This Page contains Photographs taken during Group activities in 2013
Out and About Central Birmingham Mosque
Out and About Malmesbury and Abbey House Gardens
Out and About Lord Leycester Hospital - Warwick
Out and About Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens
Out and About Castle Bromwich Parish Church
Book Group members taking advantage of the Spring Sunshine
March 20th, supposedly the first day of Spring, 40 members of the U3A embarked on a Coach Excursion to Chester
Photographs are courtesy of Alan Cross and Peter Calver
Disembarking from the coach to meet the guides who conducted a walking tour of Chester.
After the guided tour there was free time to explore Chester City before the return journey home
Guided tour of Central Mosque Birmingham
Members asking questions of the Faith Guide in the main Prayer Room at the Mosque
The Faith Guide Abdul Mehmood
who Guided members around the Mosque
Tuesday June 18th 2013 36 members enjoyed a Coach Excursion to Malmesbury and the Abbey House Gardens
Centre of Malmesbury Abbey Church Malmesbury
Abbey House Gardens
Mr Pollard "The Naked Gardener"
Guided Tour of The Lord Leycester Hospital Warwick
Thursday 4th July 17 members enjoyed a guided tour of the Lord Leycester Hospital in Warwick
conducted by the Master.
Click here for brief history of the Lord Leycester Hospital
Waiting for the tour to start Walking to the Chantry Chapel of St James
Inside the Chantry Chapel of St James
The Master talks to the group outside the entrance to the Guild Hall
In the courtyard Exploring the Master's Garden
The Master
Guided tour of Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens
Thursday 1st August in temperatures exceeding 30o C a group of members visited Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens and enjoyed a guided tour.
The gardens are a unique example of an English Baroque garden. It is being restored as near as possible to the 1680 - 1762 by Castle Bromwich Hall and Gardens Trust.
The 10 acre walled garden contains over 600 species of plants from the period. The holly maze is to a design by George London and Henry Wise.
For more details of the gardens click here
Castle Bromwich Parish Church Castle Bromwich Hall now a Hotel
The Guide - Myra
Thursday 12th December the Out and about group enjoyed a coach excursion to Llangollen and a 2 hour cruise along the Llangollen Canal.
Click Here for a description and history of the Llangollen Canal.
The River Dee at Llangollen
Lunch by the River
Waiting to Board the Thomas Telford canal boat at Froncysslte
We had exclusive use of the boat
Crossing the Pontcysllte aqueduct 126 feet above the River Dee.
Cruising the Llangollen Canal
Onboard
The Thomas Telford
Tour Castle Bromwich Parish Church.
On
Thursday 3rd October members of the Out and About group were given a tour of St
Mary & St Margaret the Parish Church of Castle Bromwich. The Church is a
Grade 1 listed building and is unique in the country, it is a church within a
church. The site has been a place of worship since the Roman times.
The church was first documented in 1165. The Norman chapel is the site of
the present chancel and the high alter has stood in the same place for 1000
years. Parts of this Norman church still survives in the existing
brickwork being part of the stone foundation. As the area
was part of the Forest of Arden in the 1500 and timber was in abundant supply an
extension to the original church was built entirely of wood with a massive
medieval roof using timbers 20 feet tall by 20 inches square. In the 1700's the
owners of adjacent Hall encased the wood structure in brick to give it neo
classic look to match that of the Castle Bromwich Hall. The inner wooden pillars were shaped by carpenters had
lathes added and then plastered, to look like stone pillars. A Brick built
bell tower was added, the wooden beams were hidden for 300 years before being
discovered.
The group were shown around by Historian David Adams, we climbed part way up the tower and were able to see into the the roof space and the wooden beams still the main structure of the building.
The Church from the Hall Gardens The Chancel and Alter
The Three Tier Pulpit One of the many stained glass windows
The Group looking behind the plaster on one of supports The Organ and Choir loft
at the timber inside.
Looking at parts of windows found from the medieval Church In the Bell Ringers loft on the second floor of the tower
The Oak beams in the roof space built in the 14th Century
David Adams waving us off after the visit
Tour of James Butler's Studios
At the August 2013 Core meeting we had a very interesting talk by the renowned Sculptor James Brown MBE, RA, RWA, FRBS. James is one of the foremost Sculptors in the UK and has sculptures around the world. One of the most famous is a 18 feet height sculpture of Jomo Kenyatta that stands in the centre of Nairobi. After that talk he invited us to visit his studios in Radway Warwickshire.
On October 18th 30 members took James up on his offer and visited his studios. There follows some of the photographs taken on that day.
For full details about James Butler MBE Click on this link to his web site
Click here for a promotional video of James Butler This is provided via James's web site
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Wednesday 16th January with the temperature at -3 degrees C the Ramblers met at Hatton Locks and enjoyed a crisp 5 mile ramble
Tuesday 5th February the group met at Meriden and participated in a ramble led by Phil Hammonds
Wednesday 20th February the Group met in a lay by near Green End, Fillongly and enjoyed a 5mile ramble
towards Shawbury woods led by Ian Lester
On Tuesday 5th March the Ramblers met at the George in the Tree and walked across fields
just over 5 miles on a circular walk to Barston and back.
The temperature was 2.5o C when we started, following an overnight frost but was over 10o C when we finished,
possibly the first day of Spring as the sun shone during the whole walk.
On May 5th the Ramblers met at Hartshill Country Park for a slightly more hilly walk than usual.
But the effort was rewarded with pleasant views across 4 counties this walk was led by Richard Davis.
On July 2nd the Ramblers met at Packwood House and enjoyed a leisurely walk across fields and along canal towpaths.
This walk was led by Fran and Ian Lester.
On 17th July 2013 14 members met at the White Swan Henley-in-Arden for a 4.5 mile circular walk to Preston Bagot and back.
The temperature was 22oC when we started but reached 29oC at the end of the Walk - one of the hottest days of the year
The group receiving instruction from the Walk Leaders Barbara and Phil Hammonds
After Climbing a steep hill the group took a breather and admired the view. And down the other side
Phil Hammonds the walk leader strides ahead across the field.
Another rest this time under welcome shade Off we go again in the blistering heat.
Some of the men bring up the rear.
Yet another well earned shaded rest to take on water.
On 6th August the group met at he Manor House Fillongly and walked through the nearby countryside, led by Martin Richards, with good views and plenty of "Playful" cows to contend with.
Crossing the field quickly to the safety of the fence
Martin and Ray walk back to "rescue" the remainder of the group cut off by the herd of cows
16th October with the weather forecast predicting rain only 5 members assembled at Hampton Lucy. The hardy 5 enjoyed a walk in the South Warwickshire countryside. Only slight showers were encountered
Surprising what you find in the woods!!
5th November 15 members met at Ufton for a ramble in that area led by Richard Davis.
The weather was better than the previous walk but overnight rain had made it muddy underfoot
