Medieval Craftsmen
They were the elite of the workforce who created the great woodcarvings, wall paintings, stone carvings and stained glass. This is a journey through their works and their worlds.
More details ...Life in Ancient Rome: a further exploration
This course will continue exploring aspects of life in Ancient Rome, using contemporary art and literature. It is not necessary to have attended the earlier course as the topics are ‘stand alone’.
More details ...Trolloping along
We will focus on Trollope’s Dr Thorne and Framley Parsonage, continuing the Barchester Chronicles series. It is not necessary to have read the earlier books to enjoy this course.
More details ...Merchants and Adventurers
Merchants and Adventurers: Life in the Tudor port of Bristol and beyond. Who were some of the important people behind its rise to fame ……And how did it go on to even ‘greater’ things? Bristol has been an important sea … More details …
‘Deeds not Words’: The Suffragette Movement and my Lancashire Grandmother
Jane Crozier will talk about the Suffragettes through the experiences of her grandmother, ‘Red Nellie’, who, as a militant from Preston, was arrested for throwing stones through windows, twice went on hunger strike and was force fed in Holloway prison. … More details …
Art in America
How does America see its self and how do we see America? A study day which takes a look at American Art and questions what we see and what we are shown. Works by several artists will be looked at … More details …
Three Great Cathedrals
It is probably fair to say that the Medieval Cathedrals are the ultimate expression of British Architecture. A product of unshakable Christian faith, they represented for many the concept of the Heavenly Jerusalem on Earth as described in the Book … More details …
The I Ching
An introduction to the I Ching as a tool for personal development. The I Ching is a 2500 year old Chinese classic. It has been developed from its original purpose as an oracle to become recognised as a work of … More details …
New Crafts: Needle Felting
A Needle Felting workshop to make spring lambs and decorated Easter eggs You will be taught the basic principles of Needle Felting and shown how to organise, shape and sculpt the wool into a recognisable form. Suitable for beginners. … More details …
Masters of the Western: John Ford vs Howard Hawks
John Ford and Howard Hawks were, arguably, the greatest directors in the history of the western genre. However, their themes and styles varied considerably: Ford’s central concerns were the family and community while Hawks’s heroes tended to be self-reliant individuals. … More details …
Bird Poems of the Romantic Poets
The bird is traditionally an image of the poetic voice and, as such, held much appeal for poets of the Romantic period. We shall read about the nightingale and the skylark, of course, but also the snipe and the owl, … More details …
Great Art – Great Literature
How have some of the best minds responded to art? This course examines a series of great artworks—from Brueghel to French Impressionism—then analyses some of the literature written in response.
More details ...The other novels of Wilkie Collins
Wilkie Collins is probably best know as the writer of The Moonstone and The Woman in White. However, he wrote many other novels and this course will study No Name and Armadale. We will consider these novels in their wider … More details …
Wild Girls in Paris
Colette, Romaine Brooks, Gertrude Stein—this course explores Paris and some of its famous female inhabitants. It will feature a case study of the bohemian muse, including Kiki of Montparnasse and the notorious Marchesa Casati.
More details ...Reappraising Hannah More: a journey in local and national history
Hannah More (1745-1833) has for a long time been a neglected figure of the Eighteenth century, except perhaps for her enduring legacy in the Mendip schools and Somerset villages. Despite being one of the most influential cultural figures of her … More details …