Guiding
Overview
I am available for daily hire as a guide during those times I’m not running either Study Abroad Programmes for undergraduates or the Historic Tours for adults. Our excursions will cover historical background of the cities and their wider context, particular sites and museums. For six hours, with a break for lunch, I will take you around the highlights of some northern English cities. Chester, Manchester, York, Durham and Hadrian’s Wall are my current offerings. Manchester, Durham and Chester can each individually be explored effectively in one day and I can offer two or even three-day packages in York where I grew up for those who are especially interested in this beautiful and historic city. A day or two is standard for Hadrian’s Wall. For the Wall, you must provide the transport and be willing to pick me up and drop me off from Hexham Railway Station. I have taught all these cities as part of my Study Abroad programme based in northern England (NOEP) as a tenured History professor at James Madison University, located in the United States.
Personalised Guiding
If you would like to emphasise particular sites in these cities or have a particular historical interest, please contact me at stephen@historictours.co.uk. I’m happy to discuss personalised itineraries.
Rates
My basic daily charge is £250 for groups up to ten and £300 for groups of eleven or more. There is a 10% nonrefundable deposit due on booking and the balance must be paid in full two days before the day of guiding. Payments can be made to the relevant account (USD, GBP, etc) in my Wise multi-currency account. My fees do not include tickets or entrance costs. Contact stephen@historictours.co.uk for details.
You
I’ll guide anyone with an interest in history from individuals, families and small groups up to larger tour groups. You should have a good grasp of English as my various languages are more suitable for academic research than conversation. I do expect courtesy and punctuality and will show you the same. Everyone is welcome!
Why Me?
There are many very well-informed and interesting guides, especially those with Blue Badge accreditation. I bring those qualities to my work, along with a real passion and enthusiasm for the cities and for history. As a retired professional historian, I can also offer you a broader insight and national or global context. My nine years of experience leading academic Study Abroad groups have given me good guiding skills, and my thirty years of teaching have polished my public-speaking and ability to synthesise and communicate complex data. Recent experience as a Welcomer at Manchester Cathedral has kept my skills up to date. Most of all, I really love sharing my knowledge and these wonderful cities with interesting visitors from near and far!
Manchester
The Romans established a fort at Manchester, and a small settlement survived into the Middle Ages as a market town. My guiding will begin with these topics, and we can visit the reconstruction of the Fort’s northern gateway and certainly Manchester Cathedral. As Manchester grew rapidly in the 18th century, it became a centre for the Industrial Revolution. St Ann’s Church in the historic shopping centre, St Ann’s Square, is a beautiful Georgian addition to the city in this time. The Cross Street Chapel was at the centre of religious conflicts in those confessionally diverse, but tense times and the lovely St Mary’s Church, Manchester’s “hidden gem” adds to this story. The nineteenth century saw an explosion in population, industrial unrest, and extremes of poverty and wealth. We see some of the highlights of this process in the Peoples’ History Museum. The John Rylands Library (open Wednesday to Saturday), the Art Gallery, the Town Hall and Public Library in St Peter’s Square show the proud self-confidence of Cottonopolis at the height of its wealth and interest. The Portico Library is sometimes available for viewing also. Those with an interest can later visit the Museum of Science and Technology and Manchester Museum. They are not part of my tour. The Elizabeth Gaskell House is, however, an optional extra. It does not open every day. In Cheetham Hill, the Manchester Jewish Museum is a very interesting possibility, including a look at its beautiful Moorish Revival synagogue.
Chester
Chester too was a Roman city and the home to a legionary garrison. We can investigate the remains in the Grosvenor Museum and see the amphitheatre and small stone miscellanea in the nearby Roman garden. We will walk the complete circuit of medieval city walls, which have many points of interest and a great view over the city. The medieval rows preserve the shape of long-past shops, with modern substitutes. The lovely Chester Cathedral and Church of St John the Baptist (the medieval Cathedral) give an interesting insight into the religious history of the city. For those who are interested, I can include the Cheshire Military Museum, covering the seventeenth century to the present.
Durham
Durham was founded in AD 995 by monks bearing the body of St Cuthbert away from danger in that unstable period. The beautiful hilly city has been the centre of ecclesiastical, political and military power under its Prince-Bishops from 1080s to 1832. The great Romanesque (Early Norman) Cathedral and Castle dominate the town and are essential for any tour. The Castle is by guided tour only, lasting one hour. In addition, the Great Hall of the Town Hall in the nearby Marketplace and the lovely Romanesque, St Margaret of Antioch church, are well worth viewing. Crook Hall and Gardens and slightly further afield, Ushaw Historical Church and gardens are excellent additions to a day’s programmes.
York
York began life as a Roman legionary fortress and became the capital of Britannia Inferior. Later it was Angle Eoforwic and Viking Yorvik before becoming the second city of England for most of the Middle Ages. We can see the Roman and medieval remains in the Yorkshire Museum. Nearby St Olav’s Church and the remains of St Mary’s Abbey and St Leonard’s hospital in the Museum Gardens and the massive York Minster can give us insights into York’s rich religious and social history. The lovely Merchant Adventurer’s Hall highlights York’s past as a great commercial port city, and the Merchant Tailors’ Hall is a second great Medieval guildhall. Clifford’s Tower and the surviving sections of the city walls afford great views and attest to tragic episodes in York’s past. The Jorvik Centre is a fun way to see Viking remains and a reconstruction of Jorvik Coppergate. The Castle Museum too has an extensive reconstruction of Victorian York streets and shops, as well as an excellent overview of the social and economic history of the city from the seventeenth century. Holy Trinity Church, Goodramgate and the lovely Fairfax House are essential viewing for those with a love of the Georgian Period. Optional extras include the reconstructed Tudor townhouse at Barley Hall and some of the stunning churches: Holy Tinity, Micklegate, Holy Trinity, Goodramgate, All Saints, North Road, St Denys’, Walmgate. Railway enthusiasts should go on to visit the National Railway Museum. It is not a part of my tour.
Hadrians’ Wall
Hadrian’s Wall was the largest and most impressive fortification in the Roman Empire. The emperor Hadrian ordered its construction in AD 122 after visiting Northern Britannia. The Wall and the nearby forts were maintained and rebuilt all the way to the abandonment of Britannia in AD 410. It continued to play a role for centuries afterwards, including as a quarry for many of the local castles, houses and farms. There are many interesting forts to be visited, as well as the better-preserved sections of the Wall in its central area around Cragtown heights. I particularly recommend Corbridge, Housesteads, Chesters, Birdoswald and Vindolanda, but there are many other interesting locations including the reconstructed fort at South Shields on the southern side of the Tyne Estuary and the small temple of Mithras at Carrawburgh. You can spend days in this area.
Clients will need to provide transport for the guiding and drop me at a railway station, such as Hexham or Newcastle, at the end of the day. If the guiding extends over days, then I require accommodation also. Ticket prices are not included in my guiding fee, as in other sites.