Overview:
This is a whirlwind tour of Chester in a weekend. We will pick out highlights, such as the City Walls, the Cathedral, St John the Baptist and the Grosvenor Museum. The tour ends with a walk through the historic city centre past the Rows to the Town Hall Square.
Dates:
Friday 23rd to Sunday 25 May 2025. The tour ends around 1 p.m. on Sunday 25th. Luggage may be stored at the hotel after checkout.
Capacity:
Up to fourteen clients.
Overnight locations:
Chester (2 nights).
We will stay at the four-star Hotel Indigo.
Cost:
The estimated cost for a full programme of fourteen is £287 per person, based on a formula of five couples and four individual bookings.
The estimated cost for ten people is £321 per person, based on a formula of three couples and four individual bookings.
The estimated cost for six people is £392 per person, based on a formula of two couples and two individual bookings.
Deposit and Final Payment:
A nonrefundable deposit of £100 is due on commitment to the programme.
The balance of payment is due by 15th April 2025.
Payments will be made to the company Wise account by bank transfer. The company has accounts in GBP, Euro, USD, Can D, Aus D and NZ D.
Costs Included and Not:
The costs include all accommodation, breakfasts, a group dinner on the Saturday night, all ticket costs and guiding fees. The tour does not include airfare/travel to and from the starting points of the programme, nor health and travel insurance, nor meals beyond those just noted.
Talks:
There is a talk on the history of Chester on the Saturday morning after breakfast.
Points to Consider:
This is a very intense tour. It will require stamina. Though many of the sites are wheelchair accessible, the City Walls are not.
Overview:
This tour is designed to give a good overview of York throughout its history and an introduction to Durham and Hadrian’s Wall. Dr Chappell will give five talks of 30-60 minutes just after breakfast to give the context helpful to the sites we visit. The main focus of the tour is York and its sites, which we will navigate on foot. We will see the lovely countryside of Durham and Northumberland as we travel to and from Durham and Hadrian’s Wall.
The tour is exciting and very full but with limited time except evenings and a free afternoon in York. I’m happy to give you recommendations about other sites, restaurants, etc. There will be significant walking at various sites and a degree of vigour and stamina is necessary, especially at Hadrian’s Wall.
Dates:
Saturday 31st May to Sunday 8th June 2025 (7 full days, not including arrival and departure).
The tour ends after breakfast on Sunday, 8th June.
Capacity:
Up to fourteen clients.
Rest Days:
The day of arrival, Saturday 31st May, will be a day of rest to allow you to recover from travel at our hotel in York. There is a free afternoon in York (after 1 p.m.) on Friday, 6th June. Evenings are generally free except for two nights when group dinners will be provided.
Overnight Locations:
York (6 nights), Durham (1 night), Hexham (1 night).
We will stay at four-star (Holiday Inn, York City Centre, Royal County Hotel, Durham) and three-star hotels (Travelodge, Hexham).
Cost:
The estimated cost for a full programme of fourteen is £1559 per person, based on a formula of five couples and four individual bookings.
The estimated cost for ten people is £1795 per person, based on a formula of three couples and four individual bookings.
The estimated cost for six people is £1999 per person, based on a formula of two couples and two individual bookings.
Deposit and Final Payment:
A nonrefundable deposit of £500 is due on commitment to the programme.
The balance of payment is due by 1st April 2025.
Payments will be made to the company Wise account by bank transfer. The company has accounts in GBP, Euro, USD, Can D, Aus D and NZ D.
Costs included and Not:
The costs include all accommodation, breakfasts, two group dinners and a group lunch, all ticket costs and guiding fees, transport within the programme. The tour does not include airfare/travel to and from the starting points of the programme, nor health and travel insurance, nor meals beyond those just noted.
Talks:
Points to Consider:
The tour is very intensive. It is designed for people with limited holiday time who want to see as much as possible in a short time. There will be little free time every day for rest and further exploration. The free half day is designed to give a respite or a chance to explore York further. There will be urban walks, but also those over rough surfaces, Hadrian’s Wall. Durham and Hadrian’s Wall are rather hilly. British summers range from hot to cool, but often experience rain. You’ll need shoes or boots with good grip for Hadrian’s Wall, as well as umbrellas. It may be muddy. Hadrian’s Wall is not wheelchair accessible.
Overview:
This tour is designed to give a good overview of Manchester throughout its history and an introduction to Chester and Liverpool through a day trip to each. Dr Chappell will give five talks of 30-60 minutes just after breakfast to give the context helpful to the sites we visit. The main focus of the tour is Manchester and its sites, which we will largely navigate on foot.
The tour is exciting and very full but with limited time except evenings. I’m happy to give you recommendations about other sites, restaurants, etc. There will be significant walking at various sites and a degree of vigour and stamina is necessary, especially on the day trips.
Dates:
Thursday 10th July to Thursday 17th July, 2025 (6 full days, not including arrival and departure).
The tour ends after breakfast on Thursday 17th July.
Rest Days:
The day of arrival, Thursday 10th July, will be a day of rest to allow you to recover from travel at our hotel in Manchester. Evenings are generally free except for two nights when group dinners will be provided.
Overnight Locations:
Manchester (7 nights).
We will stay at the four-star Crowne Plaza, Manchester City Centre.
Cost:
The estimated cost for a full programme of fourteen is £1121 per person, based on a formula of four couples and six individual bookings.
The estimated cost for ten people is £1139 per person, based on a formula of three couples and four individual bookings.
The estimated cost for six people is £1402 per person, based on a formula of two couples and two individual bookings.
Deposit and Final Payment:
A nonrefundable deposit of £500 is due on commitment to the programme.
The balance of payment is due by 15th May 2025.
Payments will be made to the company Wise account by bank transfer. The company has accounts in GBP, Euro, USD, Can D, Aus D and NZ D.
Costs included and Not:
The costs include all accommodation, breakfasts, two group dinners, all ticket costs and guiding fees, transport within the programme. The tour does not include airfare/travel to and from the starting points of the programme, nor health and travel insurance, nor meals beyond those just noted.
Talks:
Points to Consider:
The tour is very intensive. It is designed for people with limited holiday time who want to see as much as possible in a short time. There will be little free time every day for rest and further exploration, except for evenings. The walks will be urban. British summers range from hot to cool, but often experience rain, especially in Manchester! You’ll need comfortable walking shoes as well as umbrellas.
Overview:
You will see the main sites of the city of Durham itself, both the cathedral and castle, as well as the lovely Romanesque St Margaret of Antioch church. Additionally, we’ll visit four Roman forts on or near Hadrian’s Wall (Corbridge, Chesters, Vindolanda, Housesteads), a Mithraeum and the Wall itself. Our last venue in a village outside Durham is Ushaw Historical House, a huge former Roman Catholic seminary with impressive architecture and gardens.
Dates:
Tuesday 22nd to Friday 25th July.
Capacity:
Up to 14 clients.
Overnight locations:
Durham (3 nights)
We stay at the four-star Hotel Indigo.
Cost:
The estimated cost for a full programme of fourteen is £638 per person, based on a formula of five couples and four individual bookings.
The estimated cost for ten people is £735 per person, based on a formula of three couples and four individual bookings.
The estimated cost for six people is £839 per person, based on a formula of two couples and two individual bookings.
Deposit and Final Payment:
A nonrefundable deposit of £150 is due on commitment to the programme.
The balance of payment is due by 15th April 2025.
Payments will be made to the company Wise account by bank transfer. The company has accounts in GBP, Euro, USD, Can D, Aus D and NZ D.
Costs included and Not:
The costs include all accommodation, breakfasts, a group dinner on the Wednesday night, all ticket costs and guiding fees. The tour does not include airfare/travel to and from the starting points of the programme, nor health and travel insurance, nor meals beyond those just noted.
Talks:
History of Durham.
I’ll talk about the general background and characteristics of Hadrian’s Wall while we’re on the minibus.
Points to Consider:
This is a very intense tour. It will require stamina. Though many of the sites are wheelchair accessible, some are not, especially the Forts, except Vindolanda and Hadrian’s Wall. Durham and Hadrian’s Wall are quite hilly. The slope at Housesteads is tough. You’ll need a good pair of boots or walking shoes. An umbrella might be wise also.
Overview:
This is a whirlwind tour of York in a weekend. We will pick out highlights, such as the City Walls, the Minster, the Shambles, Fairfax House and the Yorkshire and Castle Museums, etc. We do not visit the Jorvik Viking Centre, but I’m willing to offer a supplementary tour to those who wish it immediately after the end of the programme. It will take an hour or so.
Dates:
Friday 1st to Sunday 3rd August. The tour ends around 3.30 p.m. on Sunday, 3rd August. Luggage may be stored at the hotel after checkout.
Capacity:
Up to fourteen clients.
Overnight locations:
York (2 nights).
We will stay at the four-star Hotel Indigo.
Cost:
The estimated cost for a full programme of fourteen is £553 per person, based on a formula of five couples and four individual bookings.
The estimated cost for ten people is £569 per person, based on a formula of three couples and four individual bookings.
The estimated cost for six people is £779 per person, based on a formula of two couples and two individual bookings.
The Jorvik supplement fee is £20. Please note in your initial message whether you want this.
Deposit and Final Payment:
A nonrefundable deposit of £150 is due on commitment to the programme.
The balance of payment is due by 15th May 2025.
Payments will be made to the company Wise account by bank transfer. The company has accounts in GBP, Euro, USD, Can D, Aus D and NZ D.
Costs included and Not:
The costs include all accommodation, breakfasts, a group dinner on the first night, all ticket costs and guiding fees. The tour does not include airfare/travel to and from the starting points of the programme, nor health and travel insurance, nor meals beyond those just noted.
Talks:
There are no formal talks as the schedule is absolutely packed, but I’ll intersperse my guiding with remarks about the history of York.
Points to Consider:
This is a very intense tour. It will require stamina. Though many of the sites are wheelchair accessible, some are not, especially the City Walls.
Overview:
This tour is designed to give a good overview of the Roman North from the 1st century AD to the Roman withdrawal in AD 410. Dr Chappell will give five talks of 30-60 minutes just after breakfast to give the context helpful to the sites we visit. The focus of the tour is the sites of the Roman North and associated museums. The North was heavily militarised so much of what you see will be related to soldiers, their camps and the archaeological remains they have left.
The tour is exciting and very full but with limited free time except evenings. I’m happy to give you recommendations about other sites, restaurants, etc. There will be significant walking at various sites and a degree of vigour and stamina is necessary, especially at Hadrian’s Wall. This tour has an unusual amount of travelling because of the widespread locations of Roman sites.
Dates:
Wednesday 6th August to Wednesday 13th August 2025 (7 full days not including arrival and departure). There is a one day Chester supplement available which would extend the programme to Thursday 14th August.
The tour ends after breakfast on Wednesday 13th August or Thursday 14th August if you add the Chester supplement.
Capacity:
Up to fourteen clients.
Rest Days:
The day of arrival, Wednesday 6th August, will be a day of rest to allow you to recover from travel at our hotel in York. Evenings are generally free except for two nights when group dinners will be provided on 6th and 12th August.
Overnight Locations:
York (2 nights), Newcastle (1 night), Hexham (1 night), Carlisle (1 night), Lancaster (1 night), Manchester (1 night).
We will stay at four-star (Holiday Inn York City Centre, Newcastle Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn Lancaster, Crowne Plaza Manchester City Centre) and three-star hotels (Travelodge, Hexham and The Crown and Mitre, Carlisle). The Chester supplementary night is at the Crowne Plaza Chester.
Cost:
The estimated cost for a full programme of fourteen is £1227 per person, based on a formula of five couples and four individual bookings. The Chester supplement is £102 pp.
The estimated cost for ten people is £1292 per person, based on a formula of three couples and four individual bookings. The Chester supplement is £119 pp.
The estimated cost for six people is £1573 per person, based on a formula of two couples and two individual bookings. The Chester supplement is £143 pp.
Deposit and Final Payment:
A nonrefundable deposit of £500 is due on commitment to the programme.
The balance of payment is due by 1st July 2025.
Payments will be made to the company Wise account by bank transfer. The company has accounts in GBP, Euro, USD, Can D, Aus D and NZ D.
Costs included and not:
The costs include all accommodation, breakfasts, two group dinners and a group lunch, all ticket costs and guiding fees, transport within the programme. The tour does not include airfare/travel to and from the starting points of the programme, nor health and travel insurance nor meals beyond those just noted.
Talks:
Roman Eboracum.
Urbanism and Civilian Life.
The Army and the North.
Hadrian’s Wall
Roman Religion in the North.
Roman Deva is the talk for the Chester supplement.
Points to consider:
The tour is very intensive. It is designed for people with limited holiday time who want to see as much as possible in a short time, especially those with an interest in Roman history. There will be little free time every day for rest and further exploration. There will be urban walks but also those over rough surfaces Hadrian’s Wall. Many sites are rather hilly. British summers range from hot to cool but often experience rain. You’ll need shoes or boots with good grip for Hadrian’s Wall as well as umbrellas. It may be muddy. Hadrian’s Wall is not wheelchair accessible nor many other Roman camps.
Overview:
This tour is designed to give a good overview of religious life in Northern England from the ancient world to the modern. Its core focus is Christianity: Catholic, Anglican and to a lesser degree Nonconformist. But Roman paganism, Judaism and Islam also receive attention. The Museum of Faith at Auckland Castle is remarkably comprehensive and goes beyond these limits. The supplementary talks give a broader context which is useful for understanding particular sites.
The tour is exciting and very full but with limited free time except evenings and a full and partial free day. I’m happy to give you recommendations about other sites, restaurants, etc. There will be significant walking at various sites and a degree of vigour and stamina is necessary. This tour has a fair amount of travelling because of the widespread locations of important religious sites.
Dates:
Monday 25th August to Sunday 7th September 2025 (12 full days not including arrival and departure).
The tour ends after breakfast on Sunday 7th September.
Capacity:
Up to fourteen clients.
Rest Days:
The day of arrival, Monday 25th August, will be a day of rest to allow you to recover from travel at our hotel in York. Sunday 31st August is a free day in Durham. The afternoon of our last full day, Saturday 6th September is free in Manchester. Evenings are generally free except for two nights when group dinners will be provided on 25th August and 6th September.
Overnight Locations:
York (4 nights), Durham (3 nights), Hexham (2 nights), Carlisle (1 night), Manchester (3 nights).
We will stay at four-star (Holiday Inn York City Centre, Durham Royal County, Crowne Plaza
Manchester City Centre) and three-star hotels (Travelodge, Hexham and The Crown and Mitre, Carlisle).
Cost:
The estimated cost for a full programme of fourteen is £2015 per person, based on a formula of five couples and four individual bookings.
The estimated cost for ten people is £2233 per person, based on a formula of three couples and four individual bookings.
The estimated cost for six people is £2840 per person, based on a formula of two couples and two individual bookings.
Deposit and Final Payment:
A nonrefundable deposit of £500 is due on commitment to the programme.
The balance of payment is due by 15th July 2025.
Payments will be made to the company Wise account by bank transfer. The company has accounts in GBP, Euro, USD, Can D, Aus D and NZ D.
Costs included and not:
The costs include all accommodation, breakfasts, two group dinners, all ticket costs and guiding fees, transport within the programme. The tour does not include airfare/travel to and from the starting points of the programme, nor health and travel insurance nor meals beyond those just noted.
Talks:
Roman Religion
Northumbrian and Viking Christianity
The Normans and Christianity
High Medieval Christianity
The Reformation to the Civil War in the North
Franciscan Spirituality (by Br Benedict SSF of Alnmouth)
The Restoration and the Nonconformist Challenge
The Victorian Era: Catholic and Evangelical
Twentieth Century Religion: Christianity, Judaism and Islam
Points to consider:
The tour is very intensive. It is designed for people with limited holiday time who want to see as much as possible in a short time, especially those with an interest in religion and its history. There will be little free time every day for rest and further exploration. There will be urban walks but also those over rough surfaces. Many sites are rather hilly, especially Durham. British summers range from hot to cool but often experience rain. You’ll need shoes or boots with good grip for as well as umbrellas. It may be muddy in some rural locations, such as the Mithraeum. York City Walls are not wheelchair accessible nor the Mithraeum.
Overview:
I will offer the Great English Cities tour every year with different locations. For the inaugural tour, we will explore three great English Cathedral cities and their environs from their ancient roots through their wealthy Medieval period to the present. Salisbury, Norwich and York each played a very important role in the development of English history and retain many beautiful traces of that rich past. All benefited from the wool trade. Norwich and York vied for the position of second city in England in the Middle Ages. On our travel days, we will stop at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford and the Castle and Cathedral in Lincoln. Stonehenge, Avebury and Sutton Hoo are iconic sites in the tour, along with Salisbury and Norwich Cathedrals and York Minster. Guildhalls and museums, York city walls and the beautiful Georgian Fairfax House add interest to this varied and in-depth exploration of four millennia.
The tour is exciting and full but does leave you time to explore on your own in the beautiful cities in which we stay. I’m happy to give you recommendations about other sites, restaurants, etc. There will be significant walking at various sites and a degree of vigour is necessary.
Dates:
Wednesday 10th to Thursday 25th September 2025 (14 full days).
The tour ends after breakfast on Thursday 25th September in York. Transportation homewards isn’t provided, but York is a major railway hub.
Capacity:
Up to 14 clients.
Rest Days: Tuesday 16th September, based in Norwich, is a free day. Sunday 21st September based in York, is a free day.
Overnight Locations:
Salisbury (4 nights), Norwich (5 nights), York (6 nights).
We will stay at a mix of three- (Riverside Hotel, Salisbury) and four-star hotels (Maids Head Hotel, Norwich, Hotel Indigo, York).
Cost:
The estimated cost for a full programme of 14 is £3095 per person, based on a formula of five couples and four individual bookings.
The estimated cost for 10 people is £3372 per person, based on a formula of three couples and four individual bookings.
The estimated cost for 6 people is £4072 per person, based on a formula of two couples and two individual bookings.
Deposit and Final Payment:
A nonrefundable deposit of £750 is due on commitment to the programme.
The balance of payment is due by 8th July 2025.
Payments will be made to the company Wise account by bank transfer. The company has accounts in GBP, Euro, USD, Can D, Aus D and NZ D.
Costs Included and Not:
The costs include all accommodation, breakfasts, three group dinners, all ticket costs and guiding fees, transport within the programme. The tour does not include airfare/travel to and from the starting points of the programme, nor health and travel insurance, nor meals beyond those just noted.
Talks:
Points to consider:
The tour is intensive, but not constantly so. There will be free time every day for rest and further exploration. The free days are designed to give a respite and time to pursue your own interests. There will be urban walks, but also those over rough surfaces in sites such as Avebury and West Kennet Long Barrow. British summers are warm, even hot, but can be variable. There’ll likely be some rain. You’ll need shoes or boots with good grip (for the prehistoric sites) as well as umbrellas. Some areas of historic cities do have cobbles.
The tours range in length from a weekend to several weeks. I offer three-day mid-week breaks as well as those of about a week. The shorter tours are mostly concentrated on a particular location. They are designed to give a thorough grounding in the history of an area. Longer tours involve more travelling.
The main focus of the tours is seeing and learning about historical sites and visiting museums. Either I or a site guide will give talks at each site to contextualise and explain them. Additionally, over the course of the tour, I will give several talks of thirty minutes to an hour on thematic topics related to the tour or covering developments over time.
You should have an interest in history and an openness and curiosity about the world. Since all the content is given in English, you will need a strong command of the English language. The tours are challenging physically at times, so you will need to be reasonably vigorous. Some tours will involve sites that are not accessible to the dis
You should have an interest in history and an openness and curiosity about the world. Since all the content is given in English, you will need a strong command of the English language. The tours are challenging physically at times, so you will need to be reasonably vigorous. Some tours will involve sites that are not accessible to the disabled, such as Hadrian’s Wall. I’m happy to have a conversation about which tours are more or less practicable.
The tours will cover accommodation, entrance fees, some occasional group meals, and travel internal to the programme. Travel to and from the starting and ending point of the tour is not included. See individual programme pages for the cost of each programme.
The tours are designed for groups of up to fourteen people. Larger groups are impracticable because of logistics and accommodation. If programmes fill, I will maintain a non-ranked waitlist for those who remain interested. We travel mostly by coach or minibus, with short flights in some programmes. Hotels will be 3 or 4 stars.
Please e-mail stephen@historictours.co.uk to express interest. You will need to provide name, ’phone number, e-mail, country where you live and the number of places in the tour you wish to take. Please specify the programme(s) that interest you. We can then have a conversation by e-mail or video chat (telephone is possible in the UK) to see if you wish to commit to the tour.
A £500 nonrefundable deposit will need to be paid immediately on signing up for the programme. The balance of the cost will be due at least two months before the programme’s start.
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