Telling the Stories Brochure

Cultivating
Extravagance
Sussex, a county of culture, architecture and horticulture,
where the world seed-bank meets architectural Xanadu
Highlights
TOUR
34
• Delight in England’s most exotic
regal folly, the Royal Pavilion, Brighton.
• Wonder at the work of the Millennium
Seed Bank, which stores seeds of every
UK native plant and towards 25% of the
world’s species. Closely associated with
the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, it is the
finest in the world.
• Visit restored Gravetye Manor, in the
company of Head Gardener Tom Coward,
and see the influence of American
species on the English Garden.
• Discover the fruits of the Arts and Crafts
Movement in architecture, furniture
and furnishings.
Tour Type: Immersion
Entry and Departure Point:
London Heathrow Airport
We invite you to revel in the architectural
and horticultural extravaganzas of Sussex.
The Royal Pavilion, Brighton, is undoubtedly
the most exotic where the styles of India and
China meet in a colourful collaboration, but a
cornucopia of delights to feast both the eyes
and appetite will be enjoyed at West Dean,
Gravetye Manor and Parham House.
We will focus on the needs of global
conservation at the Millennium Seed Bank
at Wakehurst Place, and enjoy the Arts
and Crafts mantra of beauty and utility
consummately expressed at Standen House.
We will enjoy Edwardian exuberance in the
gardens at West Dean, whilst the interior
is testament to Edward James’ patronage
of the surrealists, a world of kaleidoscopic
colours bursts on to the scene from the
leaves and flowers of trees and shrubs
at Sheffield Park.
Quiet confidence is exuded by the
Elizabethan Parham House, whilst the
symmetry of English baroque on the west
façade at Petworth provides the perfect
theatre for its Brownian landscape.
Tour Director: Caroline Holmes
Caroline is a garden historian, international lecturer, author of
11 books who designs landscape themes including the planting in
The Poison Garden at The Alnwick Garden. Recipient of the Herb Society
of America’s The Elizabeth Crisp Rea and The Gertrude B. Foster Awards
for Excellence in Herbal Literature, Caroline is Course Director for the
University of Cambridge’s International Summer Programmeme creating
and leading modules studying English houses and gardens.
The Royal Pavillion, Brighton. Photo: Tony Hisgett /CC-BY 2.0
Outline Itinerary
Visit Gravetye Manor, former home
of Edwardian garden writer William
Robinson. Then onto Standen
House, a Philip Webb designed
exemplar of the Arts and Crafts
Movement.
Explore Petworth House, home of
the Egremont family, with worldclass
art collections including
paintings by J.M.W. Turner of the
‘Capability’ Brown landscape.
Later visit Parham House, one of
England’s finest Elizabethan houses.
Visit the leafy landscape of
Sheffield Park, before moving
on to Wakehurst Place, where
the architecture ranges from
Elizabethan to contemporary.
Discover West Dean, to enjoy both
Arts and Crafts and the Surreal,
and later visit nearby Weald and
Downland Museum to see a
fascinating range of reconstructed
traditional buildings.
Visit Lewes, to see the house of
one of Henry VIII’s wives, Anne
of Cleves, and the oldest Sussex
brewery. Travel onto Brighton for
the Royal Pavilion - ‘the pleasure
domes of Xanadu transported to an
English seaside town’.
& To book, Call toll free: 1 844 221 3366 or visit www.ukcountrysidetours.com
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