OCTOBER 3 - THURSDAY - TRANSATLANTIC
Overnight flight to Manchester UK.
OCTOBER 4 - FRIDAY - MANCHESTER / HEBDEN BRIDGE / CHESTER
After arrival, we drive to the small village of Hebden Bridge. Here John Fawcett, saddened by his intent to leave his local congregation, wrote “Blest Be the Tie that Binds.” This includes a visit to Wainsgate Chapel which has a memorial plaque to John Fawcett and where he is buried. Upon arrival in the charming city of Chester, we have a walking tour, time permitting.
Dinner and overnight in Chester
OCTOBER 5 - SATURDAY - HODNET HALL / ASTLEY CHURCH / LLANDRINDOD WELLS
Today we visit Hodnet Hall where Reginald Heber wrote "Holy, Holy, Holy.” We continue to Stourport on Severn and the nearby Astley Church (St. Peter's where in the Manse Frances Ridley Havergal was born and where she wrote "Take My Life and Let It Be" among hundreds of others. We continue to Llandrindod Wells where tonight we attend a joint concert with King’s Cadence and the Builth Welsh Male Voice Choir at the Pavilion including admission tickets.
Overnight in Llandrindod Wells, Wales
weFRANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL'S ASTLEY CHURCH
OCTOBER 6 - SUNDAY - LLANDOVERY / BRISTOL
After breakfast we travel to the farmhouse of William Williams the writer of "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah." We enjoy singing there and then visiting the churchyard where he is buried. Afterwards, we travel on through the beautiful Welsh countryside to Bristol for dinner and overnight.
Dinner and Overnight Bristol
OCTOBER 7 - MONDAY - BRISTOL / CHEDDAR GORGE / EXETER
After breakfast, we have a morning tour of Bristol including entrances to the New Room of John and Charles Wesley, the great Methodist hymn writers of hymns like “Love Divine All Loves Excelling“ and “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing,“ among others. We also visit the home of Charles Wesley. Continuing toward the south coast of England, we visit Cheddar Cave and stop in Cheddar Gorge where we see the outcropping of rock that inspired Augustus Toplady to write “Rock of Ages.”
Dinner and Overnight Exeter
OCTOBER 8 - TUESDAY - DARTMOOR / BRIXHAM / EXETER
Breakfast at hotel before we travel through gorgeous countryside to Lew Trenchard Manor, home of Sabine Baring-Gould writer of “Onward Christian Soldiers.” He was the real- life subject of Henry Higgins of "My Fair Lady." We have morning coffee and biscuits in the Manor dining room, then continue to the quaint village of Brixham and to visit All Saints Church where Henry Lyte was minister. Afterward we visit his home overlooking the harbor where he wrote "Abide with Me." We enjoy afternoon tea at his home.
Dinner and Overnight Exeter
OCTOBER 9 - WEDNESDAY - CHILD OKEFORD / OXFORD
After breakfast we leave Exeter and drive to Child Okeford and visit St Nicholas Church where William Kethe was vicar and authored "All People That on Earth do Dwell.” Arthur Sullivan of Gilbert and Sullivan fame also had roots here.
Dinner and overnight in Oxford.
LEW TRENCHARD MA
OCTOBER 10 - THURSDAY - OXFORD / STRATFORD UPON AVON
We enjoy a morning walking tour of Oxford including views of the colleges. We enjoy a visit to the Kilns, home of C. S. Lewis and the Holy Trinity churchyard where he is buried. In the afternoon we have and excursion to Stratford-upon-Avon including entrances to Anne Hathaway’s Cottage and Shakespeare’s Birthplace
Dinner and overnight in Oxford
OCTOBER 11 - FRIDAY - OLNEY / CAMBRIDGE / LONDON
After breakfast oday we travel to Olney to visit the Cowper/Newton Museum with its beautiful gardens and 18th century summerhouse. William Cowper wrote “There is a Fountain” and John Newton famously wrote "Amazing Grace” and “Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken.” We also visit the church where John Newton was vicar. We continue to St. Andrews Baptist Church in Cambridge, where Robert Robinson wrote “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing.” It is also the sending church for William Carey the famous missionary to India.
Dinner and overnight in London
OCTOBER 12 - SATURDAY - LONDON
This morning we see the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace before visiting Westminster Abbey. Then we visit Bunhill Fields Cemetery burial place of Isaac Watts, writer of “O God, Our Help in Ages Past,” “Joy to the World," and scores more. Then across the street to John Wesley's Chapel, house and gravesite. We see the flame monument at Aldersgate Street. We visit St. Paul's Cathedral; then the Tower of London in the afternoon. This evening we enjoy stall seats at a West End Musical.
Overnight London
OCTOBER 13 - SUNDAY - LONDON
In London, we enjoy time on our own.
Overnight London
OCTOBER 14 - MONDAY - LONDON / USA
Enjoy our return trans-Atlantic flight to the US
CHANGING OF THE GUARD
