ARTS & CRAFTS V ART DECO TOUR | couples • families

ARTS & CRAFTS v ART DECO
Ideal homes of the past in London's suburbia

● Day-tour from London in private vehicle with accredited driver-guide.
● Tailor-made for couples, families or small private groups (up to 7 persons).
● Pick-up/drop-off at any London hotel or residence. Typical timings: 09:00-18:00.
● Subject to openings & availability. Any admission fees payable on entry.
● Price (per car): 1-2 persons=£400.00; 3-4=£440.00; 5-7=£480.00. Admissions extra.

ITINERARY:
You will be escorted personally on tour by an officially qualified Blue Badge driver-guide. After an initial fast-track out from London, we explore ideal homes of the past in London's suburbia. First, the Red House home to Arts & Crafts guru William Morris, then Eltham Palace, Art Deco delight with a Tudor twist.

Red House
The 19th century Arts & Crafts movement was very British in origin. It began as the antidote to the industrial revolution, mass-production, and factoryisation of Britain. Its leading guru was William Morris, consummate artist, architect, designer, poet, philosopher, publisher, writer. In fact all-round Victorian multimedia expert. Morris savaged the machinery and materialism of the brave new world. He hoped a regeneration of art could be brought about by a return to medieval workmanship with artists and craftsmen working together. In 1860 he helped architect Philip Webb design the Red House in Bexleyheath, now a south-eastern residential surburb of London. With his mind set on all things mediaeval, Morris had his house built in the style of a 'miniature Camelot' and sited it on Pilgrim’s Way, the ancient route to the shrine at Canterbury Cathedral. Dubbed 'the beautifullest place on earth,' the Red House cost £4,000.00 (about £1/2m in today's money) to create. The expense forced Morris to sell the house for financial reasons five years after moving in. Morris set up his Red House firm with fellow 'crafties' Burne-Jones, Madox-Brown and Webb. A shop opened in London's Oxford Street and evolved as Morris and Co. Many of the original Morris designs are still with us in wallpapers and fabrics today.
● Open Mar-Nov Wed-Sun. Pre-booking am.

Eltham Palace
Today, Eltham is a residential south-eastern suburb of London. However, it was once distant countryside, where back in 1305 it was acquired by king-to-be Edward II as a fitting royal palace for himself. Over the ensuing centuries some of the original structure fell into ruin, some of it was rebuilt and some of it survives. So what we have today is a mediaeval entrance bridge, monastic ruins, Tudor great hall, and a 20th century residence that is perhaps the finest survival from the Art Deco period in England. With great history (Isabella, the infamous She-Wolf of France lived here and King Henry VIII was brought up here) and a mixture of design facets, it's no wonder that Eltham Palace is one of the most fascinating visitor experiences in the Greater London area.
● 2012 openings still not published by Eltham Palace. Please check with us before booking this tour.

ALL ENQUIRIES CLICK HERE. FOR BOOKINGS CLICK HERE.

PRICE OPTIONS:

ARTS & CRAFTS V ART DECO: PERSONALLY-GUIDED FULL DAY TOUR	PRICE (Full day 9 hours).
BY PRIVATE CAR (1-2 passengers)	£400.00 (per car) + any entrance fees.
BY PRIVATE CAR (3-4 passengers)	£440.00 (per car) + any entrance fees.
BY PRIVATE CAR (5-7 passengers)	£480.00 (per car) + any entrance fees.

HOW THE TOUR WORKS:

● Important note: 'Private tour' means a privately chartered guided tour. It does not entail exclusive private access. We do not offer tours to individuals wishing to join a larger group (for this you require a scheduled coach tour operator).

● The guide: Your tour will be conducted by a friendly qualified guide (or driver-guide for car tours) providing a knowledgeable commentary, and assisting with practical issues. Where venues offer in-house guides or audio devices, your guide will still escort you.

● Pick-up/drop-off: You can be picked-up for your tour anywhere in the London area, whether at your hotel, place of residence, or venue of your request. The same applies as a dropping-off point after the tour.

● Timings: The guide will meet you at the recommended start time or at a start time of your request. The duration of this tour is timed from pick-up to drop-off and includes built-in stops for photo opportunities, facilities, and a 1-hour lunch break.

● Lunch: An appropriate restaurant, traditional pub, or sandwich stop can be arranged for lunch (note: tour price does not include food or refreshments). Alternatively, you may want to bring a pre-packed lunch. The guide usually takes a rest during this period.

● Clothing: Clients should dress appropriately making allowances for the changeable British weather, outdoor activities or visiting churches, etc. Our main tip is to dress comfortably. For more tips to help make your tour even more enjoyable click here.

● Format: The tour has been specially researched and designed by our staff (copyright applies) and is exclusive to Your London Tours & associates. Selected elements of different tours can be combined to create even more options. See our Pick & Mix page.

● General: Rest assured with Your London Tours: All our tours are tailored to YOUR requirements. The guide will be exclusively dedicated to your family or group during the tour itself, so you will be able to relax and enjoy your day.

HOW TO BOOK YOUR TOUR IN 3 EASY STEPS:

STEP 1: Send e-mail to tours@yourlondontours.com with the following information:
● Name or brief description of tour required.
● Date service required.
● Number of adults/children, age of children.
● Full address of hotel, place of residence or venue to be picked up from or met.
● Special interests or information to help us make your tour more enjoyable.
● Lead contact name and full billing address.
● Home phone number or cell phone number.

STEP 2: On receiving this information we will e-mail a reply confirming availability, price and payment procedure. If the tour is unavailable, eg, attractions are closed or we are fully booked, we will inform you or provide details of another operator.

STEP 3: If you are happy with your tour booking please make payment as directed.
Payments can take up to 48 hrs to process. On receiving payment, we will e-mail a tour confirmation and receipt. Please check details carefully and e-mail us with any queries.

BOOKING POLICY AND NOTES:
• Bookings are dealt with on a one-to-one basis via e-mail only.
• We do not accept bookings with less than 72 hours notice.
• To secure your preferred date we recommend booking well in advance.
• All tours subject to availability. Booking will not go ahead until availability is confirmed.
• Tour is not guaranteed to go ahead until 100% of payment is received.
• Administration fees may be added for extensive itineraries or supplementary guide hire.
• We do not arrange flights, accommodation, travel tickets or tickets for events.
• We do not usually pre-book tickets for attractions. We recommended these are paid
for at the gate on the day. In circumstances where pre-booking is the only option for
attractions, tickets must be paid for in advance and are non-refundable.

FOR ENQUIRIES CLICK HERE. FOR BOOKINGS CLICK HERE.

Vehicle spec:
Silver Mercedes-Benz Viano V6, seven-passenger luxury people carrier, high-spec interior trim with leather seats, armrests, headrests, air-conditioning, climate control, sound system, front and rear electric sunroof, sliding passenger doors, luggage space.

Driver-guide info:
Our driver-guides are smartly presented, knowledgeable and friendly. They are professionally qualified and drive fully insured private hire vehicles. They carry the 'Blue Badge' accreditation allowing them to conduct tours, walks and interior visits of the major London venues and many other attractions in the UK.