Contact:

Tentative Itinerary for the 2007 England Study Tour

LONDON

There is no other building like Westminster Abbey in the world. It is the locus of both church and state affairs, the architectural embodiment of England ’s civic and ecclesiastical soul. The original structure was completed in 1065 by order of England ’s only sainted king, Edward the Confessor, whose imposing shrine is the centerpiece of the building. Beginning with William the Conqueror on Christmas Day of 1066, every English monarch has been crowned in this building (with two minor exceptions). Later additions to the Abbey continued into the 20^th century. Westminster is the burial place of kings, queens, composers, warriors, nobles, poets and scientists.
       When early archaeologists searched for great monuments, the British Empire dominated trade routes and colonized almost every continent. Consequently, the British Museum houses the richest collection of artifacts from the world’s great ancient civilizations. See the Parthenon marbles from Greece , mummies from Egypt , Assyrian obelisks, friezes and stele, the Rosetta Stone, etc. Our group will carefully study the Sutton Hoo exhibit (see “ Essex ,” below).
       On display in the British Library you will see the only manuscript of Beowulf in existence, the oldest complete manuscript of the New Testament, the Magna Charta bearing King John’s seal, and the lyrics to “She Loves You” in John Lennon’s own handwriting. And almost everything in between…including a manuscript of Bede’s Life of Cuthbert and the 7^th century hand-tooled bible found in Cuthbert’s coffin in Durham .
       “Beefeaters” in the Tower of London (traditionally, guardians of the crown jewels) lead delightful tours of this fortress whose earliest features were erected in 1078 by William the Conqueror. The tower housed some of England’s most famous political prisoners—including Anne Boleyn, Sir Walter Raleigh, Elizabeth I (held by Mary Tudor) and Lady Jane Gray. The crown jewels(!) and the armor of Henry VIII and of Charles I are on display.
       The Globe Theatre is a reconstruction of Shakespeare’s Elizabethan-era playhouse featuring nightly productions of the Bard’s plays. Plays are produced as they would have been in his day: all-male cast, a jig at the curtain call, etc. We will take in an evening of Shakespeare.

OXFORDSHIRE

Oxford , the city of spires, is a beautiful town with a rich history. See where Ridley, Latimer, and Cranmer were burned at the stake for the Protestant faith. Sip a pint at the Eagle & Child, where C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien critiqued one another’s writing. See the Christ Church (a.k.a. “Hogworts”) dining hall, where Harry Potter and NSA’s own Ben Merkle dine.

WILTSHIRE

Though only about one-third of the Malmesbury Abbey Church stands today, it is one of the noblest examples of Norman ecclesiastical architecture in England . Its stunning south porch features a series of 38 carvings of biblical events along its arch, as well as majestic representations of the twelve apostles. This learned community produced William of Malmesbury, the great 12^th century scholar. The town of Malmesbury is still laid out as it was plotted in the days of Alfred the Great.

KENT

Canterbury Cathedral is the ecclesiastical center of the Anglican communion worldwide. Many famous men are interred here, including Edward the Black Prince, who menaced the French in the Hundred Years War, Archbishop Lanfranc, who crossed the English Channel with William the Conqueror and laid a foundation for the church’s freedom from the crown, and St. Anselm, the greatest theologian of the 12^th century. Most famously, the cathedral housed the shrine of the martyr Thomas Becket; today you can stand at the place where he was martyred. The cathedral boasts one of the most impressive collections of stained glass in all Europe, including the oldest stained glass window in England dating from the 1100s. Come and hear the boys’ choir.
       St. Augustine’s Abbey includes ruins of the first establishment of Christianity in England . Here are the seventh-century burial sites of Archbishops Augustine, Laurence, Mellitus, and Theodore. Nearby, St. Martin’s Church has been a house of worship since the 580s. When a Frankish noblewoman named Bertha was given in marriage to the King of Kent, the way opened for St. Augustine ’s mission to England . Queen Bertha worshiped here and dedicated it to the Frankish saint.
       Dover Castle guards the English side of shortest sea crossing to the European continent, where well-preserved structures span 1,800 years of history. It sits majestically atop England ’s most famous natural landmark, the White Cliffs. Remains of a Roman lighthouse stand intact, as well as a Saxon-era church. The well-preserved 12^th century castle was constructed by order of Henry II. Today its interior is presented as it looked when Henry VIII stayed there to oversee construction of England ’s coastal defenses to ward off a feared invasion from Spain . Later, during the Napoleonic wars, tunnels were dug under the castle which proved useful as a command center during World War II.
       Rochester Castle is strategically placed at the crossing of the River Medway on the Roman Road Inter III (Wæcelinga Stræt, i.e., “Watling Street” to the Anglo-Saxons; today it’s the A2), the road that links London (St. Albans) to the port of Dover via Canterbury. Rochester is among the earliest castles to be rebuilt in stone during the late 11^th century. In 1215, King John used the fat of 40 pigs to fire a mine under the keep and destroyed its southern corner. Rebuilt under Henry III and Edward I, the castle remained a viable fortress well into the 1400s. Next to the castle sits Rochester Cathedral, England ’s second-oldest ecclesiastical center, founded in 604.

ESSEX

In the Anglo-Saxon period, the estuary above the River Deben formed a vital link between the tidal landfalls of Sutton and the North Sea , which was the maritime passage to the Continent. Here, at Sutton Hoo, burial mounds were excavated in 1939 and became the most important archaeological site from the Anglo-Saxon era, roughly contemporary with the Beowulf epic. One mound revealed a buried ship together with many fine objects that show the great skill of Anglo-Saxon artisans. A guide will take our group to the burial mound itself, a privilege enjoyed by very few people.
       In 991, Viking invaders landed at Maldon and met resistance under the leadership of Byrhtnoth of Essex, who was loyal to King Ethelred the Unready. The story is immortalized in a poem that is one of the greatest of Anglo-Saxon literature. Maldon is the oldest battle site in England whose location is certain. It’s off the beaten path; you need to know what you’re doing to find it. Therein lies its charm.

SUFFOLK

Orford Castle is one of the best preserved Plantagenet-era castles in England , and its unique polygonal keep is visually striking. Situated on the Suffolk coast, construction began in 1165 by order of Henry II. Nearby, Framlingham Castle was built by the Earl of Norfolk, one of the most powerful men in Henry II’s court. It stands imposingly atop an earthworks with its 12^th century curtain wall still intact. Mary Tudor mustered her supporters there before she became queen.

EAST SUSSEX

Battle Abbey symbolizes the Norman Conquest, erected by William the Conqueror on the site where he defeated the army of Harold Godwinson near Hastings in 1066. Walk the entire battlefield and see where Harold’s shield-wall finally gave way. Nearby Pevensy Castle is where William landed his invasion. The Normans constructed the castle out of brick they snatched from an earlier Roman structure.

NORTH YORKSHIRE

Scarborough Castle stands on a massive promontory of rock that rises sheer-sided high above the North Sea overlooks the town of Scarborough . Ruins of a Roman signal station are visible on the site. The medieval castle was a favorite of King John’s, saw action during the Civil War in the 1600s, and was shelled by German warships in World War I. This is where Harald Hardrada and Tostig landed their ill-fated invasion of England in 1066. King Harold Godwinson defeated them at Stamford Bridge before turning south to face William the Conqueror near Hastings .
       The city of York is still surrounded by medieval walls. It is a delightful town in which to wander and shop. Its cathedral, York Minster, is one of northern Europe ’s most imposing examples of Gothic architecture. Its history as an ecclesiastical center dates from the seventh century, and beneath it lies Roman ruins. It has more gargoyles than you can count, but they are so very high up that you will need a good telephoto lens to capture them. Overlooking the town is Clifford’s Tower, a modest castle built on a mound raised by William the Conqueror. It played an important role in controlling the north.
       Whitby Abbey overlooks the picturesque maritime town of Whitby on the North Sea . Bede describes its foundation in 657 by Abbess Hild and the famous Synod which met there in 664, reconciling Celtic and continental Christian traditions. The drive to Rievaulx Abbey is breathtaking and a little dangerous. This enormous 13^th century Cistercian abbey is mostly intact today. It housed some 150 monks and 500 lay brethren at one time, and was the nucleus from which several other northern abbeys were colonized.

DURHAM

Durham Cathedral is a fine example of Norman architecture. Here lie the remains of the Venerable Bede and St. Cuthbert. St. Cuthbert’s coffin is the most important wooden object to survive the Anglo-Saxon era. Archaeologists have unearthed St. Paul’s Monastery in Jarrow where Bede dwelt, and the standing Anglo-Saxon church at Monkwearmouth dates from Bede’s time. Escomb Church is another of England ’s oldest standing churches.

NORTHUMBERLAND

On the east coast, just south of the Scottish border is the quiet Holy Island , accessible by a causeway open only at low tide. King Oswald of Northumbria gave the island to St. Aidan to found a monastery, Lindisfarne , and from there Aidan and his successors introduced a Celtic-style Christianity to the region. Cuthbert was bishop of Lindisfarne shortly after Aidan. The beautiful ruins of Lindisfarne Priory remind visitors that, in its day, Lindisfarne was the greatest center of culture and learning in all Europe . This solemn place is a highlight of the tour.
       The crypt of Hexham Abbey dates from the time of the abbey’s founder, St. Wilfrid. It is located near Hadrian’s Wall , England ’s most famous Roman ruin, which was erected to keep out the blue-painted Picts.

Return to top of page
Return to Academics