Sunday 21st March 2010
Afternoon guests arrive
6.30pm Drinks and an introductory talk with your host Nicholas Merchant.
7.30pm Dinner

Monday 22nd March 2010
8.30-9.30 Breakfast.
9.45 Depart by Coach for Marston Hall
10.30 Arrive at Marston Hall, one of the houses of the ancient Lincolnshire family of Thorold. This charming family home, recently restored, is a jig-saw of architectural elements including a magnificent overmantel with caryatids and a Batoni portrait.
12.30pm Depart
Lunch at a local hostelry
2.30pm Visit St Wulframs Church Grantham. A five-star church according to Simon Jenkins, with the finest spire in England as well as a unique chained library.
4.00pm Return to Hambleton.
6-7.00pm “If you want to get ahead, get a tiara” A light hearted look at the history of a woman’s “crowning” glory with Nicholas.
7.30pm Dinner

Tuesday 23rd March 2010
8.30-9.30 Breakfast.
9.45 Depart by coach to visit 78 Derngate, Northampton. This is a unique house, the only house in England decorated by Charles Rennie Mackintosh for Joseph Bassett-Lowke, the provider of many a boy’s model train set.
10.45 Arrive at 78 Derngate for a guided tour of this extraordinary house
12.30pm Lunch in Dining Room at Derngate
2.00pm Depart for Kelmarsh Hall.
2.30pm Kelmarsh, an 18th century house “in impeccable taste” (Pevsner) was later the home of Nancy Lancaster, the celebrated interior decorator. In addition, we shall see the Croome Court exhibition. Furniture and furnishings are on view which were commissioned by the 6th Earl of Coventry for his great mansion from some of the greatest craftsmen of the 18th century, Chippendale, Ince and Mayhew, Vile and Cobb to name but a few. Afternoon tea (included).
4.30pm Depart Kelmarsh to return to Hambleton.
Free time.
7.00pm Dinner.

Wednesday 24th March 2010
8.30-9.30 Breakfast.
9.45 Depart by coach for Deene Park.
10.30 Arrive at Deene Park, the ancestral pile of the Brudenell family, and particularly the Earl of Cardigan of Charge of the Light Brigade fame, and his eccentric and wayward Countess.
12.30pm Light Lunch
2.00pm Return to Hambleton
Free time
7.00pm Dinner
9.00pm The Marking of the Quiz

Thursday 25th March 2010
Guests depart after breakfast.