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Whitchurch
Silk Mill
The mill was built on the River Test in Hampshire in 1800, during
the reign of King George III. Silk has been woven here since
the 1820/1830s. The
mill produces high quality bespoke silk for country house restorations,
for new commissions and interior designers and for film and
TV productions. Some of you may have worn their silk as hoods
for academic or legal gowns and others will have seen it as
dresses in TV drama series like Downton Abbey. After a guided
tour of the mill we will have a sandwich lunch in the mill garden
by the river Test.
www.whitchurchsilkmill.org.uk
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Scenic
route through Northwest Hampshire and into Berkshire & Wiltshire
This route will pass through attractive small villages and have
stunning views from the Downs. It will pass through Avebury
with numerous Neolithic monuments, many of which can be visited.
The odd white horse or two will be spotted and if you are very
lucky, you may see a Great Bustard as the route returns over
the edge of Salisbury Plain.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-avebury
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Living
Rainforest
This is a shorter route which includes a visit to the Living
Rainforest in Hamstead Norreys on the Berkshire Downs. There
are two small zones, a smaller subtropical area and a larger
tropical house containing a variety of smaller animals, especially
insects and reptiles although there are plenty of fish and
birds and a few mammals, including the delightful Goeldi's
monkeys.
www.livingrainforest.org
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Crofton
Beam Engines
These engines pumped water for the Kennet and Avon canal and
are the oldest working steam pumps in the World - and are "in
steam".
www.croftonbeamengines.org
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Hungerford
and Marlborough
Visiting either town is a delight - Hungerford has many antique
shops and little alleyways and Marlborough is an old market
town with the second widest main street in England with some
unusual shops. Both towns have inviting teashops, Marlborough
with the popular Polly tea rooms on the south side of the main
street.
Hungerford
tourist guide
www.marlboroughwiltshire.co.uk/ |
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Historic
Dockyard at Portsmouth, home of the Royal Navy
An entrance ticket will cover a guided tour of HMS Victory
and individual admission to the Trafalgar sail, HMS Warrior,
the Mary Rose Museum, the Museum of the Royal Navy, the Trafalgar
experience, the Dockyard Apprentice and a boat tour of Portsmouth
harbour. In addition we hope to have a tour of a serving warship
which "our man in Regalia", Julian Holmes who is
serving in the Royal Navy at Portsmouth, hopes he may be able
to arrange. That of course depends on the availability of
ships berthed there nearer to the weekend of our V8 Tour.
www.historicdockyard.co.uk
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Salisbury
Cathedral
A morning visit is planned to Salisbury Cathedral, a stunning
building. It has the largest close, cloisters and quire of
any in Britain and has the tallest spire. It is unusual in
being built all in the same architectural style - and what
a light and soaring style it is too! We hope to arrange parking
in Cathedral Close and have a guided tour of the cathedral.
The Chapter House has the best preserved copy of the Magna
Carta. For the brave there is an opportunity to see the fantastic
view from the tower and even the medieval scaffolding within
the spire with 332 steps. The cathedral also has a famous
Grandfather Willis organ and we hope to arrange a short recital.
www.salisburycathedral.org.uk
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