plough.

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

Print your own t-shirt

Round & About

Posted on

Round and About

Berkshire Printmakers invite you to an evening of creativity and enjoying food and wine

Berkshire Printmakers are back in Newbury for a fun, creative, evening of T-shirt printing @Buick Mackane on Friday, 23rd June.

Mix this with delicious food and wine and you have the ingredients for a fantastic evening from 6.30pm to 9.30pm.

it is a fun adult only evening, suitable for beginners and those of you with little silkscreen experience. Berkshire Printmakers will take you through step by step how to make paper stencils, combine these with our patterned screens, colour mix and print your own unique T-shirt design to impress your friends on the beach this summer. The evening finishes with delicious food and wine is free flowing throughout the evening.

Review of Berkshire Printmakers @ Buick Mackane: “I went to this in October and it was amazing. Really great teaching with loads of designs, colours, screens etc. and it was great to be able to take away something you have created yourself. The food was delish and free flowing wine too.”

Contact [email protected]  for tickets.

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

Youth in Mind Berkshire conference

Round & About

Posted on

Round and About

A Mental Health & Wellbeing Conference for anyone who works with children and young people in Berkshire West and beyond

Hosted by Mind in Berkshire, this mental health and wellbeing conference is for anyone who works with children and young people in statutory bodies, the education sector, voluntary sector organisations, and individuals in Berkshire West and beyond.

Young people play a key role planning and delivering the conference, identifying subjects they would like covered, and questioning and discussing with speakers the mental health challenges they face, and the support they feel young people need.

Speakers at this year’s conference include Dr Luke Beardon, autism expert and author of multiple books about autism, and Dr Dimitri Gavriloff who specialises in behavioural sleep medicine.

Hot off the press, the findings of the Oxwell Student Survey, completed by 43,000 young people in schools across the country, will be shared by Professor Mina Fazel. She will be joined by young people to discuss some of the issues raised by the survey, and by Sarah Emery, CEO of Berkshire Youth, who will share conclusions drawn from their 2023 survey of young people across the country.

Workshops will be delivered by a variety of organisations including Citizens Advice, Samaritans, Soulscape, No 5, Reading FC Community Trust, Safe and Sport in Mind, Brighter Futures for Children and NHS Berkshire Healthcare Children, Young People and Families Service Jess Willsher, CEO of Oxfordshire Mind said: “Post pandemic and in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, an increasing number of children and young people are having to cope with mental health challenges.* At a time when it’s more important than ever to understand mental health and wellbeing support from a young person’s perspective, we’re delighted to be hosting our second Youth in Mind Berkshire conference. It’s an opportunity for all of us who work with children and young people to come together, learn from experts and each other, and find ways of working creatively together to provide the best support we can.”

Alongside speakers, presentations and workshops there are exhibition stands and a wellbeing area.

Tickets are now on sale for the second Youth in Mind Berkshire conference which takes place on Thursday 27th June at the Palmer Building, University of Reading.

Visit Youth in Mind Berkshire Conference 2023 Tickets.

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

Clean up pet pongs with Vax

Liz Nicholls

Posted on

Round and About

We review the new VaxSpotWash Home Pet-Design which is designed to make your carpets, rugs and upholstery shiny and new

The things we deal with for our pets, hey? The filth… the fury… the faeces…

Obviously, any pet owner will tell you that the companionship their furry friend offers far outweighs the drudgery.

But, at this time of year especially, you might find that distinctive animal pong tends to linger, and the quest to clean up muddy paw prints can leave you hot & bothered. Since having my joyful rainbow carpet staircase fitted, I’ve been pining for a VAX gizmo to keep it looking vibrant. And then recently, an elderly, and somewhat smelly cat came to stay, in addition to the stompy-booted teenager and black sprocker. As one of those numpties who got a white boucle sofa over lockdown (in my defence it was given to me by a friend who had a spare one, and it was before I had black pets) it’s fair to say I lost the battle with the fur, footprints and fragrance some time ago.

“it’s fair to say I lost the battle with the fur, footprints and fragrance some time ago’

So I was delighted to test drive the new VAXSpotWash Home Pet-Design which is surprisingly small (30cm high) and cute enough to slot into a kitchen shelf. But it has plenty of power – it’s proven to rid your home 99% of potential harmful bacteria. Crucially, it’s also easy to use, with various attachments to slot on to the cleaning hose (it must be idiot-proof because, trust me, I’m not great with technology).

Attaching the extra-wide two-in-one wash tool I set to work on my stairs and was delighted to find that working this deep-pile carpet required much less elbow grease than my previous efforts. And, prompting a little whoop, the grime and god-knows-what being sucked away by the SpinScrub hand tool into the dirty water tank was sooo satisfying. You just go back and forth over the carpet et voila! The Vax will do its magic, leaving the carpet cleaner, shiny and new, without leaving it wet.

Being lightweight, the gadget politely tells you when the dirty water tank is full, and switches itself off. Pouring away the treacle-coloured liquid that comes off your floors will make you think again about how clean you ever managed to get it in the first place. Trust me, it’s gross!

I then happily set to work on my wool carpets and upholstery, including my much-neglected car without breaking too much of a sweat. The odour-neutralising solution is instantly pleasing and I was very pleased to bid farewell to that ubiquitous wet-dog smell.

The next time tea got spilled on the landing involved significantly less drama, and swearing, than it would have previously. And then when the cat inevitably went whoopsie on the rug I was almost zen (for me).

I can safely say that this little poppet is my favourite recent addition to the household. Using it is pleasing and even addictive – one of my new favourite weekend activities now is get the house to myself for a bit to ‘get my Vax out’. In fact (don’t tell anyone) I talk to it affectionately, even more than the dog.

Buy the VAX SpotWash Home Pet-Design direct from vax.co.uk for £199.99, including 1 x 250ml VAX Spot Washer Antibacterial Solution, 1 x VAX 250ml Pet Stain & Odour Remover, free delivery and a free Stain Removal Kit worth £30, when purchasing direct from VAX.

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

Thames Valley Food & Drink Festival

Round & About

Posted on

Round and About

Head to Brightwell Vineyard for a splendid array of wine and artisan treats, June 17th & 18th

The third edition of The Thames Valley Food & Drink Festival – (thamesvalleyfestival.co.uk) – returns to Brightwell Vineyard, just outside of Wallingford, over the weekend of June 17th & 18th.

The line-up includes over 30 lip-smacking independent food and drink producers drawn from the Thames Valley region – including six independent English wine producers – with negligible food miles.

On offer is wine and food tastings, self-guided walks among the vine rows, artisan food stalls, with plenty of seating to eat and drink while listening to live jazz, swing, and popular melodies, soaking up the far-reaching countryside views. The festival takes place in the grounds of Brightwell Vineyard who will be showcasing their award-winning wines, including Bacchus, Pinot Noir, Sparkling Chardonnay and its prestigious English Brandy.

Wine buffs (and bluffs) can also sample English wines from six leading local vineyards including Brightwell, Dawes Hill, Fairmile, Jojo’s, Freedom of the Press and Hendred. Each offering subtly different white, rosé, red and sparkling wines grown on the mineral rich soils of the Thames Valley and Chiltern Hills. Those whose tipple is a spirit will not be disappointed, with artisan makers including the GB Mead Company, vermouth from In the Loop Drinks, gin from Henley Distillery and Old Sun Rum. South Oxfordshire Brewery will be serving-up pints brewed only five miles away.

A tantalising array of artisan fare is designed to tempt the tastebuds of visitors from far and wide, and food vendors will ensure nobody leaves hungry with stalls including savoury tarts from Tarte in a Box, vegan cakes from The Witches Kitchen, doughnuts from Oh So Dough, Alex’s delicious sweet and savoury Crepes, Marlow Cheese, and wraps with Bohemian Rhapsody, Supreme Burgers, surf n Fries and the Pizza Boys. Sample local charcuterie, biltong, or Johnny Hot Stuff’s chilli sauces. Perhaps book a home delivery hamper from Riverford Organics. There’s tableware by Blue and White Company, and beeswax candles from Henley.

The Horsebox Coffee is back too, offering a range of hot drinks including freshly ground coffees.

Doors are open from 11am to 5pm on both Saturday and Sunday, with ample free parking on site for visitors.

Prices: Tickets purchased in advance for one Day entry cost £9 per person, with children under 10 free. Purchase a full ticket for £14 which includes festival entry, six tasting vouchers, a tasting glass and glass holder. Tickets purchased at the gate on the weekend will be £10 and £15 respectively. Cash and cards welcome.

For tickets and further information see thamesvalleyfestival.co.uk.

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

Q&A with Richard O’Brien

Liz Nicholls

Posted on

Round and About

The 50th anniversary tour of the legendary smash-hir musical The Rocky Horror Show, will time warp its way to Aylesbury. Richard O’Brien shares a few thoughts on the show as we head into Pride month.

Richard O’Brien’s legendary rock ‘n’ roll musical is celebrating 50 years of non-stop partying with this special anniversary production. Since it first opened in London in June 1973 at the Royal Court Theatre, The Rocky Horror Show has become the longest continuous run of a contemporary musical anywhere in the world. The show has been seen by over 30 million people worldwide in more than 30 countries and translated into 20 languages as it continues to delight audiences on its sell-out international tour.

Q. What was your original inspiration behind the Rocky Horror Show?

“Someone asked me to entertain the Christmas staff party at the EMI Film Studios and so I wrote a song (Science Fiction Double Feature) and with the help of some jokes, performed to much laughter and applause. In the New Year I wondered whether it might serve as a prologue to the gem of an idea that I had for a musical. I shared that thought with Jim Sharman who had directed Jesus Christ Superstar. Jim liked the concept and away we went…”

Q. Why do you think it is still successful today, half a century later?

“It is simply a musical comedy and as long as it rocks, and the audience are laughing what more could you wish for? It’s very inclusive, it’s very easy to watch. It’s not rocket science as far as narrative is concerned – Brad and Janet are a couple that we kind of recognise as Adam and Eve or Romeo and Julie, like a stereotypical couple – we can all relate to them. It is also a fairy tale which allows us to feel comfortable with its rites of passage storyline. A retelling of Hansel and Gretel if you like, with Frankfurter standing in for the wicked witch.”

Q. What about the show do you believe makes audiences feel comfortable joining in?

“The innocent rather naughty fun of it draws not only a ‘theatre’ crowd but also people who want a fun evening and a guaranteed return on the investment of their ticket price.”

Q. What was happening in your life at the time you wrote The Rocky Horror Show?

“I was a recent father of my first child and out of work when I wrote the show. 1972-73 was a moment of change. Glamrock and overt sexuality was around, gay people were coming out and there was a ‘buzz’ in the air. There are certain parts of the world where we are a little bit more free to be ourselves. London is certainly one of them. Back in the Seventies you had gay bars, but now you don’t need to because if you walk into most bars in London there will be a gay man behind the bar. That is rather nice.”

Q. How do you believe the show supports those who are questioning their identity or sexuality?

“The support for the LGBT community was unintended but it is a very welcome addition to the laughter and toe tapping.”

Q. Has the show supported your own journey surrounding your identity?

“It must have been, some extent, cathartic but I have always gone my own way and played the cards that I was dealt at birth the best way I can.”

Q. Do you have a favourite character?

“I would have loved to have played Rocky, that would have been cool, wouldn’t it? But one thing is essential, you have to be rather handsome, and you know, muscular, and that ain’t going to work. I could have played Janet. They’re all so stupidly wonderful these characters, they’re iconographic.”

Q. How do you think the live shows compare to the film?

“The live show has an energy that the movie doesn’t have – it wasn’t intentional, but the film was very slow. Once some fans came up to me and said, “did you leave the gaps between the lines so that we the audience could say our lines?” I said, “Well, ok yes”. But no we didn’t, The move is a very surreal, almost dreamlike journey, the live show is far more rock and roll.”

Q. What’s your favourite part of the show?

“The noise at the end of Rocky is wonderful – it is empowering and exhilarating at the same time it is quite joyous. Rocky never fails to deliver. Each performance lifts the heart and the nightly laughter and roars of approval leave the whole cast with a sense of wellbeing and accomplishment that you rarely get from any other shows.”

Q. The Rocky Horror Show remains a huge hit around the world. Do you think the show would be as successful if written today?

“Timing is very important as is luck. Zeitgeist sums it up. There are lots of variables in this equation, for instance, would it have been as successful is someone other than Tim Curry had played the lead?”

Q. How has the show developed over time? Have there been any adaptations in the past 50 years?

“It has remained much the same through the years. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.”

“If it ain’t broke don’t fix it”

Q. How different do you think your life might have been without Rocky?

“I have no idea but, I would have had a good life because I am made that way. My journey has been a different one than others. I guess some people have a game plan. I would imagine they’re rather humourless. Most of us get an opportunity and we wing it. Luck plays an awfully big part in our lives. You should never underestimate that. I am the luckiest person on the planet. I shall be happy as long as I can keep singing.”

The Rocky Horror Show is on at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre stage from 3rd-8th July

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

Show your support in Carers Week

Round & About

Posted on

Round and About

It’s time to celebrate the UK’s unpaid carers and recognise the huge amount they do!

Carers Week 2023 runs from Monday 5th to Sunday, 11th June, raising awareness of caring, highlighting the challenges family and friend carers face, and acknowledging the huge contribution they make.
It’s also a time to help people who don’t think of themselves as carers, to identify as carers and then access much-needed support.

Surrey’s carers charity ‘Action for Carers’ will be celebrating the week across the county, with lots of free events and activities.

There’s different events at different hubs, including free massages, support groups, makeovers, Zine horkshops, back care and more. There will of course also be free tea, coffee and cake available at all the Hubs to celebrate Carers Week.

The charity also have a ‘Doing Well’ workshop at Polesden Lacey on Saturday, 10th June.
And for those who struggle to leave home, there’s free online events, including mindfulness and yoga sessions.

Details of all the above are on the ACS website, www.actionforcarers.org.uk/events

The drop-in carer hubs will be open 10am-2.30pm, as follows:

Monday 5th
• Woking – The Vyne Centre, Knaphill, Woking GU21 2SP
• Guildford – The Hive, Park Barn Drive, Guildford GU2 8EN
• Cranleigh – The Bandroom, Village Way, Cranleigh GU6 8AF

Tuesday 6th
• Camberley– High Cross Church, Knoll Road, Camberley GU15 3SY
• Epsom – St Barnabas Church, Temple Rd, Epsom KT19 8HA

Wednesday 7th
• Horley – Horley Baptist Church, 289 Ct Lodge Rd, Horley RH6 8RG
• Shepperton – Greeno Centre, Shepperton

Thursday 8th
• Hersham – Centre for the Community, 7 Queens Road, Hersham, Walton-on-Thames KT12 5LU
• Caterham – Westway Community Café, 25 Chaldon Road, Caterham CR3 5PG

Friday 9th
• Leatherhead – Leatherhead Community Hub, Kingston Road, Leatherhead KT22 7PX (if driving, you need to go round the rear of the building, via Aperdele Rd)
If you’re an unpaid carer, then why not pop into your nearest Hub, and find out what practical and emotional support is available. It can make a real difference

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

Get your GOAT at The Star

Round & About

Posted on

Round and About

The GOAT summer pop-up is coming to The Star, Witley

Stop the search for the perfect summer spot, The Star gastropub in Surrey is launching an al fresco pop-up that promises to be nothing but the GOAT.

Firing up in collaboration with Cabrito Goat Meat – a multi award-winning, ethical meat company on a mission to put all the billy goats born into the UK dairy system back into the food chain – The Star’s GOAT pop-up will be serving up delicious, sustainable dishes in the picturesque country pub’s expansive south-facing garden and terrace all summer long.

All your satiating street food favourites are getting the GOAT treatment – from melt-in-the-mouth burgers to moreish tacos and poutines packing a punch. The Star’s chef owners Jamie Dobbin and James Lyon Shaw (whose independent pub group Brucan Pubs was hailed the ‘undeniable winner’ of Best Food Offer at the Publican Awards 2023) are using every morsel of Cabrito’s 100% British goat meat, produced from a sustainable farming system, to its greatest potential.

Settle into your sun-soaked spot and choose between: the Nanny Mac burger with double patty smash; a single patty Billy the Kid burger with American cheese; Pulled Goat Shoulder tacos with red cabbage slaw and chimichurri; and comforting Curry Goat poutine.

Jazzed up jackfruit options are also coming in hot for those who want the GOAT experience without actually, well, eating goat, including the Gone Goat burger with meat-free patties, Spiced Jackfruit tacos and Jackfruit poutine.

Launching on Saturday 10th June, The Star’s GOAT pop-up will run from 12pm till 6pm every Saturday and Sunday throughout the summer. The ultimate way to get your goat.

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

Neil Gaiman Q&A

Liz Nicholls

Posted on

Round and About

Author Neil Gaiman answers a few questions ahead of the forthcoming tour of the National Theatre’s adaptation of the award-winning book The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Q. The book is loosely based on your childhood. What was the starting point?

“The book began with me wanting to try and explain to my wife where I grew up and what that world was like. She could take me to her childhood home because it’s still the same, but I couldn’t take her to where I grew up [in East Grinstead] because the place had long since been demolished; lots of lovely neat little housing estates covered the gardens and the fields and lanes. So for it was kind of an effort to try and evoke a past and a sense of place. An interesting side of for me too was that I realised that I hadn’t heard, for a very long time, the Sussex accent of my childhood. Mrs Weller came in and cleaned once a week and Mr Weller came in and did the gardens. They were probably in their 80s and they had proper Sussex accents – almost like a West Country burr. I resolved to write a novel with that in too.”

Q. How did you create the Hempstocks?

“I was told by my mother – quite erroneously, I discovered, when I did my research – that the farm half-way down our lane was in the Doomsday Book. And that was the start of the Hempstocks in my head; who they were and what I wanted to do with them.”

Q. Do you find writing about family especially fascinating?

“I don’t think I’ve ever been able to avoid writing about family, even when I thought I was writing about something else. Whether it’s biological family or the family we make. In the novel I created a semi-fictional family for myself, and in the play version it was one step further away from my family, which I think look back on is incredibly healthy! But the boy is definitely me.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever been able to avoid writing about family”

Q. The play received amazing reviews when it premiered. Without any spoilers, do you have any favourite moments?

“There is something astounding about the moment when they enter the ocean. That completely fascinates me. And you’re going to see miracles made out of bits of rubbish and old plastic bags and nightmarish birds beyond your imagination It still takes me by surprise every time I watch.”

Q. Is it true that you were so moved by the play when you saw it in rehearsals that you cried?

“I saw the first full run through. About ten minutes from the end I had tears running down my face. I thought that this was terribly embarrassing and I was discreetly trying to flick them away.”

Q. You describe yourself as a storyteller. What inspired you to be a writer?

“I’m not sure that all writers are frustrated performers, but for me it was the joy in getting to be all of the characters. As a writer you get to do that. Being a kid who loved book I could think of nothing cooler than giving people the pleasure that I got.”

Directed by Katy Rudd (Camp Siegfried) and adapted by Joel Horwood (Skins, I Want My Hat Back) The Ocean at the End of the Lane (suitable for ages 12+) will land at Oxford’s New Theatre, 20th-24th June.

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

What’s on at Avebury

Round & About

Posted on

Round and About

There’s much more than just the stunning stones to enjoy at the National Trust heritage site in Wiltshire

Visit National Trust place Avebury in Wiltshire, home to museums, a manor house and a World Heritage-listed neolithic site.

The main visitor offering includes the manor where you can step back in time to rooms furnished in a different time period, reflecting the lives of those who have lived there over the last 500 years. Why not take a guided tour around the largest stone circle in the world? Expert guides can tell you about the people who built it and find out all about the archaeology of the Avebury World Heritage Site. The small Alexander Keiller Museum is filled with fascinating artefacts that have been discovered through past excavations.

In addition to the usual delights, this summer, you can also enjoy:

Sentinels of Stone’ by Tony Galuidi

Until 11 June, normal opening hours, free
An exhibition of 35 painting of standing stones, painted in acrylic on canvas, by Tony Galuidi, displayed in the atmospheric threshing barn.

In Stitches – women and needlecraft in Avebury Manor

Until 5 November, 11am-5pm, free with normal admission
Explore the lives of some of Avebury Manor’s female residents through the lens of needlecraft. Find out more about the women of Avebury’s historic crafts from Tudor times to the 1920s and the role they played, at Avebury and beyond, in this new exhibition.

Avebury Trust 10

23 Jul, 9am-11am, free
Enjoy a challenging 10k trail run with stunning views across the wider Avebury landscape. Registration is from 8.30am at the Coach house (on Avebury high street, next to the Red Lion pub). The Trust10 run will begin at 9am.

May Half Term Activities

Until 4 June, 10am-5pm, £2 per trail, £2 per craft pack
A family adventure around the gardens of Avebury Manor, with sensory activities. Learn about the pollinators that help turn the apple blossom the garden into delicious fruit

Avebury landscape walk – Waden Hill

10 June, 1.30pm-4pm, £8 per person, booking essential
Explore some of the Neolithic monuments which make up this ancient and intriguing landscape. The volunteer guide will help you to unlock the past by explaining the history of the landscape as you walk. Avebury | Wiltshire | National Trust

Relax with yoga on the lawn – Church Garden on Avebury Manor

10, 17, 24 June & 1, 8, 15 July, 9.45am-11am, £12.50 per person, booking essential
Relax in the stunning setting of Avebury Manor Garden as you take part in a rejuvenating outdoor yoga session with local instructors. Suitable for beginners or experienced yoga lovers.

Looking ahead…

An exhibition of work by William Stukeley

William Stukeley was an eighteenth-century antiquarian who had wide and varied interests, one of which was the study of prehistoric monuments. He made detailed drawings of these, including many of the Avebury landscape. Images of his work will be on display in the Great Barn at Avebury from 24 June. Free to enter.

Glow worm walk at Figsbury Ring, near Salisbury

Fri 30 June & Fri 14 July 9.45pm-11pm £8 per person. Booking essential.
Is a glow worm really a worm? Why do they shine? How can an insect produce light? Learn the answers to these questions and more by joining the rangers for a nocturnal promenade and talk under the moon and stars at Figsbury Ring.

For more information and to book visit Avebury | Wiltshire | National Trust

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter: