Road Scholar : Home
English Literature on Location

Program Number: 20128RJ
Start and End Dates:
9/24/2013 - 10/7/2013; 5/27/2014 - 6/9/2014; 9/23/2014 - 10/6/2014;
Duration: 13 nights
Location: England, UK:England
Price starting at: $4,196.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city
Program Type: Literature
Meals: 31; 12 Breakfasts, 8 Lunches, 11 Dinners    
Meal Options: Low Fat; Vegetarian; Low Salt; Gluten Free    

Heroines like Elizabeth Bennet and heroes like Oliver Twist. Bedeviling mysteries solved by Sherlock Holmes and Miss Marple. The “merely realistic dream country” of Wessex created by Thomas Hardy. English literature has given us beloved characters, engrossing stories and indelible scenery. Gain entry to the world of great British authors in the places where they lived, worked, dined and found inspiration.




Highlights

• Journey through the Dickensian London of gas lamps and alleys, Hardy’s picturesque Wessex and the atmospheric Dartmoor of Sherlock Holmes.
• Search for clues on an Agatha Christie-inspired mystery walk and stay at her favorite hotel.
• Enjoy a field trip to quaint Lacock, where the BBC’s “Pride and Prejudice” and parts of the Harry Potter movies were filmed.



Activity Particulars

Walking up to one mile per day with some hills. Stairs at historic sites.




Date Specific Information

9-24-2013, 5-27-2014, 9-23-2014

Enjoy the latest in hearing technology — listening devices — on this date.



Itinerary Summary

Arrival London; coach to Bath, 5 nights; coach to Torquay, 2 nights; coach to Dorchester, 3 nights; coach to London, 2 nights; departure.



Overnight flight from the U.S.A.
1 night
Arrival London
Coach to Bath
5 nights

Consider the role of Bath in English literature, from the meaning of “taking the waters” at the ancient spa to the fashionable balls of Jane Austen’s world. Take tea in the famed Grand Pump Room as a string quartet plays. Discover Salisbury’s magnificent cathedral and Mompesson House, a National Trust historic house and filming location for “Sense and Sensibility."



Coach to Torquay
2 nights

Venture across Dartmoor, an otherworldly moorland that inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s settings in “The Hound of the Baskervilles.” In coastal Torquay, enter Agatha Christie’s lovely holiday home and absorb the atmosphere of the Grand Hotel, which she frequented.



Coach to Dorchester
3 nights

Make a stop in Lyme Regis to walk on the Cobb, a sturdy harbor wall found in stories including “The French Lieutenant’s Woman.” Journey along the Jurassic Coast, a stunning UNESCO World Heritage Site. Follow the Hardy Trail to discover important sites in the author’s “Wessex,” based on real places in this area — for instance, Dorchester is Hardy’s “Casterbridge."



Coach to London
2 nights
Departure

Step inside Jane Austen’s House Museum in Chawton, where she penned “Mansfield Park” and “Emma.” An expert-led walk in Dickens’s London brings you to Lincoln’s Inn Fields, where a dramatic scene in “Bleak House” unfolds, the Charles Dickens Museum in his one-time home on Doughty Street and more. Visit the Sherlock Holmes Museum at 221b Baker Street.




England

It was the seat of an empire on which the sun never set. It has been Merry, Dickensian and Victorian. It has given us common law, Shakespeare, tennis, the Rolls-Royce and the Beatles. England and its people have played an outsize role in shaping world history. It is a country whose past, politics, culture and characters never cease to captivate.
Accommodations
Bath: Hotel in the heart of the city on the River Avon. Torquay: Historic, four-star seaside hotel. Dorchester: Historic coaching inn in the town center. London: Four-star hotel in South Kensington.

Road Scholar Instructors
These instructors are participating on at least one date of this program. Please note that changes may occur.
Kevin Flude
Kevin Flude lectures on the archaeology, history and museums at Central St Martins College (University of the Arts, London) the University of Westminster and is an Honorary Lecturer at University College London. He is also the Director of the Old Operating Theatre Museum, a fascinating Museum in Central London. Kevin serves as a study leader for Road Scholar programs, putting to use his deep and broad experience in the museum world gained during his time at the Museum of London, the Victoria and Albert Museum and Oxford’s Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art
 
Meals and Lodgings
   Hilton Bath City
  Bath., UK:England 5 nights
   Grand Hotel Torquay
  Torquay, UK:England 2 nights
   Best Western Kings Arms Hotel
  Dorchester, UK:England 3 nights
   Radisson Edwardian Vanderbilt
  London, England, UK:England 2 nights
 Hilton Bath City
Type: Four-Star Hotel
  Description: Explore historic Bath from this centrally located hotel on the River Avon. Set amid the fine Georgian architecture of Bath.
  Contact info: Walcot Street
Bath,  BA1 5BJ UK:England
phone: +44 1225 463411
web: www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/BATHNHN/index.do?WT.srch=1
  Room amenities: Coffee and tea making facilities, telephone, 32” flat TV screen.
  Facility amenities: Zuccotta Bar, Restaurant and Lounge. Fitness Room.
  Smoking allowed: No
  Elevators available: Yes
  Additional nights prior:  For additional pre and post program accommodations, please contact Road Scholar Travel Services at (800) 241-1404 or via email to travelinfo@roadscholar.org
  Check in time: 2:00 PM

 Grand Hotel Torquay
Type: Four-Star Hotel
  Description: The Grand is situated in an area of outstanding natural beauty, a short drive from Dartmoor National Park. The Grand Hotel dominates one side of the sweeping arc of Tor Bay in Torquay, heart of the English Riviera. Its location is ideal, looking out towards Torquay harbour and Corbyn Head. Once the favourite hotel of Agatha Christie.
  Contact info: Sea Front
Torquay
Devon,  TQ2 6NT UK:England
phone: +44 1803 296 677
web: www.grandtorquay.co.uk
  Room amenities: Remote control colour TV with satellite channels, direct dial telephone with PC modem, hospitality tray, hairdryer and room safe.
  Facility amenities: The award winning Gainsborough Restaurant and The Compass Bar and Lounge. Toppers Leisure Club with heated swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna, steam room, mini gym, all weather tennis court. Outdoor pool. Beauty Clinic.
  Smoking allowed: No
  Elevators available: Yes

 Best Western Kings Arms Hotel
Type: Three-Star Hotel
  Description: The Best Western Kings Arms Hotel is a renowned local landmark in the very centre of Dorchester. The hotel, build in 1720, retains many interesting and classical Georgian features. feel the history that is associated with its 288 year existence, you can imagine the scene of Michael Henchard The Mayor of Casterbridge carrying on his business in the Kings Arms as described in the novel by Thomas Hardy. The author himself descibed it as the chief hotel in Casterbridge - The Kings Arms. The Kings Arms Hotel was built in 1720 in the very centre of Dorchester during the reign of King George I. Throughout the intervening years several English monarchs including George IV and Queen Victoria have been residents at this fine old coaching inn; more recently Prince Charles and Prince Andrew have been seen frequenting the hotel whilst in the area.
  Contact info: 30 High East Street
Dorchester
Dorset,  DT1 1HF UK:England
phone: +44 1305 265 353
web: www.kingsarmsdorchester.com
  Room amenities: Televisions with LCD screens, free high speed internet access, direct dial telephones, hospitality trays, mineral water, hairdryers, iron/boards, CD players, radios
  Facility amenities: Restaurant and bar. Free Wi-Fi access.
  Smoking allowed: No
  Elevators available: Yes

 Radisson Edwardian Vanderbilt
Type: Four-Star Hotel
  Description: The hotel was once the London residence of the Vanderbilt family. Many original features have been carefully restored to their former glory including stained glass windows, wood panelled rooms and its magnificent artistic ceiling.
  Contact info: 68-86 Cromwell Road
London,  SW7 5BT UK:England
phone: +44 20 7761 9000
web: www.radissonedwardian.com/hotels/gbvander
  Room amenities: Each room offers a mini bar, air conditioning, hairdryer,in room safe, iron and trouser press, tea and coffee making facilities and complimentary wireless Internet access. Direct dial telephone, satellite TV.
  Facility amenities: Restaurant, bar. Complimentary wireless Internet access , complimentary newspaper, 24 hour front desk, 24 hour room service, currency exchange, valet service available for laundry. Fitness room. Mobile phone rental. Business centre.
  Smoking allowed: No
  Elevators available: Yes
  Additional nights after:  For additional pre and post program accommodations, please contact Road Scholar Travel Services at (800) 241-1404 or via email to travelinfo@roadscholar.org
  Check out time: 11:00 AM


Travel Details
  Start of Program:
A light lunch will be served in the hotel in Bath at 12:30pm. Welcome meeting at 5:00pm. You will be staying at Hilton Bath City that night.
  End of Program:
After breakfast in the hotel on departure day. Breakfast ends at 10:00am and check out is by 11:00am. You will be staying at Radisson Edwardian Vanderbilt the night before.
  Required documents:
The Road Scholar Health & Safety Form is required. N/A.
  Parking availability:
No parking.
Transportation (For Independent Travelers)
  Train or bus availability: See above.
To Start of Program
  Location:  Bath.
  Nearest city or town:  Bath.
  Nearest airport:  Bristol.
  Transportation to site: Heathrow Express into Paddington Station London or Gatwick Express to Victoria Station London. The Heathrow Express departs the airport every 15 minutes and takes 15 minutes add 6 minutes from T5.) to London Paddington. An Express single costs £16.50 (2010 prices), 1st Class is £26, return is £32. Paddington Station is situated in the west end of central London. It connects to the Bakerloo, District and Circle lines on the London Underground and is also a short walk to the Hammersmith and City line. Or From Heathrow airport, catch the express coach from the arrivals terminal to Reading, and take the London train to Bath Spa. Its much easier than going into London. Trains to Bath Spa run from Paddington and take 1 hr. and 40 mins.
  From End of Program
  Location:  London, England
  Nearest city or town:  London.
  Nearest airport:  London Heathrow and Gatwick.
  Transportation from site: Underground , buses and trains available. The nearest underground is Gloucester Road on the Piccadilly, Circle and District line.
The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


Daily Schedule

Day 1:
(Tuesday, September 24)
   
 In Transit: Overnight flight from North America.

Day 2:
(Wednesday, September 25)
   
 Arrive To: London. Transfers to Bath (POPs complete the Participant Information Form on-line).
 Lunch: In the hotel if arriving by lunchtime (12:30pm).
 Afternoon: Check in and free time. Welcome meeting with Kevin Flude, course director, before dinner.
 Dinner: In the hotel.
 Evening: At leisure.
   
Accommodations: Hilton Bath City
Meals Included: Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: The Assembly Rooms, afternoon tea at the Pump Rooms.
(Thursday, September 26)
   
 Breakfast: Full English and continental breakfast in the hotel.
 Morning: Lecture by Kevin Flude, course director. "England, Landscape and the Novel". Tea/coffee. Lecture: "Regency Jane Austen: Bath, Balls and Bonnets".
 Lunch: In the hotel.
 Afternoon: Walk the Georgian masterpiece that is the compact city of Bath, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Discover the sweeping Georgian terraces and elegant crescents including No 1 Royal Crescent and The Circus. Field trip to the Assembley Rooms and the Fashion Museum. The gentry gathered at the Assembley rooms in the 18th century and they appear in Austen's and they appear in both Persuasion and Northanger Abbey. At the fashion Museum explore the world-class collection of contemporary and historical dress. The displays include 150 dressed figures to illustrate the changing styles in fashionable clothes from the late 16th century to the present day, chosen from the museum's collection of 30,000 original items. Enjoy afternoon tea at The Pump Room, the elegant backdrop for a cream tea and part of the Roman Bath complex. Regarded as the social heart of Bath for more than two centuries, the Pump Room is a striking neo-classical salon where hot Spa water is drawn for drinking. A trio plays during the tea.
 Dinner: In the hotel.
 Evening: At leisure.
   
Accommodations: Hilton Bath City
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Georgian and Roman Bath.
(Friday, September 27)
   
 Breakfast: Full English and continental breakfast in the hotel.
 Morning: Walk to Pulteney Bridge and the Jane Austen Centre. In the early eighteenth century, under the direction of the socialite, Beau Nash, Bath became England’s premier spa town, where the rich and celebrated members of fashionable society gathered to ‘take the waters’ and enjoy the towns theatres and concert rooms. The Royal Crescent is described as the finest example of the Palladian style in Europe. Its hilltop position gives it unrivalled views over Bath. Number 1 was the first house to be built in the crescent and was given to the Bath Preservation Trust in 1968 and has since been lavishly and accurately restored to the style enjoyed by its former illustrious residents, who included the Duke of York in 1796. It is now a museum depicting a grand town-house of the late 18th century with authentic furniture paintings and carpets. Jane Austen lived in Bath from 1801 to 1806, was a frequent visitor for most of her life, set her novels Persuasion and Northanger Abbey in the city. The Center, which is close to one of the houses where Jane Austen lived, exhibits aspects of her life in Bath.
 Lunch: Excluded so that you can enjoy some of Bath's many cafes, restaurants and pubs. One of the most famous is Sally Lunn's Refreshment House and Museum.
 Afternoon: Free time.
 Dinner: Excluded.
 Evening: At leisure.
   
Accommodations: Hilton Bath City
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 5: Salisbury Cathedral and Wilton House.
(Saturday, September 28)
   
 Breakfast: Full English and continental breakfast in the hotel.
 Morning: Field trip to the National Trust's medieval Lacock,a charming rural village untouched by modern development. Lacock Village, dating back to the 13th-century, remains largely unchanged over the centuries and has many limewashed, half-timbered and stone houses. During the Middle Ages Lacock became a prosperous and thriving town through its wool industry. The village was well placed for communications, sited as it was on the 'cloth road' from London and the River Avon, which gave access to the sea at Avonmouth near Bristol. Set in rural Wiltshire, Lacock village is famous for its picturesque streets, historic buildings and its more recent role as a television and film location. The Abbey, located at the heart of the village within its own woodland grounds, is a quirky country house of various architectural styles, built upon the foundations of a former nunnery. Visitors can experience the atmosphere of the medieval rooms and cloister court, giving a sense of the Abbey's monastic past. The museum celebrates the achievements of former Lacock resident William Henry Fox Talbot, famous for his contributions to the invention of photography. The medieval village has racked up enough TV and film appearances to be the envy of most Hollywood stars. Credits include Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Moll Flanders and most recently Harry Potter.
 Lunch: In a traditional inn such as the George in Lacock.
 Afternoon: Free afternoon.
 Dinner: In the hotel.
 Evening: At leisure to explore the local area.
   
Accommodations: Hilton Bath City
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: Stonehenge and Salisbury.
(Sunday, September 29)
   
 Breakfast: Full English and continental breakfast in the hotel.
 Morning: Field trip to the National Trust's medieval Lacock,a charming rural village untouched by modern development. Lacock Village, dating back to the 13th-century, remains largely unchanged over the centuries and has many limewashed, half-timbered and stone houses. During the Middle Ages Lacock became a prosperous and thriving town through its wool industry. The village was well placed for communications, sited as it was on the 'cloth road' from London and the River Avon, which gave access to the sea at Avonmouth near Bristol. Set in rural Wiltshire, Lacock village is famous for its picturesque streets, historic buildings and its more recent role as a television and film location. The Abbey, located at the heart of the village within its own woodland grounds, is a quirky country house of various architectural styles, built upon the foundations of a former nunnery. Visitors can experience the atmosphere of the medieval rooms and cloister court, giving a sense of the Abbey's monastic past. The museum celebrates the achievements of former Lacock resident William Henry Fox Talbot, famous for his contributions to the invention of photography. The medieval village has racked up enough TV and film appearances to be the envy of most Hollywood stars. Credits include Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Moll Flanders and most recently Harry Potter. .
 Lunch: Excluded.
 Afternoon: Field trip to the cathedral city of Salisbury, featuring the tallest spire in England. Explore the tranquil Close surrounding the Cathedral and handsomely furnished 18th century Mompesson House (location in the 1995 film of Sense and Sensibility) where you can sense the life of Close inhabitants in that century. Thomas Hardy's Jude the Obscure worked at the cathedral (Melchester) and The Market House, now the City Library was where Jude confessed to Sue that he had married Arabella.
 Dinner: In the hotel.
 Evening: At leisure.
   
Accommodations: Hilton Bath City
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 7: Conan Doyle's Dartmoor and Agatha Christie's Torquay.
(Monday, September 30)
   
 Breakfast: Full English and continental breakfast in the hotel.
 Morning: Transfer to Torquay via the dark sinister romanticism of Dartmoor, inspiration to Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie. The most famous Sherlock Holmes tale: The Hound of the Baskervilles paints a vivid pictur of a brooding landscape. Deadly Great Grimpen Mire was based on Fox Tor and the standing stones described by Watson can be seen all over the moor. The Queen of Crime, Agatha Christie booked into "the large, dreary " Moorland Hotel to finish her first novel The Mysterious Affair at Styles.
 Lunch: Packed lunch en route.
 Afternoon: Arrive in the English Riviera's Torquay in Devon and check-in before a field trip to the Torquay Museum's Agatha Christie exhibition. Take a mystery walk on The Agatha Christie Mile. There are 10 landmarks dotted around the harbour and seafront area. From Beacon Hill and the Imperial Hotel to the bronze bust in Cary Gardens, Princess Gardens, 12th century Torre Abbey opposite the main beach and the Grand Hotel where she spent her honeymoon. Stroll around the harbour and imagine what it must have been like in Christie's childhood and the resort's heyday. Visit All Saints Church where Christie was baptized.
 Dinner: In the hotel.
 Evening: Enjoy an Agatha Christe reading and film this evening.
   
Accommodations: Grand Hotel Torquay
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8: Dartmouth and the National Trust's Greenway.
(Tuesday, October 1)
   
 Breakfast: Full English and continental breakfast in the hotel.
 Morning: Coach to Dartmouth with some free time before the ferry to the National Trust's Greenway at Galmpton. This is an extraordinary glimpse into the private holiday home of the famous and much-loved author Agatha Christie and her family. The relaxed and atmospheric house is set in the 1950s, and contains many of the family's collections, including archaeology, Tunbridgeware, silver, botanical china and books. An talk by staff introduces the house. Outside you can explore the large and romantic woodland garden, with a restored vinery and peach house, wild edges and rare plantings, which drifts down the hillside towards the sparkling Dart estuary. Steep slope to the house.
 Lunch: In Greenway Kitchen.
 Afternoon: The field trip continues before a ferry journey back to Dartmouth.
 Dinner: In the hotel.
 Evening: At leisure.
   
Accommodations: Grand Hotel Torquay
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9: Lyme Regis and the Jurassic Coast
(Wednesday, October 2)
   
 Breakfast: Full English and continental breakfast in the hotel.
 Morning: Transfer by coach to Dorchester via the ancient seaport of Lyme Regis, the historic unspoiled seaside resort and fishing port on the world famous Cobb harbour. Surrounded by beautiful coastlines and countryside, the area has now been awarded World Heritage Site Status; famous for its geology and fossil finds. Jane Austen, with the Reverent and Mrs. Austen, Jane's brother and Casandra, her sister, visited Lyme Regis in 1803 and 1804. They stayed initially at a large house called 'Wings' near the Cobb harbour. Jane and Casandra were extremely hardy, it is reported, they continued daily sea bathing into October. The 1981 film of the novel French Lieutentant's Woman by John Fowles starring Merryl Streep and Jeremy Irons was filmed on the Cobb highlighting the iconic image of Merryl Streep looking out to sea. Fowles was a great fan of Thomas Hardy and in particular likened his own work to that of Tess of the D`Ubervilles.
 Lunch: Excluded. So that you can choose to have a meal while overlooking the sea or sat by a gurgling river in a secluded position. All the restaurants and cafes have access to fresh locally caught fish and shell fish straight off the fishing boats, which operate from the harbour. They also use fresh produce from the market gardens in the area. You might choose the Cobb Arms.
 Afternoon: Travel along the UNESCO World Heritage Site "The Jurassic Coast", It covers 95 miles of truly stunning coastline from East Devon to Dorset, with rocks recording 185 million years of the Earth's history. Stop at Chesil Beach, a major site on the coast, a pebble beach 18 miles long and stretches north-west from Portland to West Bay. For much of its length it is separated from the mainland by an area of saline water called the Fleet Lagoon. It is the location of Ian McEwan's novel, On Chesil Beach. Field trip to the unique Abbotsbury Swannery in Dorset. This is the only place in the world where you are able to walk through the heart of a colony of nesting Mute Swans. Continue on to Dorchester-at the heart of Thomas Hardy's life and work- the Casterbridge of the novel.
 Dinner: In the hotel.
 Evening: At leisure.
   
Accommodations: Best Western Kings Arms Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 10: Far From the Madding Crowd. Thomas Hardy "Casterbridge" trail.
(Thursday, October 3)
   
 Breakfast: Full English and continental breakfast in the hotel.
 Morning: Lecture: "Far From the Madding Crowd: Hardy's Wessex." Followed by a walk around Dorchester (Casterbridge)-the Hardy trail.
 Lunch: Excluded.
 Afternoon: Free afternoon.
 Dinner: In the hotel.
 Evening: At leisure.
   
Accommodations: Best Western Kings Arms Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 11: Hardy's Cottage and Max Gate.
(Friday, October 4)
   
 Breakfast: Full English and continental breakfast in the hotel.
 Morning: Thomas Hardy's land was Dorset or part fictional Wessex and proved to be the inspiration for his writing. Today we take a field trip to around the "Hardy Trail". From Puddletown to Cerne Abbas (home of the famous Cerne Giant) on to Beaminster-Emminster in Tess of the D'Ubervilles-and Sherbourne for the Market Place in The Woodlanders and then to Sturminster Newton where he wrote The Return of the Native.
 Lunch: Taken out in a Dorset pub such as The Crown at Marnhull. The Crown Inn at Marnhull featured in Thomas Hardy’s famous novel ‘Tess of the D’Urbervilles’ as ‘The Pure Drop Inn’ and retains many of its original features and character throughout, with inglenook fireplace, original wooden beams and even a priest hole (where catholic priests hid during the 16th century reformation period). The ‘Pure Drop Inn’ is where Tess’s father invites parson Tringham for a quart of beer: “There’s a pretty brew in tap at The Pure Drop but not so good as at Rollivers.” The latter was a disreputable and illegal drinking house, selling beer brewed at the village brewery.
 Afternoon: The field trip continues to Hardy's Birthplace in Higher Bockhampton, now owned by the National Trust. Thomas Hardy was born in 1840 in this small cob and thatch cottage, which was built by his great-grandfather and is little altered since the family left. His early novels Under the Greenwood Tree and Far from the Madding Crowd were written here. On to Stonsford Church where Hardy requested he was buried. On his death his ashes were interred in Westminster Abbey but his heart is buried here in the grave of his wife. Our last Hardy location today is Max Gate, the house he designed and lived in from 1885 to 1928. During the years that he resided at Max Gate, Hardy wrote some of his most well known works, The Mayor of Casterbridge, The Woodlanders, Tess of the d'Urbervilles, Jude the Obscure, The Dynasts as well as numerous poems and short stories.
 Dinner: In the hotel.
 Evening: At leisure.
   
Accommodations: Best Western Kings Arms Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 12: Winchester Cathedral, Jane Austen's House Museum.
(Saturday, October 5)
   
 Breakfast: Full English and continental breakfast in the hotel.
 Morning: Transfer to London by coach via Winchester. Take a specialist led walk around Jane Austen's Winchester Cathedral and Austen's city streets including College Street where she lived her last days. View the plaque and stained glass windows.
 Lunch: In Winchester Cathedral Refrectory.
 Afternoon: The field trip continues to Chawton where Jane Austen lived with her mother and sister and wrote her greatest works. Jane Austen's House Museum is located in the 17th century home to Jane Austen for her last eight years. The rooms of the House and Museum, along with its garden, and with its prominent position at the heart of Chawton Village, all help to provide a tangible connection to the environment where the Austen family lived. On the way to London visit 12th century Steventon Church where Jane worshipped. The church stands almost unchanged from those days. Here there are memorial tablets to James Austen, Jane's eldest brother, who took over the parish from her father, his two wives and some of his relations. Their graves are in the churchyard. There is also a bronze plaque dedicated to Jane Austen. Another plaque recognises the generous support from members of the Jane Austen Society of North America who paid for the refurbishment of the church bells in January 1995. -
 Dinner: In the London hotel.
 Evening: At leisure.
   
Accommodations: Radisson Edwardian Vanderbilt
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 13: London of Dickens and Sherlock Holmes. The Charles Dickens Museum.
(Sunday, October 6)
   
 Breakfast: Full English and continental breakfast in the hotel.
 Morning: A field trip by coach takes you to Dickens' Camden, Bleeding Heart Yard (Little Dorrit), Smithfield (Oliver Twist) and Southwark.
 Lunch: Lunch is taken out in the Sherlock Holmes pub
 Afternoon: Continue on to Lincoln's Inn Hall -renowned for the High Court of Chancery in Bleak House- and continue on to New Square and Lincoln's Inn Fields. Dickens' friend and biographer John Forster lived at number 58 and Dickens used it as the home of Mr Tulkinghorn in Bleak House. Dickens gave private readings here to Forster, Thomas Carlyle and Daniel Maclise. Walk along to Ye Olde Curiosity Shop. The field trip continues toDickens House Museum. This is the only one of Dickens' London homes to survive and is central to the celebrations of Dickens 200. He lived in the Georgian house between April 1837 and December 1839. Writing his first three novels he was on the way to becoming the most famous author of the 19th century. Four floors ( no elevators) are filled with the most important collection of Dickens' material anywhere in the world. In 2012 the museum will hold special exhibitions celebrating 200 years since Dickens' birth. Visit the Sherlock Holmes Museum at 221B Baker Street. Farewell meeting before dinner.
 Dinner: Farewell dinner in the hotel.
 Evening: At leisure.
   
Accommodations: Radisson Edwardian Vanderbilt
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 14:
(Monday, October 7)
   
 Breakfast: In the hotel unless transfers depart early.
 In Transit: Return flights to North America.
   
Meals Included: Breakfast
Important information about your itinerary: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date. The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.

Suggested Reading List


Bleak House


Author: Charles Dickens


Dickens


Author: Peter Ackroyd


Divorced, Beheaded, Died...: The History of Britain's Kings and Queens in Bite-Sized Chunks


Author: Kevin Flude


Description: Written by the course director Kevin Flude. The tales of the various monarchs of Britain are some of the most interesting in our history. From Henry VIII and his six wives and Edward VIII's abdication to some of our lesser known and mythical monarchs such as King Arthur, "Divorced, Beheaded, Died..." takes you on a gallop through the history of Britain's monarchs from the legendary King Brutus, through the houses of Tudor and Stuart, and up to the Windsors, including the major monarchs of Scotland and Wales. Discover the sticky end that befell Edward II, the story of the teenage queen of England who reigned for less than a fortnight, and find out whether Macbeth really was a king of Scotland. Presented in an accessible, chronological format, "Divorced, Beheaded, Died..." will fill all those gaps in your history knowledge, together with some fascinating and amusing facts that are guaranteed to entertain any history enthusiast.



Emma


Author: Jane Austen


Jane Austen-A Life


Author: Claire Tomalin


Jude the Obscure


Author: Thomas Hardy


London


Author: Edward Rutherfurd


Description: Available in audio-cassette form: ISBN 0679443819 - fiction but gives a real feel for the period. London has perhaps the most remarkable history of any city in the world. Now, its story has a unique voice. In this epic novel, Edward Rutherfurd takes the reader on a magnificent journey across sixteen centuries from the days of the Romans to the Victorian engineers of Tower Bridge and the era of Dockland development today. Through the lives and adventures of his colourful cast of characters, he brings all the richness of London's past unforgettably to life.



London - The Biography


Author: Peter Ackroyd


Description: Probably there is no one better placed than Ackroyd--the author of mammoth lives of Dickens and Blake, and novels such as Hawksmoor and Dan Leno and the Lime House Golem which set singular characters against the backdrop of a city constantly shifting in time--to write such a rich, sinewy account of "Infinite London". Ackroyd's London is no mere chronology. Its chapters take on such varied themes as drinking, sex, childhood, poverty, crime and punishment, sewage, food, pestilence and fire, immigration, maps, theatre and war. We learn that gin was "the demon of London for half a century", and that "it has been estimated that in the 1740s and 1750s there were 17,000 'gin-houses'." Fleet Street was an area known for its "violent delights" where "a 14-year-old boy, only 18 inches high, was to be seen in 1702 at a grocer's shop called the Eagle and Child by Shoe Lane." By the mid 19th century "London had become known as the greatest city on earth." By 1939 "one in five of the British population had become a Londoner."



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Miss Marple Vol II


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