Eltham Palace and Red House, Bexleyheath Wednesday 11th June 2025 Enjoy a relaxing two centre trip to two very different but interesting houses in South London. First, we will travel to Eltham Palace (an English Heritage property), once a favoured Tudor royal residence which, in the 1930s, was transformed by the eccentric millionaires Stephen and Virginia Courtauld. The Interior has been decorated in lavish style vastly different from anything we usually encounter on our travels. There is the heated home for Mah-Jong, the family pet lemur, and in the basement the games room which doubled as a bomb shelter during the war. Attached to the house, by way of contrast, is the magnificent medieval masterpiece of the great hall built for Edward IV 500 years ago. During the three hours that we will be here you will be able to explore the medieval feature built into the gardens and wander through the rock garden. There is a caf and shop for lunch before we drive just down the road to our second house. The Red House is a small National Trust property in Bexleyheath. It is the only house designed, built and lived in by William Morris, the pioneer of the Arts and Crafts movement. It was the birthplace of this decorative style and a haven for the Pre-Raphaelite artists. We have pre-booked tours of the house. The garden is a small oasis in South London with a variety of plants, reminiscent of William Morriss time there, which blend effortlessly with the house. Leave: 9:00 a.m. Hawkey Hall Return: approx. 6.15 p.m. 9:15 Lidl, Loughton approx. 6.00 p.m. (subject to traffic at the Blackwell Tunnel) Cost: 34.00 (including coach and entry to both houses and gardens) English Heritage members with a card: 21.00 Non National Trust Members will need to pay 13 Red House entrance fee at the door Please remember to bring your membership cards. Organiser: Malcolm Bell, tel. 07917 194325