EVENTS AT PENSHURST PLACE & GARDENS 2010

Welcome to our events programme at Penshurst Place & Gardens. This year we step back in time to the 1940s, to mark the 70th anniversary of Dunkirk and the Battle of Britain.

There are special children’s Porcupine Club activities for season ticket holders again this year – just pick up an activity sheet from our Visitor Reception during events where there is a beside it.

Events are free to garden ticket holders except where it states that a ticket is required or the price for an event is given.

NEW EVENTS AT PENSHURST PLACE & GARDENS
in association with Hadlow College

SEASONAL GARDENING TASKS

Enjoy an informative hands-on practical training day in the wonderful gardens of Penshurst Place. Led by our Head Gardener you’ll benefit from help and advice on a range of areas such as restorative pruning, turf care & the division of herbaceous plants.
Winter: Tuesday 23rd March 2010 9:30am – 2.00pm
Summer: Friday 9th July 2010 9:30am – 2.00pm
Autumn: Friday 22nd October 2010 9:30am – 2.00pm
£70.00 per person per workshop (including lunch).

SEASONAL FLORISTRY WORKSHOPS

You’ll benefit from the guidance of a professional florist and by the end of the morning have gained a variety of new skills with which to impress your friends. In April you will learn table arrangements and in June a peony hand-tied bouquet will be demonstrated.
Thursday 1st April 2010 10:00am – 12:30pm
Wednesday 2nd June 2010 10:00am – 12:30pm
£50 per person, inclusive of materials & refreshments.

To book your place on these courses, please call Hadlow College on 0500 551434.

Events throughout the season
Harpist Margaret Watson will be visiting us to play in the house and gardens on the following Sundays - 9th May, 20th June, 4th July & 12th September 2pm – 4pm.

The Penshurst Farmers’ Market is held in Penshurst Place visitor car park the first Saturday of each month; selling top quality, fresh Kentish produce. 9.30am-12 noon.

MARCH

Mother’s Day
Sunday 14th March
Come and have a special Mother’s Day lunch or high tea in our newly refurbished Garden Tea Room. If you would like to book a table please call the Tea Room on 01892 871052.

Armada Presentation
Monday 15th – Friday 19th March (schools only)
Saturday 20th & Sunday 21st March 2010 for all visitors. 12noon – 4pm
Come and experience the smells and sights of a Tudor banquet in the magnificent Baron’s Hall at Penshurst Place, whilst outside the militia prepare to ward off the invasion of the Spanish Armada. House ticket required for entry to some of the activities (garden season ticket holders free entrance).

Seasonal Gardening Tasks
Winter: Tuesday 23rd March 2010 9:30am – 2.00pm
See top of listing for further details.

APRIL

Seasonal Floristry Workshops
Thursday 1st April
See top of listing for further details.

Easter Weekend
Good Friday 2nd April – BH Monday 5th April 12 noon – 4pm
Come and make some festive Easter bookmarks and do the Spring trail around the gardens!

Sunday 4th & Monday 5th April 2pm – 3.30pm
Look back to how Easter was celebrated in the 1940’s by joining our two evacuees as they are sent to Penshurst, and find out about what scrapes they get into!

Spring holiday events and activities
Tuesday 6th – Sunday 18th April daily 12 noon – 4pm
Find out more about rationing and make your own rations! With playground games and crafts in the Education Room.

Mayor’s Sponsored Bike Ride - Tonbridge to Penshurst Place
Sunday 11th April 11am
The Mayor of Tonbridge charity event starts at 11am using the Tonbridge to Penshurst Cycle Route. Entry fee from £2. To receive a Registration Pack call 01732 876005, email mayors.office@tmbc.gov.uk, or download from www.tmbc.gov.uk/bikeride. Places to be booked by 1 April.

MAY

Weald of Kent Craft Show
Bank Holiday Saturday 1st – Monday 3rd May
Come along to a quality outdoor craft show for all the family with up to 250 artist craftsmen displaying and demonstrating. Free antiques valuation. Special offer joint entrance ticket to Craft Show & Penshurst Place available to purchase in advance - to book contact: ICHF – 01425 277988 www.ichf.co.uk

Macmillan Charity Sponsored Walk
Sunday 16th May 2010 11am
Join a sponsored walk for Macmillan Cancer Support and people affected by cancer. Choose between two lovely circular routes of 2 ½ or 8 miles through the grounds and countryside surrounding Penshurst Place. To register call 01252 714818, email PenshurstPlaceWalk@macmillan.org.uk or register online at www.macmillan.org.uk/walking

May School Holiday Events and Activities
Wild about the Countryside
Saturday 29th May - Sunday 6th June 2010 12 noon – 4pm
Countryside craft activities for children in the education room.

Bank Holiday Sunday 30th & Monday 31st May 12 noon – 4pm
Countryside events for all the family, with Kent Wildlife Trust, explaining how we can affect the wildlife around us, including willow working demonstrations and some Curious Creature puppets and stories for children.

JUNE

Glorious Gardens
Wednesday 2nd – Sunday 6th June 2010
Enjoy a variety of garden related events to celebrate the blooming of the unique 100 yard Peony Border at Penshurst Place.

Seasonal Flower Arrangements
Wednesday 2nd June
See top of listing for further details.

Gardening for Her Majesty The Queen 6.30pm for 7.30pm talk
Thursday 3rd June
in association with Hadlow College
As Head Gardener at Buckingham Palace, Mark Lane has numerous interesting stories to tell. This promises to be a fascinating talk. Held at Penshurst Place. Tickets £12 inclusive of refreshments and can be purchased from the Penshurst Place Gift Shop and Hadlow College’s Broadview Garden Centre.

Head Gardener’s Tours
Friday 4th & Saturday 5th June 2pm
Followed by a cream tea. Tickets £16 booked in advance from our Gift Shop or by calling the Estate Office on 01892 870307.

Digging for victory storytelling and planting
Sunday 6th June 12 noon – 4pm
Join Ethel and Tom as they Dig for Victory and listen to their story as they tell you what they dug up and why it was ticking! Join them and our Head Gardener to plant up your own special vegetables. Storytelling for all the family. 2pm – 3.30pm
With skipping demonstrations from the British Skipping Association.

RHS Growing for Success Talk
Sunday 6th June at 5pm
George Carter, designer of the new herbaceous border at Penshurst Place, will talk on the subject of "Evolving Historic Gardens: New developments at Penshurst Place and other historic sites". RHS members & Penshurst Place season ticket holder price: £6. Non-members price: £13 (inc entrance to house and grounds). Call RHS ticket line (08456 121 253).

Father’s Day
Sunday 20th June
Come and have a special Father’s Day lunch or high tea in our newly refurbished Garden Tea Room. If you would like to book a table please call the Tea Room on 01892 871052.

Primavera Chamber Ensemble
Sunday 20th June at 7.30pm, in the Baron’s Hall
Mozart: Piano Concerto K414, Howard Blake (The Snowman): Flute Quintet, Beethoven: Piano Quartet in E flat Op. 16 & Haydn arr. Salomon: Symphony No 94 The Surprise.
Tickets £24 include wine during the interval, available by post from
Primavera Trust, Broom Cottage, Fairwarp TN22 3BY 01825 713526

JULY & AUGUST

Seasonal Gardening Tasks
Summer: Friday 9th July 2010 9:30am – 2.00pm
See top of listing for further details.

Tosca performed by Candlelight Opera
Sunday 18th July 2010 7.30pm
In the Baron’s Hall (picnic in the church park from5.30pm). Puccini’s passionate opera of love, lust and murder played against the panoramic politics of Napoleon’s Rome. Performance tickets: £27.50 & £32.50. Heritage Ticket £13.50 - includes access to the house and grounds before the performance, house tour and cream tea. Call the Candlelight Opera Box Office on: 0844 561 1921, www.candlelightopera.co.uk.
Please note due to the nature of the venue, seating is not tiered.

Summer School Holiday Events and Activities – Toys were us!

Summer Porcupine Club Party
Saturday 24th July 4pm
For all season ticket holders, a special children’s party to start the Summer holidays. Free entertainment and refreshments. Don’t forget to bring your Porcupine Club Badge!

Sunday 25th July – Saturday 28th August 2010
Every Sunday and Thursday there will be fun children’s activities with lots of games from the past to play, in the Education Room.

On Sundays only:
Special ‘Toys were us’ storytelling from Aardvark productions for all the family on Sunday afternoons 2pm – 3.30pm.
And, find out more about how the Peregrine falcon was used to deal with the carrier pigeons during the War – with Huxley’s Birds of Prey. Birds on display from 12 noon and flying at 3pm.

Other Summer Events:

MG Car Club South East Centre Summer Gathering
Sunday 8th August ALL DAY
Free entrance for garden season ticket holders to this special 80th anniversary event. Held in Lake Park.

The Merchant of Venice
Sunday 22nd August 2010 7pm
International professional Theatre Set-Up present Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice in the unique setting of the Baron’s Hall. Tickets on sale from mid April and available from the Tonbridge & Tunbridge Wells Tourist Information Centres on (01732) 770929 or (01892) 515675. For ticket sales online go to: www.thebookingshop.com. Please note due to the nature of the venue, seating is not tiered.

August Bank Holiday
Civilians at War
Sunday 29th & Monday 30th August 12 noon – 4pm
Find out more about life on the Home Front during World War II, as Hands on History enlist you into the Home Guard. Interactive demonstrations and presentations.

SEPTEMBER

Weald of Kent Craft Show
Friday 10th – Sunday 12th September
Another chance to come along a quality outdoor craft show where the whole family can experience a great day out together. Special offer joint entrance ticket to Craft Show & Penshurst Place available to purchase in advance - to book contact: ICHF – 01425 277988 www.ichf.co.uk

A talk from Richard Beale of Peter Beales Roses at Penshurst Place & Gardens
in association with Hadlow College
Thursday 23rd September 6.30pm for 7.30pm talk
Tickets £12.00 and available from Penshurst Place Gift Shop and Broadview Garden Centre in Hadlow.

OCTOBER

Seasonal Gardening Tasks
Autumn: Friday 22nd October 2010 9:30am – 2.00pm
See top of listing for further details.

Spooky School Holiday Activities & Events
Saturday 23rd October – Sunday 31st October
A spooky trail around the garden with witchy and wizardy craft activities in the Education Room.

On Sunday 31st October, come and hear the story of the skeleton woman and the fisherman, in the Buttery. A funny and only slightly scary story for children. 2pm – 3.30pm. With a fancy dress costume competition at 4pm (prizes for all).

Christmas at Penshurst Place

Gift Shop open daily throughout November and December 10.30am-4.30pm.

With Late Night Christmas Shopping Nights
Wednesdays - 24th November, 1st, 8th & 15th December 4.30pm-8pm
Do some peaceful shopping in our Gift Shop, with 10% off all purchases made on late night evenings*. Refreshments served to our customers throughout the festive season. Season ticket holders receive special discount in November (excl. late night shopping nights).
*excluding vouchers and stamps, not to be used in conjunction with any other offer.

Father Christmas makes an early delivery to Penshurst Place
Weekends in December
Saturday & Sunday 4th & 5th, 11th & 12th, 18th & 19th December
10.30am-12.30pm and 1.30-3.30pm. Tickets £5.00.

Though we endeavour to run all the events as we have planned, this may be affected by unforeseen circumstances or adverse weather conditions. Please do contact us before visiting to avoid disappointment.