For all of you who have been enviously listening to the enthusiastic tales of marvel coming from our previous tour members, you will have an opportunity to get over to Jolly Olde England with Gail for her next tour in 2013.

An Overview of our last tour (2007)

♦ Travel to all venues is by private coach.

♦ Jane Lemon, one of the world’s truly outstanding ecclesiastical embroiderers, personally conducted us through the world-class ecclesiastical textile collections of Wells Cathedral and Bath Abbey, home to some of her own important work.

♦ Winchester Cathedral is on the tour where we see some incredible art treasures and embroidery.

♦ The 2007 Knitting & Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace. Miao embroidery and costumes from Southwest China, numerous contemporary exhibitions—Jeanette Appleton, Val Campbell Harding and many more as well as. Historical work from Turkey.

♦ A day out to visit some Cotswold villages such as Stowe -on -the -Wold and Bourton -on- the -Water.

♦ An overnight ferry to France to view the nearly 1,000 year old Bayeux Tapestry as well as a stop at the D Day landing beaches and American Cemetery.

♦ A visit to the Victoria & Albert Museum where we will be able to look at rare and ancient embroideries and other textiles, up close, with a lecture by one the museum’s textile specialists.

♦ A visit to the D-Day museum at Portsmouth where we viewed the 34-panel Overlord Embroidery, commemorating the D-Day invasion of France, and inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry.

♦ A further trip to Hardwick Hall, the 16th Century home of Bess of Hardwick. The house is the repository of many fine embroideries, some of them are known to have been worked by Mary, Queen of Scots, and Bess.

♦ In addition to all of this, some free time for any who wish to take a day to go to London, to meander through nearby Oxford, or to tour some of the lovely old villages in the area.

♦ Other venues of note, including medieval embroidered bookbindings at the British Library.