NEW
We have organised a coach trip to see the lights at Kedleston Hall on Thursday 3rd December at a cost of £17. Booking forms are available at our first meeting and on this page from 9th September. You can pay at the meeting or direct to the bank. Please do not make payments before the meeting.

This Summer’s Outings

Thursday 23rd April 2026
Charterhouse NT, Coventry
Leaders – Sue Oates
Denise Dulson

Our first outing of 2026 took place on Thursday 23rd April. We visited The Charterhouse, Coventry, which is a medieval monastic house, renowned for its medieval and Tudor wall paintings. It has pleasant grounds for a stroll and a very nice cafe. We were lucky with the weather and everyone found the house interesting. Afterwards we had free time in  Coventry, so some of us enjoyed another walk round the beautiful cathedral. Others visited the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum or the Transport Museum. A lovely day all round.
Thank you Sue and Denise for getting the season off to a good start.

Medieval Wall Paintings at Charterhouse
Blue sky at Charterhouse
Baptistry Window, Coventry Cathedral
Graham Sutherland Tapestry

Tuesday 19th May 2026
Quarry Bank Mill, NT
Leader – Vivian Fairbank

There was rain as we set off to Quarry Bank, but we were certain that the weather would improve. The Germans say that heaven laughs when angels travel and, of course, the WNTA is a group of angels! We were greeted on the car park and issued with tickets for a guided tour of the apprentice house. The whole site was staffed by first class volunteers, in the working mill where we saw expert demonstrations, in the apprentice house where the guide was both knowledgeable and engaging and in the house of the mill owner immediately adjacent to the mill. The grounds were spectacular with the mill race, stream and beautiful rhododendrons. AND it didn’t rain all day!
Vivian Fairbank
Many thanks, Vivian, for a lovely day

Quarry Bank Mill

Tuesday 28th July 2026
Stow House & Gardens
Leader – Margaret Jones

On Tuesday 28th July, 51 members set off to Stowe House and Stowe Landscaped Gardens in Buckinghamshire.  We were greeted with delicious cookies and coffee or tea, then introduced to our two guides for the morning. It was wonderful to hear about the history of this magnificent building and how it was saved from demolition in 1926 by becoming a school. It now has 1000 pupils.  The interiors are spectacular with statues, painted ceilings, portraits of past owners and decorative walls, cared for by a Preservation Trust.
The grounds look down to the lake and the Landscape Gardens which are looked after by the National Trust. After lunch we were able to explore acres of gardens with classic small temples, follies and lakeside walks that take you back to the 18th century. An excellent journey and super weather made it a memorable day out. Margaret Jones.  

Many thanks, Margaret, for organising a great day out.

Click on any image to see more detail

Wednesday 2nd September 2026
Car Outing to
Chillington Hall
Leader – Janet Clews

Our last outing for the summer was a car outing to Chillington Hall near Brewood.  We were met at the house by the owner Charlie Gifford, whose family have owned the property since William the Conqueror, and given tea/coffee and biscuits.  He then gave us a brief talk before the party was split in two.  One group went on an hours trailer ride through the estate to the large lake, which was created by Capability Brown, while the rest of the party had a tour of the house.  The two groups changed places and at 1 o’clock met up for an excellent ploughman’s lunch.  Despite the wet weather everyone enjoyed the day.

Thank you Janet and the outings committee for a very successful season.

Last year’s outings and reports are on the Archive page