UK SHOWS, LECTURES and WORKSHOPS – 2010 Wednesday 11th July Lecture - Historic Textiles in Levens Hall, Muncaster Castle and Hutton-in-the-Forest 8.0pm Parkin Memorial Hall, Pooley Bridge. All welcome. Tel 01768 486378 for details or just join us by 7.45pm please
Sunday 26th - Wednesday 29th September Crewel Work Retreat at Muncaster Castle, Cumbria, UK Details are at the base of this page. This retreat is now full but do email me if you would like your interest to be filed for a future retreat in 2012.
Thursday 7th-Sunday 10th October, The Knitting and Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace Last year clashed with my son`s wedding so we missed a year. This year we are back with wonderful new designs and a bigger better display of crewel work, needlepoint and seat frames. We will be in The Textile Gallery as usual (on the wall between the two halls).
Tuesday 12th October At the Burford Needlecraft shop at Burford, Oxfordshire. All levels of experience most welcome. This workshop will end with a lecture at 3.0pm (separate tickets required for those not coming to the workshop). Please contact David, Jan or Kate at the shop, Tel 01993 822136 or info@needlework.co.uk
Tuesday 9th (beginners) and Wednesday 10th November Improvers and advanced course at the Viking Loom near York. These two days will cover Long and Short as "soft shading" as well as some very early 17th Century stitches, and will include a different talk on each day at 3.0pm. All levels of experience most welcome. Contact Romy or one of her team on 01904 620587 or email vikingloom@vikingloom.co.uk
Saturday 13th November Lecture "Crewel and other embroidery in British Castles 1640-1740" and other embroidery in British Castles 1640-1740"
Sunday 14th November Workshop - Historic British Crewel Work. A choice of designs Durham Embroiderers’ Guild (open to all). Telephone Margeret Vane 0191 3711063 email email :- margaretvane@talktalk.net
Muncaster Castle – Crewel Work Retreat By special permission of the Pennington family
Sunday 26th - Wednesday 29th September, 2010
Muncaster Castle, guarding the west coast of the English Lake District, has been the family home of the Pennington family for the past 800 years. Alan de Mulcastre was officially granted the lands of Mune and Ravenglass by King John, through Richard de Lucy, Lord of Egremont, on December 1st 1208.
Subsequent marriages with the wealthy Ramsden family from Yorkshire in the 17th and 18th Centuries at a time when furnishing with textiles was a high priority, combined with continuous ownership since then, provide us with the rare opportunity to study a large textile collection in its original setting. Our host, Phyllida Gordon-Duff-Pennington, is herself a textile expert and she and other family members will set the scene and be present at Muncaster throughout our Retreat.
Each day alternates between stitching and study, to create a most stimulating and creative experience. The Retreat includes intimate access to the Muncaster Textile Collection, and our study of the textiles as well as all the workshops will take place in the Castle.
Under Phillipa’s tutelage, you will recreate a crewel work design from the Castle’s collection, embroidering your replica pieces in the same scale, style and order as the original embroiderers did in the 17th and 18th Centuries. Rare examples of interesting early crewel stitches from other bedhangings in the Castle, as well as from Phillipa`s private collection, will also be included. We will be studying these stitches in detail, and considering how they can be incorporated into your own individual work.
The historic venue, extensive collection (including Phyllida`s own private collection) and professional tuition should ensure that embroiderers of all skill levels will gain the maximum enjoyment and sense of achievement from this very special Retreat.
The Programme Sunday 26th September 4.00pm Tea and cakes in the Muncaster Castle Conference Room 5.00pm Lecture "The Muncaster Textile Collection" Venue – Muncaster Castle Conference Room 6.30pm Private informal dinner in The Stables at Muncaster Castle
Monday 27th September 9.30am Private Study Tour of the textiles throughout the Castle 11.00am Coffee and biscuits at the Castle 11.30am Crewel Workshop 1.00pm Lunch in The Stables 2.00pm Crewel Workshop 3.15pm English Tea and home made cake at the Castle 3.30pm - 4.15pm Quiet stitching time (optional) or explore the grounds, visit the owl sanctuary, enjoy the magnificent views over the Esk estuary and across to the mountains, and……………….. 4.30pm Watch the spectacular display as the local herons are fed in front of the Castle Dinner is available in The Pennington Hotel and local pubs in Ravenglass and the surrounding area.
Tuesday 28th September 9.30am Crewel Workshop 11.00am Coffee break 11.30am Crewel Workshop 1.00pm Lunch in The Stables 2.00pm Crewel Workshop 3.15pm English Tea 3.30pm - 4.15pm Quiet stitching time (optional) or time to explore, etc
Wednesday 29th September 9.30am Crewel Workshop 11.00am Coffee break 11.30am Crewel Workshop 1.00pm Lunch in The Stables 2.00pm Crewel Workshop 3.30pm - 4.0pm English Tea
End of Retreat
Getting There Muncaster is in a remote part of the country and getting there may require some advice. Please contact me so that I can give you specific advice and assistance as required. Free parking is available at the Pennington Hotel and at the Castle.
Accommodation There are two choices of accommodation. There is either the recently rebuilt and reopened boutique hotel, The Pennington, in the beautiful tiny old fishing village of Ravenglass one mile from the Castle, or alternatively the "The Coachmans Quarters" comprises simpler comfortable accommodation in the converted stable block in the Castle grounds. Evening meals can be enjoyedatany of three venues one mile away at Ravenglass and in the surrounding area. The castle website www.muncaster.co.uk shows both choices of accommodation clearly. Try clicking on http://www.muncaster.co.uk/stay-us and click on the lower left margin.
Terms & Conditions The Cost (prices correct at time of writing) Prices per student, assuming single occupancy:
Pennington Hotel, Ravenglass £665 The Coachman`s Quarters, Muncaster Castle £595 Price per non-stitching partner on application – please contact Phillipa.
What is included for students The opening Lecture and all tuition. All the materials required to study and replicate Muncaster Castle crewel work designs. Free loan of a needlework frame. Tea, coffee and biscuits/cake at Muncaster Castle throughout the four days Bed and Breakfast at either The Pennington Hotel, Ravenglass or The Coachman`s Quarters, Muncaster Castle. The Retreat Welcome Dinner on Sunday 26th September at The Stables, Muncaster Castle.
What is not included All lunches and dinners except the Retreat Welcome Dinner on Sunday 26th September All extra charges incurred at either The Pennington or the Coachman`s Quarters, other than Bed and Breakfast. This includes drinks, etc purchased at the hotel bar and any individual room service
Health etc In order to make sure that you are correctly and safely prepared for, it is important that you declare any health issues or food allergies etc, in advance and again on arrival. Wheelchair users should please note that, owing to the very specific focus on the historic during the Retreat, the venue to be used and visited, Muncaster Castle, is extremely old. Access to some of the rooms to be used can only be achieved by using the original stairs. If you have other mobility or health issues and are not sure to what extent these might affect your enjoyment of the retreat, please call me to discuss. All student information will be treated with the strictest confidence.
Reservations Reservations can be made by telephone, letter or email. You will then be sent, either by post or email, a Reservation Booking Form which must be returned to me, together with payment, for your place on the Retreat to be finally confirmed. Your place and receipt of payment will then be confirmed in writing.
Cancellation It is regretted that no provision can be made for any refund in respect of a place for which a completed booking form and payment has been received. An exception will be considered if there is time to replace a cancellation from any reserve list. All students are strongly advised to take out their own insurance, in respect of but not limited to, travel, cancellation, medical expenses and personal effects, etc.
Liability I have used my best endeavour to ensure that all goods, services and facilities provided in respect of the retreat have been supplied, delivered, arranged or otherwise made available by properly qualified companies, organisations and individuals. I cannot, however, accept any responsibility for damage, loss or injury, howsoever caused, to students or those accompanying them, or their belongings, as a consequence of their attendance at the Retreat. I reserve the right to make additions, alterations and/or substitutions to the itinerary or any other part of the programme in the event of unforeseen circumstances. For holidays and lecture tours with a general castles and historic houses theme please visit www.aspectevents.co.uk where you will meet other like minded time travellers enjoying the company of Nicholas Merchant. |