We aim to arrange two visits a year for members and guests to places of historic and artistic interest. One of the visits will be overnight enabling us to go further and do more.  Visits will be announced in good time at the monthly lectures and details will be given here.

In June, after the Annual General Meeting, we organize an evening drinks party with canapés at a venue of interest to members. This is usually a highly popular social occasion.  At the December meeting we also arrange a seasonal buffet lunch to precede the lecture.  There is a Newcomers' Tea Party in September for new members which is held at the house of our President or one of the Committee members.

In 2009 an overnight tour began with a lunchtime visit to Roche Court with its outdoor and indoor sculpture exhibitions, then on to Salisbury Cathedral for a guided tour, choral evensong and a “cathedral supper”. This was followed the next day by a visit to Wilton House.  Accommodation in the centre of Salisbury was comfortable and friendly, and convenient for other places of interest in this historic city.

2011/2012

A day trip to London was  taken on Tuesday, 15th November 2011 to visit the exhibition 'Leonardo da Vinci: Painter at the court of Milan' at the National Gallery.   Our Visits Secretary, Jacky Sherwood, is also organizing a three night visit to Derbyshire  to complement the March 2012 lecture by Mr Roger Mitchell on Hardwick and Chatsworth.   The trip will take place in April/May 2012 and details will be announced as soon as they are available.  In the meantime, you might be interested in the following:

  NADFAS SW AREA has arranged a Visit to the Middle Temple, London on Wednesday 25^th April 

 Following the study day on silver in November with Ian Pickford, a visit has been arranged by NADFAS SW to the Middle Temple to look at some of the superb collection of silver not normally seen by the general public. The Middle Temple is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call its members to the English Bar as barristers.  The cost of this day will be £48.00 per person. This includes a three course lunch.  Numbers are limited and places will be allocated in order, so if you would like to join this visit please contact Mrs Ros Taylor by telephone on 01823 433871 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  

2010/2011

This year we were delighted to hold our members' summer evening drinks party in June at Cothelstone Manor set at the foot of the Quantock Hills near Taunton.  It is a Grade II Listed building that's not normally open to the public and we were given a talk about the history of the house and a tour of the 15th Century church situated behind the Manor.  More information about the Manor can be found on its website www.cothelstonemanor.co.uk

Visit to Cornwall April 2011 

 The trip to Cornwall to complement Helen McCabe’s April lecture was very enjoyable and the weather was fine and sunny for the garden visits.  We stayed in Falmouth at the Greenbank Hotel, overlooking the harbour,

and our itinerary included visits to Caerhays Castle & gardens,

the Leach Pottery, Penlee House

& Gallery, Trelissick Gardens and

Prideaux Place.

 We were also invited to visit Helen McCabe’s own lovely garden and enjoyed tea and cakes in her house.  A trip to Truro to see Sir Derek Jacobi in ‘King Lear’ was arranged for one evening.   More pix can be found in the Photo Gallery.

In late Spring of 2010 we went over the border to Wales on a two-day visit to Cardiff.  A party of us left Honiton on Friday morning and arrived at Brunel’s SS GREAT BRITAIN in Bristol for coffee and then took a tour of the 165-year-old ship.  From there we headed for THE PARC HOTEL, CARDIFF which is ideally situated in the centre of the city.  After lunch we went on a tour of CARDIFF CASTLE through its 2000 year history and then relaxed in the new café for tea and coffee.

Later we experienced an unforgettable evening of Welsh hospitality at a WELSH BANQUET held in the 15^thcentury Undercroft, one of the oldest parts of Cardiff Castle. Then on the Saturday some of the party took the opportunity to explore Cardiff's new shops and afterwards we all went to TREDEGAR HOUSE, NEWPORT in time for lunch, followed by a house tour.  Owned by the Morgan family (later Lords of Tredegar) for over 500 years until 1951, this is one of the most significant late 17^th century houses in the British Isles.