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Ceremony
of the Keys -The main gate of the
Tower of London is locked every evening at 9:50 pm by the
Chief Yeoman Warder of the Tower of London accompanied by
an escort of Guards. Passes are necessary to attend the
ceremony and can be obtained free of charge by writing at
least 6 weeks in advance of travel to:
The Yeoman
Clerk
Queen's House
HM The Tower
of London
London EC3N
4AB
Information required
is: name, contact address and telephone number in London,
choice of date, and any alternative dates, together with
number of tickets required (no more than seven passes per
applicant). Please note an International Reply Coupon (obtainable
from any post office - used to redeem for stamps - plus
a self-addressed envelope) must be enclosed. |
| Guard
Changing Ceremony - Buckingham Palace
- From mid April to early August, the Queen's Guard is changed
daily at 11:30 am. In winter months the ceremony only takes
place every alternate day. There is no ceremony in very
wet weather and times may alter on days when State events
take place. |
| Horse
Guards, Whitehall - The Queen’s
Life Guard is changed daily throughout the year, Monday
to Saturday 11 am, Sunday 10 am. Times may alter on days
when state events take place. |
Gun
Salutes - Gun Salutes take place
annually to commemorate the following dates:
February 6
Accession Day
April 21
Queen’s Birthday
June 2
Coronation Day
June 10
Prince Phillip’s Birthday
June 17
Queen’s Official Birthday
August 4
Queen’s Mother’s Birthday
On each date,
there is a 41-gun salute at 12 noon in Hyde Park (except
for June 17 when it takes place in Green Park at 11 am)
and a 62-gun salute at the Tower of London, held at 1 pm.
Please note that Gun Salutes are not fired on Sundays and
if the event should occur on Sunday, the Gun Salute will
take place the next day. |
Kew
Palace and Queen Charlotte's Cottage
(HRP)
Kew Gardens,
Richmond,
Surrey TW7 3AB
Tel: 011 44 181
332 5189
Kew Palace is
an intimate, little-known royal palace situated in the Royal
Botanic Gardens. Its interiors reflect the domestic and
private lives of George III and Queen Charlotte, who used
it as their family retreat from 1802 to 1818. Queen Charlotte's
Cottage served as a picturesque summerhouse for George III. |
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Tower
of London
Tower Hill, London
EC3N 4AB
Tel: 011 44171
709 0765 Fax: 011 44 171 480 5350
Open: Mar-Oct:
Mon-Sat 09:00-18:00, Sun 10:00-18:00;
Nov-Feb Tue-Sat
09:00-17:00, Sun-Mon-10: 00-17:00 (last admission 1 hour
before closing). Closed 24-26 Dec.
Entry: Adult
£8.50 Child £5.60
The Tower of
London spans over 900 years of British history. Fortress,
palace, prison, arsenal and garrison, it is one of the best-preserved
and most famous fortified buildings in the world, and houses
the priceless crown jewels, royal armories, yeoman warders
and ravens. |
BBC
Experience
Broadcasting
House, Portland Place, London W1A 1AA
Tel: 011 44 171
765 1109 Fax: 011 44 171 765 5731
Open: Daily from
10:00-17:30 (seasonal variations)
Entry: Adult
£5.75 Child £4.00
How the BBC operates:
using models, studios, archives and plenty of hands-off
displays for radio and television. |
Cabinet
War Rooms
Clive Steps,
King Charles Street, London SW1A 2AQ
Tel: 011 44 171
930 6961 Fax: 011 44 171 839 5897
Open: Apr-Sep
daily 09:30-18:00, Oct-Mar daily 10:00-18:00
(Last Admission
17:15).
Entry: Adult
£4.40 Child £2.20
The Cabinet War
Rooms were emergency accommodation provided for Winston
Churchill and the War Cabinet against air attacks during
the Second World War. Visitors can see a suite of 21 historic
rooms including the Cabinet Room, transatlantic telephone
room, and the Prime Minister's Room. |
Imperial
War Museum
Lambeth Road,
London SE1 6HZ
Tel: 011 44 171
416 5000 Fax: 011 44 171 416 5374
Open: Daily 10:00-18:00
Entry: Adult
£4.70 Child £2.35
Museum tells
the story of 20th-century war from Flanders to Bosnia. Special
features include the Blitz Experience - the dramatic recreation
of an air raid, and the Trench Experience. |
Kew
Gardens (Royal Botanical Gardens)
Richmond, Surrey
TW9 3AB
Tel: 011 44 181
332 5622 Fax: 011 44 181 332 5610
Open: Daily from
09:30. Please call for closing times (011 44 181 940 1171).
(Closed Christmas Day & New Year's Day)
Entry: Adult
£4.50 Child £2.50
Tours should
be pre-paid 14 days in advance.
300 acres, once
belonging to the Royal Family, now contain over 40,000 plant
species and varieties. Six glasses houses, including the
new Evolution House, two art galleries, Visitors Centre,
shops and restaurants. |
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London
Docklands Visitor Centre
Visitor Centre,
3 Limeharbour, London E 14 9TJ
Tel: 011 44 171
512 1111 Fax: 011 44 171 537 2549
Open: Mon-Fri
08:30-18:00, Sat-Sun 09:30-17:00
Entry: Free admission.
The Visitor Centre
provides an excellent starting point for a visit to London
Docklands. In addition to providing a wealth of information
on the area's attractions, its exhibition and film shows
trace the area’s history, illustrate London Docklands today
and look forward to the fulfillment of the regeneration
program. |
London
Transport Museum
The Piazza, Covent
Garden, London WC2E 7BB
Tel: 011 44 171
379 6344 Fax: 011 44 171 836 4118
Open: Daily 10:00-18:00
(last admission 17:15). On Fri opens at 11:00.
Entry: Adult
£4.50 Child £2.50
Spectacular displays
of buses, trams and trains reveal the fascinating story
of travel, people and London. Simulators and multi-lingual
facilities. |
Museum
of London
150 London Wall,
London EC2Y 5HN
Tel: 011 44 171
600 3699 Fax: 011 44 171 600 1058
E-mail: info@museum-london.org.uk
Open: Tue-Sat
10:00 -17:50, Sun 12:00 -17:50.
Closed Mondays
(except Bank Holidays).
Entry: Adult
£4.00 Child £2.00
The Museum of
London shows the story of London and Londoners from prehistoric
times to the 20th century. Popular exhibits include the
Lord Mayor's Coach, the Great Fire Experience, reconstructed
Victorian shops, and the Cheapside hoard of late Elizabethan
jewelry. |
Museum
of the Moving Image
South Bank, Waterloo,
London SE1 8XT
Tel: 011 44 171
815 1383 Fax: 011 44 171 633 9749
Open: Daily 10:00-18:00
(last admission 17:00).
Closed 24-26
Dec.
Entry: Adult
£5.95 Child £4.00
Disabled access.
24-hour info line: 011 44 171 401 2636
The award-winning
Museum of the Moving Image - where film comes to life. Where
else can you meet Frankenstein, audition for a Hollywood
screen role, interact with a whole cast of actor-guides,
fly like Superman and see hundreds of film and TV clips.
Licensed restaurant, cafe, gift and bookshop. |
London
Zoo
Regent's Park,
London NW1 4RY
Tel: 011 44 171
722 3333 Fax: 011 44 171 586 6177
Open: Dally from
10:00.
Entry: Adult
£8.00 Child £6.00
One of the world's
most famous zoos. Over 8,000 animals. 'Meet the Animals'
shows and animal encounters are held daily and create opportunities
for visitors to learn more about the animals from their
keepers. Also Moonlight World and new Bear Mountain. |
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Madame
Tussaud's & the London Planetarium
Marylebone Road,
London NW1R 5LR
Tel: 011 44 171
935 6861(MT) Fax: 011 44 171 465 0862
Open: Madame
Tussaud's - Mon-Fri 10:00-17:30, Sat & Sun 09:30 –17:30
(Last admission).
London Planetarium
– Daily 12:20-17:00.
Hours of opening
extended in summer months. Shows last 30 minutes and take
place every 40 minutes.
Entry: Adult
£8.95 Child £5.90 (MT),
A £5.65
C £3.70 (LP),
A £11.20
C £7.10 (combined)
Where else can
you rub shoulders with Kings and Queens, sporting heroes
and celebrities like Brad Pitt and Naomi Campbell? Discover
the gruesome secrets which lurk in the new Chamber of Horrors.
Next door is the London Planetarium, where a new spectacular
show guides you through our solar system. |
National
Portrait Gallery
St Martin's Place,
London WC2H OHE
Tel: 011 44 171
306 0055 Fax: 011 44 171 306 0056
Open: Mon-Sat
10:00-18:00,
Sun 12:00-18:00
Entry: Admission
free but charges for special exhibitions.
Portraits of
the famous in British history and culture; poets and princesses,
statesmen and sportsmen, artists and actresses, explorers
and astronomers
On display: Paintings,
sculpture, drawings, miniatures and photographs.
Tube: Leicester
Square/tube |
Natural
History Museum
Cromwell Road,
London SW7 5BD
Tel: 011 44 171
9389123 Fax: 011 44 171 938 9267
Open: Mon-Sat
& Bank Holidays 10:00-17:50, Sun 11:00-17:50.
Closed 23-26
Dec.
Entry: Adult
£6.00 Child £3.00
The world's leading
museum of natural history inspires all ages to see the world
in a different way. Hundreds of exciting, interactive exhibits
ranging from the dramatic new volcano experience to the
spectacular dinosaur’s exhibition. |
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Rock
Circus
The London Pavilion,
1 Piccadilly
Circus,
London W1V 9LA
Tel: 011 44 171
734 7203 Fax: 011 44 171 734 8023
Open: Mon, Wed,
Thu, Sun 11:00-21:00; Tue 12:00-21:00; Fri, Sat 11:00-22:00.
Entry: Adult
£7.95 Child £6.50
Rock Circus,
where the spirit of rock speaks to you, sings to you, moves
and touches you. Unique exhibition and show celebrating
40 years of rock and pop. |
Shakespeare's
Globe Theatre and Exhibition
New Globe Walk,
Bankside,
London SE1
Tel: 011 44 171
902 1500 Fax: 011 44 171 902 1515
Open: Daily.
May-Sep, 09:00-12:15 and 14:00-16:00.
Entry: Adult
£5.00 Child £3.00
Advance booking
essential.
The fascinating
story of the re-creation of Shakespeare's Globe, the most
important public theatre ever built. Unique opportunity
to view the faithfully reconstructed Elizabethan theatre
built with materials, techniques and craftsmanship of 400
years ago. Exhibition, gift shop and Globe Education Centre.
Theatre performances May-Sep. |
The
Tate Gallery
Millbank, London
SW1P 4RG
Tel: 011 44 171
887 8000 Fax: 011 44 171 887 8007
Recorded information:
011 44 171 887 8008
Open: Daily 10:00-17:50.
Closed 24, 25
& 26 Dec.
Entry: Admission
free except for major loan exhibitions.
The Tate Gallery
houses the national collection of British painting from
the 16th century to the present day and the international
collection of 20th-century painting and sculpture. The Clore
Gallery houses the Turner Bequest, comprising the paintings,
watercolors and sketchbooks of JMW Turner, left to the nation
on his death. |
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The
Tower Bridge Experience
Tower Bridge,
London SE1 2UP
Tel: 011 44 171
403 3761 Fax: 011 44 171 357 7935
Open: Daily Apr-Oct
10:00-18:30, Nov-Mar 09:30-18:00
(Last admission
1-1/4 hours before closing).
Entry: Adult
£5.70 Child £3.90
Deep inside Tower
Bridge lies a fascinating journey of discovery. Exciting
anamatronics and interactive displays bring to life more
than 100 years of the bridge's amazing history. |
Victoria
and Albert Museum
Cromwell Road,
London SW7 2RL
Tel: 011 44 171
938 8500 Fax: 011 44 171 938 8341
Open: Mon 12:00-17:50,
Tue-Sun 10:00-17:50.
Entry: Adult
£5.00, Free for under-18s.
Free between
16:30-17:50
The world's finest
museum of the decorative arts, founded in 1852 to support
and encourage excellence in art and design. Today the magnificent
Victorian buildings house fabulous collections of sculpture,
furniture, fashion and textiles, paintings, silver, glass,
ceramics, jewelry, books, prints, and photographs from Britain
and all over the world. |
The
Royal Horticultural Society
PO Box 313, 80
Vincent
Square, London
SW1P 2PE
Tel: 011 44 171
821 3042 Fax: 011 44 171 233 9502
Britain's gardening
charity. The RHS organizes the Chelsea Flower Show, Scotland's
National Gardening Show & Hampton Court Palace Flower
Show, and runs RHS Gardens Wisley, Rosemoor & Hyde Hall.
Some further 20 shows are held in the Horticultural Halls
in Westminster. |
The
Royal Tournament
Earls Court Exhibition
Centre,
Warwick Road,
London SW5 9TA
Tel: 011 44 171
370 8399 Fax: 011 44 171 370 8039
E-mail: boxoffice@eco.co.uk
A spectacular
shows with a cast of over 2,000.
Acts include
the thrilling Royal Navy Field Gun competition, the glorious
display of the King's Troop and their gallant Musical Drive,
massed bands, color and pageantry. Discounts available for
coach/tour operators. |
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London
White Card
Goulston Lincoln
Marketing, 110 Southgate Road,
London N1 3HY
Tel: 011 44 171
923 0807 Fax: 011 44 171 249 0396
E-mail:101606.362@compuserve.
com
The London White
Card - three and seven-day saver passes for individuals
or families, offering unlimited access to 15 leading London
museums and galleries. The Card covers all temporary exhibitions
and permanent collections.
Apsley
House: The Wellington Museum
Barbican
Art Gallery
Courtauld
Gallery
Design
Museum
Hayward
Gallery
Imperial
War Museum
London
Transport Museum
Museum
of London
Museum
of the Moving Image
National
Maritime Museum, Old Royal Observatory and Queen's House
Natural
History Museum
Royal
Academy of Arts
Science
Museum Theatre Museum
Victoria
and Albert Museum
Fully commissionable.
Outstanding value and a must for all visitors to London.
Also ideal for packages, add-ons, partners programmes, incentives,
welcome packs. |
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EXCURSIONS OUT OF LONDON
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| Getting out
of London is easy, with a host of transportation alternatives
to choose from such as trains, express coaches, river trips,
or self-drive car rental. It is easy to plan a day's excursion,
returning to a base in London the same day. A day out of
London provides the visitor a wonderful opportunity to explore
a variety of sites and attractions - and the unique charm
of the British villages and countryside. Within a short
distance of London are many magnificent castles, palatial-style
country houses surrounded by beautiful gardens, historic
abbeys and glorious cathedrals. The British Travel Centre
situated at Regent Street, London (two minutes walk from
Piccadilly Circus), offers the visitor a comprehensive selection
of things to see and do. For more information call The British
Tourist Authority at 1 800 462 2748. |
Beaulieu
John Montagu
Building, Beaulieu, Hants S042 7ZN
Tel: 011 44 1590
612345 Fax: 011 44 1590 612624 E-mail: Beaulieu@tcp.co.uk
Open: Daily Easter-Sep
10:00-18:00, Daily Oct-Easter 10:00-17:00.
Last admission
40 minutes before closing time.
Closed 25 Dec
Entry: Group
Rates
Adult £7.00
Child £5.30
Pre-booking preferred.
Beaulieu, home
of Lord Montagu. Features Palace House, Beaulieu Abbey Ruins,
the Monastic Life exhibition, and the world famous National
Motor Museum with 250 historic exhibits including the Bluebird.
Free coach parking available. |
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Hatfield
House
Hatfield, Herts
ALP 5NQ
Tel: 011 44 1707
262823 Fax: 011 44 1707 275719
Open: (House)
25 Mar-11 Oct. Tue-Fri 12:00-16:00 & Sat 12:00-16:30
(guided tours only).
Sun 13:00-16:30
& Bank Holiday - Mon 11:00-17:00.
Gardens open
daily 11:00-18:00. Coach parking free.
Entry: Adult
£5.50 Child £3.40 (house and gardens)
Jacobean House
(1608), magnificent park and gardens. Elizabethan history
started at Hatfield - Famous Ermine and Rainbow Portraits
and mementos. Home of Marquess of Salisbury. Elizabethan
banquets held in the Old Palace. |
Hever
Castle and Gardens
Hever, Edenbridge,
Kent TN8 7NG
Tel: 011 44 1732
865224 Fax: 011 44 1732 866796
Open: Daily 1
Mar-30 Nov. Gardens open 11:00 Castle 12:00.
Last admission
17:00. Closes 18:00. (16:00 in Mar & Nov).
Private guided
tours available in a number of languages. Pre-booking essential.
Entry: Adult
£6.50 Child £3.30
An enchanting
13th-century double-moated Castle. Childhood home of Anne
Boleyn superbly restored by William Waldorf Astor with a
wonderful collection of furniture, paintings and tapestries.
Award winning gardens with 35-acre lake, maze and romantic
Tudor rose and Italian gardens. Water Maze, 110m-herbaceous
border. Restaurants, gift, book and garden shops. Miniature
model house exhibition. Special events throughout season.
Residential conference & banqueting facilities. |
Leeds
Castle
Maidstone, Kent
ME 17 1PL
Tel: 011 44 1622
765400 Fax: 011 44 1622 735616
Open: Mar-Oct
daily 10:00-17:00, Nov-Feb daily 10:00-15:00 (last admission).
Closed Christmas
and prior to special evening events.
Entry: Adult
£8.50 Child £5.50 (castle & grounds)
Combined train/admission
scheme for groups available.
A magnificent
medieval castle built on 2 small islands in the middle of
a lake and surrounded by 500 acres of parkland and gardens.
Superb collection of medieval furnishings, tapestries and
paintings. Unique museum of dog collars. Aviaries, maze,
underground grotto and vineyard, 9-hole golf course, duckery
and conference Centre. Full visitor facilities including
shops and restaurants. Year-round program of special events. |
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Windsor
Castle
Windsor, Berks
SL4 1NJ
Tel: 011 44 1753
868286 Tel: 011 44 1753 831118 (Recorded Information)
Fax: 011 44 1753
832290
The Castle comprises
a number of sections open at certain times during the year.
Entry: Adult
£9.80 Child £5.60 - on-Sat (all areas)
A £7.70
C £4.60 (Sun & other days when St George's Chapel
closed)
The Precincts,
State Apartments, St George's Chapel, The Gallery and Queen
Mary's Dolls' House. Train: Windsor/Eton Central Bus: Green
Line Services 700, 701, 702. Also 718 (summer only). |
Woburn
Abbey
Woburn, Milton
Keynes, Bedfordshire MK43 0TD
Tel.: 011 44
1525 290666 Fax: 011 44 1525 290271
Open: Jan to
mid-Mar, Sat & Sun only 11:00-16:00
mid-Mar to Oct,
Mon-Sat 11:00-16:00,
Sun & Bank
Holidays 11:00-17:00. Closed Nov & Dec
Entry: Adult
£7.00 Child £2.50.
Historic house
with gardens, grotto and one of the finest collections of
paintings, furniture, porcelain and silver in the country.
Located minutes from junction 12/13 off M1. Under one hour
from Heathrow and Luton Airports. Train: Flitwick, Bletchley
or Milton Keynes |
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Legoland-Windsor
Corporate
Events
LEGOLAND Windsor
provides a new and exciting venue for all kinds of family-orientated
corporate events - from company fun-days, client hospitality
and team-building programmes to association days. Consignment
tickets are also available. Contact the Corporate Sales
Executive In-Group Sales to discuss your needs.
Group
Visits
Special group
rates apply to a minimum of 20 paying guests booking in
advance. The Park makes a great day out for a wide variety
of groups including scouts, brownies, charities, social
clubs and associations. To book and for more details please
contact Group Reservations during office hours. Tel: 01753
626100 or Fax: 01753 626200.
Birthdays
Make someone's
birthday a very special and memorable day! Call 0990 62
63 64 for details of the various options and packages, including
'goody bags', special menus and treats. Gift Vouchers make
a wonderful present. Redeemable for admission, or at in-Park
restaurants and shops these are available in: £1,
£5 and £10 denominations, in-Park or via the
Hotline.
Disabled
and Special Needs Visitors
LEGOLAND's award-winning
facilities enable the best possible enjoyment and accessibility
for guests with disabilities and special needs. An advisory
fact sheet is available in advance, or on arrival at Guest
Services.
LEGO
Club
LEGOLAND welcomes
all LEGO World Club members at the special rate of just
£10.50. LEGO Club weekends - with special events and
benefits for Club members.
Opening
Times
Every day from
14 March to 1 November.
Opening hours
10am to 6pm (or dusk, if earlier) but from 18 July to 31
August the Park stays open until 8pm. We recommend that
you allow between 6 and 7 hours to enjoy the Park.
Admission
Rates
Admission rates
cover a full day of entertainment, allowing unlimited enjoyment
of all rides, attractions and shows.
Adults £16.00
- Children (3-15 years) £13.00 - Seniors £10.00
2-Day Tickets
- excellent value if you buy in advance – or on arrival
for 2 consecutive days. Adults’ £19.50 - Children
(3-15 years) £16.50 - Seniors’ £13.50
LEGOLAND Windsor
reserves the right to vary admission prices without prior
notice.
Advance
Bookings
LEGOLAND Windsor
operates a free advance booking service. As an advance ticket
holder, you will be guaranteed admission on any date of
your choice. Allow enough time for your tickets to be mailed
to you and then, on arrival, you will fast track past the
ticket booth - avoiding any line. Otherwise, 48 hours notice
is required and tickets can be collected at the Park's entrance.
If you prefer, you can turn up and pay on the day, but guests
are advised to arrive early on weekends and during school
holidays to avoid disappointment. The Park will close when
and if capacity is reached.
Season
Passes
For real LEGOLAND
fans, a season pass provides great value and allows unlimited
access to the Park throughout the season - including all
special events. Adults £46.00, Children £37.00,
Seniors £28.00, LEGO Club Members £35.00.
Important
Information
Visitors are
advised that for technical, operational or other reasons
beyond our control, any activity, ride or show may be closed
or otherwise unavailable at any time. Certain age, height
and health restrictions apply on some rides and attractions.
Please refer to signs posted at each entry and observe these
for your own safety. An adult must accompany all children
under the age of 12 years. No dogs or pets can be admitted
except trained Guide Dogs.
When
You Get There
The facilities
available to guests visiting LEGOLAND Windsor are all that
you would expect from the LEGO Group. There are wheelchairs,
pushchair hire, cash dispensers, kennels, 'Lost Parents'
meeting points and a First Aid Centre staffed by qualified
nurses. The well-equipped Baby CareCentre provides a peaceful
haven for nursing and changing your baby. |
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Stonehenge
is the most outstanding Monument in the British Isles and
a World Heritage Site. Imagine that you are walking among
the ancient people who mapped the course of the sun and
moon to build this monument. Look for the burial mounds
in the landscape where they buried their leaders. Stonehenge
is the Centre of one of the world's earliest cultures. Take
time to explore Stonehenge.
Stonehenge and
the surrounding area - there is much to see. Complimentary
Audio Tours (subject to availability) help you learn more
about Stonehenge, its history and surroundings. Guidebook,
which is available at the entrance or shop, contains photographs,
text and illustrations that bring the history of Stonehenge
alive. |
Wycombe
Museum
The museum is
full of surprises. Its home is historic Castle Hill House;
an eighteenth century building set in attractive grounds.
Inside, the displays explore the history of the Wycombe
area, especially the chairs and chair making for which the
town is famous. There are interactive displays, changing
exhibitions, historic films, a computer quiz and much more.
In fact... something for everyone. There is a car park on
site and ramped access to ground floor. Gift shop.
ADMISSION FREE
OPEN: Monday
- Saturday 10am-5pm
Priory Avenue,
High Wycombe,
Buckinghamshire
HPI 3 6PX
Enquirer 01494
421895 |
Bath
and Northeast Somerset
The first Pump
Room was built in the style of an orangery and opened to
the public in 1706. It provided a place to drink the curative
waters, to view the bathers in the King's Bath and gain
access to it. The Pump Room became a popular place to meet
in the mornings and was extended in the 1750's.
As yet more visitors
came to Bath, the Pump Room was completely rebuilt and in
1795, the Duchess of York opened it in its present form.
Following the discovery of the Roman Baths in 1878/80, the
Concert Room extension was opened in 1897.
We hope this
brief guide to the art and furnishings of the Pump Room
will add to the enjoyment of your visit.
Promenade
Corridor
From the Abbey
Churchyard entrance:
Charles Dickens
(1812-1870) plasters by Percy Fitzgerald (d. 1925). On the
pedestal are four panels representing characters from Dickens'
novels? Fitzgerald was himself an author and friend of Dickens.
The Angel at
Bethesda, marble by John Warrington Wood (1839-1886). This
sculpture once stood over the mineral water fountain in
the Pump Room. It was given in 1889 to commemorate the opening
of the new private baths on the site by the Duchess of Alban.
It was clearly intended that a parallel should be drawn
between the miraculous healing powers of the pool of Bethesda
and the benefits of Bath's hot springs.
Evening Prayer,
a marble by A. Piazza-Crarara (late 19th Century). The Musee
de Montpellier holds a portrait sculpture by this Italian
late 19th Century sculptor who is otherwise little known.
A Mother and
Children, marble by John Warrington Wood (1839-1886)
Concert
Room
Bath Chair
In this room,
now the Museum reception hall, is a Bath chair dating to
around 1840. Although cheaper to operate than sedans, Bath
chairs could only take the sick to their door, whereas sedan
chairmen were able to take sick passengers into houses,
up staircases and into rooms.
The
Pump Room
The Tompion Clock
and Sundial
Thomas Tompion
(1639-1713) was one of England's greatest clockmakers and
certainly the most famous. In 1709, he presented this long
case clock to the city, together with a sundial, sited in
the end window of the Pump Room overlooking the King's Bath.
The clock is
fitted with equation work in the dial arch to show the difference
between solar time, which can be calculated from the sundial,
and mean time. The variation between the two times is indicated
by a pointer which would enable the clock to be set correctly
from the sundial at any time of year. Clocks with a built
in time equation are a rarity. The first was made by Tompion
for William III in 1695.
Sedan Chairs
To the left of
the clock is a leather clad sedan chair which was used for
public hire. The No. 68 is its license number. Chairmen
plied for hire outside the Pump Room offering to return
visitors to their lodgings in much the same way as taxis
offer transport today. In the 18th Century, the standard
fare was sixpence but charges increased for hilly ground.
The Earl of Rosenvig
donated the second sedan, which was in private ownership,
in 1925. The crown denotes the status of the original owner.
Rococo in style with gesso decoration, it may have been
made in Germany or Austria.
Paintings and
sculpture from the left of the clock, left to right:
Sir Robert Walpole,
1st Earl of Orford (1676-1745), oil on canvas, studio of
Jean Baptiste Van Loo (1684-1745). This is one of a number
of related portraits of the Whig statesman Robert Walpole
from the studio of the French artist Van Loo who was in
England between 1737 and 1742.
Above the clock:
Richard 'Beau'
Nash (1674-1761), marble, probably carved by Joseph Plura
(d. 1756), working in the studio of Prince Hoare. Nash was
Bath's most famous Master of Ceremonies, then referred to
as "King of Bath". The sculpture was placed in the 'old'
Pump Room to one side of the clock in August 1752. Plura
also carved the City Arms on the Grammar School in Broad
Street.
The Countess
of Orford, oil on canvas, British 18th Century.
South wall:
Ralph Allen (1694-1764)
oils on canvas, attributed to Arthur Pond (1705-1758). Allen
played a major role in the development of the postal system,
built Prior Park and successfully promoted the use of Bath
stone. Pond's account books show that Allen was a regular
purchaser of prints from Pond for his library at Prior Park.
George Henry
Law (1761-1845) Bishop of Bath and Wells. oil on canvas
by Sir William Beechey (1753-1839). A view of the Bishop's
palace at Wells can be seen through the window to the left
of the picture.
On the stage:
Three portraits
of members of the Davies family of Bath by Thomas Beach
(1738-1806). Charles Davies (1741-1805) was a pastel painter
and a commissioner for lighting for the Abbey parish in
Bath.
Sun
Lounge
Richard 'Beau'
Nash (1674-1761), oil on canvas by William Hoare (1707-1792).
Hoare gave this portrait of Nash to the Bath Corporation
shortly after Nash's death in 1761, but it dates from considerably
earlier. It hung originally over a door in the old Guildhall.
Venanzio Rauzzini
(1747-1810), oil on canvas by Joseph Hutchison (1747-1830).
Rauzzini was a brilliant castrato singer for whom Mozart
wrote his famous Exsultate Jubilate in 1774. Rauzzini settled
in Bath as director of public concerts and became one of
the most successful teachers of vocal technique in England.
The 'Old' Pump
Room by John Sanders (1750-1825). John Sanders or Saunders
came to Bath from East Anglia in 1790. His view of the old
Pump Room includes the suggestion that the ceiling was covered
with decorative paintings and in the corner next to the
musicians' gallery was an elaborate sculpture. Neither feature
is recorded in any other known view of the old Room.
1000 Years of
Monarchy Embroidery.
This hand-embroidered
panel by Audrey Walker was commissioned by the City of Bath
on the occasion of the 1000th anniversary of the coronation
of Edgar, 1st King of all England, which took place in Bath
Abbey in 973 A.D.
Rout Benches.
The benches in
the sun lounge are known as rout benches and were purchased
for the Pump Room in the late 18th century. Still used today,
they offered drinkers a place to rest, as for much of the
18th century seating was very limited.
Smoking
Room
11 Views of Bath
by James Charles Maggs (1819-1896) oil on canvas. These
paintings can be viewed by prior appointment.
Opening
Hours
April-September
Daily 9:00-18:00 October-March Daily 9:30-17:00
Last admission
1/2 hour before closing.
On rare occasions
the Pump Room may close early for a special event.
ADMISSION FREE
FACILITIES
Wheelchair access
from Abbey Churchyard.
Free Spa Water
for visitors with disabilities.
There is an adapted
toilet which operates on the Radar Key Scheme.
A loop system
for the hard of hearing is in continuous operation in the
Pump Room, Drawing Room and Smoking Room.
A sign language
guide is often available.
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