Just out! The FLAG excursions list for 2026!

 Our Excursions for 2026 

All excursions leave from Newbold Comyn with a pick up in Newbold Terrace, opposite the Spa Centre, about 5 minutes later.  Please bring relevant membership cards as we are required to show them.  Without them entrance fees will be charged.

Please familiarise yourself with the Information Sheet on the FLAG website before submitting your booking.

Phone numbers for day of excursion are: Judy 07580388659 Lyn 07795085756

We are only giving details of our day and a brief introduction to the venues as they all have their own websites which you can consult to get more detailed information.

Please note: If you are interested in joining us on any trips, please contact the Secretary to find out if there are any spaces first. 

 

GLOUCESTER CATHEDRAL and MISERDEN GARDENS, GLOUCESTERSHIRE

 

WEDNESDAY 20  MAY – DEPART 8.30 am

 

Straight to Gloucester Cathedral where we will have time to purchase a drink in the Monk's Kitchen before we have a Highlights Tour of the Cathedral (included in the price).  We shall be divided into two groups, starting the tours at 11.00am and 11.15am.  This last approx. 1 hour.  Time then for lunch either in the Monk's Kitchen or venture out to one of the nearby cafes. Gloucester Cathedral is one of Britain's greatest buildings with spectacular architecture, royal connections, medieval Cloister and dazzling examples of stained glass from across the ages.  Famous recently, of course, for television and film appearances which we are bound to hear about on the tour!

We shall leave at 1.45pm to travel to Miserden Gardens which will be a open for us to spend a leisurely afternoon wandering round the gardens.  This lovely walled garden overlooks a deer park and the rolling Cotswold hills of the Golden Valley beyond.  Designed in the 17^th century with a topiary yew walk and quaint grass steps designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens as well as magnificent mixed borders.  Other features are a 200 year old sycamore tree, an ancient mulberry tree planted in 1620, a rill with fountain and stone summer house.  The house is not open to the public.  Tea and cake can be purchased from the Little Ginger cafe in the gardens who promise homemade cake and scones will be available!

Leaving at 5.00 pm. Organiser – Lyn Buckle  01926 339499

 

 KNEBWORTH HOUSE, GARDENS & PARK,  HERTFORDSHIRE

 

WEDNESDAY 24 JUNE – DEPART 8.30am

 

As Knebworth is a longer journey we will have a coffee stop at Newport Pagnell, no, not the services but in the historic market town.  We then continue to Knebworth House with its 28 acres of formal gardens including a maze, colourful borders and fine trees.  Sir Edwin Lutyens had a hand in these gardens as well as he married into the family!  

We are visiting on a closed day so lunch, which is included in the price, is from a limited choice of

Tomato soup and ham salad sandwich or Tomato soup and cheese ploughman's sandwich with complimentary coffee/tea.

After lunch we will have a tour of the house which lasts about 1 hour.  Knebworth House has been home to the Lytton family for over 19 generations.  Stories and heirlooms reflect the family's contribution to literature, politics and foreign service.  Visits from people as diverse as Charles Dickens, Winston Churchill and Queen Elizabeth I have also added to Knebworth's rich heritage.

We can then perhaps enjoy more of the garden and tea and cake which is included in the price.

 

Leaving at 5.00pm. Organiser -  Lyn Buckle 01926 339499

 

 

WEOBLEY and BURTON COURT, EARDISLAND, HEREFORDSHIRE

 

TUESDAY 14 JULY – DEPART 8.30am

 

Straight to Weobley to arrive about 10.30am and in time to purchase morning refreshments.  Weobley is part of the Hereford Black and White Trail and has several Tudor black and white houses. There is a town trail that can be downloaded from https://www.weobley.org/visiting.html

Parts of the recent film Hamnet were shot in Weobley.  There is also a Heritage Trail with plaques.

On the edge of the village SS Peter and Paul church has its origins in Norman times and has been added to and rebuilt over the centuries.  The bell-tower was added in the mid 14^th century (the second tallest in the county) and is set at an angle and thought to have doubled up as a fortified peel tower against Welsh raids.  

Lunch can be purchased in the village before we travel to Burton Court where we have a tour lasting approx. 1 hour.  We can then wander in the garden and have a cream scone tea (included in the price).

 

“Architecturally Burton Court is varied with influences ranging from Norman Medieval, Regency, Victorian and Edwardian periods.  The Norman influence is noticeable in parts of the cellars and also on a large archaeological dig in the grounds that has been going on here since 2000.  We have since amassed the largest medieval pottery collection in the county.  We are still waiting to prove if we have the remains of an earlier castle settlement.

The centrepiece of the house is the spectacular 14^th Century Great Hall; a remarkable survivor of medieval architecture that dates back to 1330.  The Great Hall was used as a Court of Law for centuries, hence Burton Court.  Oddly enough the court rolls in the 17^th century state that people were held to court for not doing enough archery practice!”

 

The last major alteration to the eastern facade of the building was carried out by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis of Portmeirion fame.  The gardens were reconstructed in 2005, with the help of the garden designer Simon Dorrell, to take them back to their Arts and Crafts hey day.

 

Leaving at 4.30pm   Organiser – Judy Ross 01926 423033

 

  

KIMBOLTEN CASTLE and BUCKDEN TOWER,  CAMBRIDGESHIRE

 

TUESDAY 4 AUGUST – DEPART 8.30 am

 

Travelling straight to Kimbolton Castle where we will have coffee/tea/biscuits followed by a tour lasting about 1.5 hours.  The earliest known castle was Norman, rebuilt in Tudor times and largely rebuilt from 1690-1720 when Vanburgh and Hawksmoor were involved as was John Adam who later designed the gatehouse.  There are large wall paintings by Pelligrini (1675-1741) on the main staircase, in newly built rooms in the 1700s and the chapel.

Katherine of Aragon was sent to Kimbolton Castle in May 1534 and died here in January 1536.  Her body was carried in procession to Peterborough Abbey (now Cathedral) for burial.

 

We stay for lunch of sandwiches, savouries, mini cakes and infused water and then travel on to Buckden Towers when we can have a tour lasting 1 hour or choose a talk.  Buckden Palace was built by the Bishop of Lincoln as it then lay on the Great North Road and was used by successive bishops for several centuries.  Construction of the Tower itself was completed by Bishop Rotherham in 1480.  Katherine of Aragon was confined here by Henry VIII in 1533-34 when she was then moved to Kimbolton Castle.  The property is owned by Claretian Missionaries who use it as a retreat.  We can then take tea and cake and stroll round the gardens.

There is the church of St. Hugh of Lincoln nearby which has notable windows.

 

All refreshments (coffee, lunch and tea) are included in the price.

 

Leaving at 4.30pm Organiser – Judy Ross 01926 423033

 

 

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Unveiled: The Rugby Art Collection in Full (plus cake)

Art first, obviously. But also bun assessment is non-negotiable. Rugby Art Gallery and Museum has a fine cafe, and the quiche is highly recommended! 

 

(With thanks to Rugby Art Gallery for permission to take photos of the exhibition. There won't be images of individual paintings, because of copyright issues. Explanation: general shots of gallery spaces are fine, as long as they weren’t taken with professional equipment and don’t focus in on a single artwork. This is because a high resolution, straight sided images can be reproduced for commercial purposes.).

A Town That Collected A Nation

 By FLAG Membership Secretary, Annabel.

Unveiled: The Rugby Art Collection in Full brings together eight decades of collecting into a single, unfolding story. Not of blockbuster purchases, but of belief.

What emerges is a portrait of Britain in flux, its industries, identities, and anxieties, shaped by curators willing to take risks and a town that chose to invest in culture. It feels less like a collection on display, and more like a history lived through art!

The pieces acquired are grouped into decades from the 1940 to current day. 

1940s: A Vision in Wartime 

Rationing, rebuilding, and somehow still finding a bit of budget for art, priorities quietly in the right place.

 The collection begins with quiet ambition. In the aftermath of war, Rugby invested in contemporary art, modestly, but deliberately.

Guided by Eric Newton, early works focused on everyday life rather than grand narratives. Factories, streets, and interiors captured a nation rebuilding.

It’s a starting point rooted in realism and optimism: art as witness, and as a gesture toward the future. 

The wall text says: "The next chapter isn't about adding more works - it's about adding more voices". 

 

1950s: Modernism & Reconstruction

Britain patches itself back together, puts the kettle on, and cautiously experiments with something a bit more modern.

 As Britain rebuilt, art shifted. The 1950s saw a move from realism toward experimentation and abstraction.

Rugby followed suit, acquiring bold, exploratory works, often before their makers were widely recognised.

This is where the collection finds its confidence, stepping beyond documentation into active engagement with modernism.

 

1960s: The Art of Expansion

Things get louder, brighter, and more confident, even if the economy is occasionally having a lie down.

Energy and ambition define the 1960s. Under Joanna Drew, the collection embraced Pop, Op, and abstraction.

Influenced by media, design, and science, acquisitions became more vibrant and intellectually driven.

Despite limited funds, Rugby secured major voices, proof that vision can outweigh budget.

 

1970s: A Change in Tempo

Strikes, power cuts, and a general sense of “it’s complicated"; no wonder the art gets more emotional. Your author still stores candles just in case the electricity gets cut again.

 The 1970s turn inward. Amid economic and social upheaval, the focus shifts to the human condition.

Monika Kinley championed figurative work that was raw, emotional, and personal. The result is a more intimate collection; less about movements, more about lived experience.

 

 1980s: Psychological Depths & The Warwick Years

Big ideas, smaller budgets. When funding disappears, creativity tends to find a workaround. Margaret Thatcher's assertion that "There is no such thing as public money; there is only taxpayers' money".

The early 80s deepen this introspection, exploring memory, identity, and inner worlds.

Mid-decade there were funding cuts which halted collecting and the collection moved to the University of Warwick.

Rather than fading, it evolved; preserved, studied, and recontextualised for the future.

  

1990s: Care and Consolidation

A quieter decade: less spending, more looking after what’s already there; very sensible, probably very British.

 The 1990s are quieter, focused on care rather than growth.

With fewer acquisitions, attention turned to conservation, research, and education. Community projects kept the collection connected to its roots.

Its reputation grew as a coherent record of British art, sustained through stewardship.

 

2000s: Coming Home

A fresh start, a new building, and a sense that things might just be on the up again.

In 2000, the collection returned to Rugby. A new gallery brought renewed energy and collecting resumed.

The scope expanded beyond painting to include installation, video, and conceptual work. This is a moment of renewal: confident, outward-looking, and ready to evolve.

 

 

 

2010s: Art in Place

Budgets tighten, but conversations widen - who’s included, who’s missing, and who gets the wall space.

The 2010s focus on representation and connection.

Artists were commissioned to engage directly with the town, while acquisitions addressed identity, heritage, and visibility.

The collection becomes more self-aware, not just reflecting history but reshaping it. Visitors to Leamington Spa Art Gallery and Museum might recognize the work at the top middle of the image below!

 

2020s: Resilience & Representation

A slightly chaotic start to the decade, what with pandemics, political upheaval, and the news rarely improving with a second look, but plenty of determination to carry on. In uncertain times, art proves quietly dependable: still asking questions, still making sense of things, and still there when everything else feels a bit up in the air.

The decade begins with disruption. During COVID-19, art became a way to process isolation and change.

Today, the focus is on inclusion, collaboration, and diverse voices. The collection feels active and responsive, less a record of the past, more part of an ongoing conversation.

 

Final Thoughts

Rugby’s collection stands out not for scale, but for intent. Built steadily over time, it reflects a belief that art belongs everywhere.

Seen together, these works form something more than a collection, they're a living history of a place, and the people within it.

I loved it and was thrilled to be able to see a whole collection in one go. I recommend both it and the cafe! 

 

 

Accidental Fame: FLAG Members’ Surprise TV Debut!

 

Ashby - Tea and cake enjoyed by all

Our summer outings always bring a few surprises, but this one truly caught us off guard! During a recent visit to a historic house, our members suddenly found themselves sharing the space with a TV crew filming on site. What started as a relaxed day out quickly turned into an unexpected brush with the spotlight, complete with interviews and the surreal moment of later spotting familiar faces on screen. It was a day full of laughter, excitement, and a reminder that being part of FLAG can lead to moments you’d never quite plan, but will never forget. 

 And here we are on the TV!!

From Channel 4 with Penelope Keith. FLAG members enjoy their tea! Follow the link to the programme to see the whole episode. 

 Here, our Secretary, Lyn shares her experience in her own words:

  

photo courtesy of C Gifford.

ASHBY MANOR HOUSE, ASHBY ST LEDGERS, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

A private tour of Ashby Manor House and Garden was enjoyed by members of FLAG last September.The charming owner gave us a history of this beautiful house which included being   the home of the Catesby family from 1400 until 1612.  The famous gatehouse has an atmospheric room which is believed to be where Robert Catesby and his fellow conspirators may have hatched the Gunpowder Plot.  

Sir Edwin Lutyens made impressive additions to the original house and the gardens which, our host explained, are being  restored to the original Lutyens designs. It was a fascinating visit thoroughly enjoyed by all.

Throughout the afternoon our host was followed  by a camera crew which we discovered were from Channel 4 as Ashby Manor was featuring on the programme Penelope Keith Saving Country Houses. Giving tours of the house and garden was a new venture and our visit was filmed.  Of course, we have been looking forward to seeing this on TV and have recently enjoyed the whole series and especially the last episode which featured our visit!  We were even filmed tucking into delicious tea and cakes.  It was certainly a memorable visit!

 

Ashby. Photo courtesy of C Gifford

Ashby: Photo courtesy of C Gifford, who says: " Joined on to the manor house is a genuine half-timbered building which, far from being a survival of the early Ashby Manor, was resited here in 1908.You can see more of her photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/carolyn_gifford/

 

 

Ashby - photo courtesy of C Gifford

 

Capturing Life in Stillness - a look at bronze statues

 

Movement is, for me as an artist, is one of the hardest things to capture. Not just the mechanics of a body in motion, but the feeling of it: the anticipation, the follow-through, the emotional undercurrent that gives it meaning.

Sometimes when you stand in front of a sculpture you feel slightly undone by it. Perhaps it’s because of its scale or subject, but in my case, it's because it seems to achieve something I know is difficult: it has movement.

There is for example a bronze statue in the Jephson Gardens. It is a beautiful and quietly powerful story; John Bridgeman’s The Unknown Refugee.

 

photo courtesy of Annabel Rainbow

Originally commissioned by Parliamentary Committee to commemorate the plight of refugees following the Vietnam War, Bridgeman conceived a fleeing mother, her child slumped over her shoulder. It is an image heavy with urgency, fear, and endurance. Yet in 1984, shifting political tides meant the sculpture was returned to his studio, uncast.

That might have been the end of it, but instead, it became something else. Bridgeman reworked the piece over time, shifting its meaning toward a more universal, timeless figure: the unknown refugee. Plans came and went - Coventry Cathedral among them, but the sculpture remained unrealised in bronze. It was only recently “rescued” from the slow decay of its plaster maquette and installed in Jephson Gardens, where it now stands against the river, quietly echoing the tragedies we continue to witness today. It feels entirely at home there and seems rooted, but not still. Even in its fixed form, it carries motion.

And perhaps that’s what draws me back to sculpture again and again: this paradox. Solidity that suggests movement; weight that implies lightness; stillness that somehow breathes.

Maquette in Leamington Spa Art Gallery and Museum. Photo courtesy of C Gifford.

At Hidcote in October 2025, one of our Flag members photographed three works that stay with me for similar reasons: The Wish and Riding the Waves by Teresa Wells, and Running Man by Shaun Gagg. All three were cast in bronze or cold cast bronze, and all three attempted, very successfully I think, to capture movement in the human form.

 

Teresa Wells - The Wish. (image courtesy of C Gifford)

Bronze is an unforgiving medium in this respect. Unlike clay or wax, where gestures can be adjusted and reworked with relative immediacy, bronze demands commitment and an investment of time and energy. Every nuance must be resolved before casting, and once cast, the opportunity for alteration is minimal. The process itself: mould-making, wax casting, firing, pouring, introduces layers of translation between the artist’s hand and the final object. Something can easily be lost along the way such as softness, a tension, a fleeting gesture.

Shaun Gagg - Running Man (image courtesy of C Gifford) 

 

And yet, when it works, bronze does something extraordinary. It holds movement in a way that feels both permanent and precarious. In Running Man, Gagg captures that forward lean. A slight imbalance that suggests the next step is already happening. It is not a static figure posed mid-stride; it is a body in transition. You feel the momentum.

Similarly, Wells’ Riding the Waves seems to hover between the forces of gravity and lift, resistance and surrender. The figure is not simply placed in motion; it is shaped by it. Even The Wish, quieter in tone, contains a subtle internal movement - something shifting inward rather than outward, an emotional gesture rather than a physical one.

 

Teresa Wells, Riding The Waves. Photo by C Gifford

Why is bronze so good at conveying emotion and movement? Stone for instance, carries a different kind of authority. It resists movement, or perhaps it absorbs it. Think of classical marble sculptures; there is grace, certainly, but also a sense of inevitability, of forms settling into their final state. Metal, in more industrial contexts, can emphasise structure and line, sometimes at the expense of fluidity.

Bronze sits somewhere in between. It can be both rigid and responsive, capable of describing musculature, tension, and flow with remarkable sensitivity. Its surface can catch light sharply or diffuse it, enhancing the sense of motion or softening it into something more contemplative.

Historically, of course, artists have wrestled with this for centuries. From the dynamism of Hellenistic sculpture to the charged energy of figures by artists like Giacometti or Rodin, the question remains the same: how do you make something that doesn’t move feel alive?

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