As the perfect, quintessentially British setting, Bowood House and Gardens (between Calne and Chippenham, Wiltshire) has continuing pull for a wide range of crowd-pleasing events. Surrounded by 2,000 acres of Grade 1 listed Capability Brown parkland, looking down to the sinuous lake and with Bowood House’s stately facade as a backdrop, upcoming events at Bowood see stately heritage blend with contemporary lifestyle for truly special occasions. When it comes to the outdoor evening performances, entertainment and picnicking within Bowood’s Pleasure Grounds – as the sun sets over Bowood House (home to the Lansdowne family since the 1754) – and its parkland, the atmosphere will be truly exceptional.
On Saturday June 16, The Tempest will be staged at Bowood as part of a four-month tour by The Lord Chamberlain’s Men. Bowood House’s East Lawn will provide the setting for
The Tempest to be performed as in Shakespeare’s day – in the open-air with an all-male company of actors in full Elizabethan costume, plus traditional music and dance.Gates open at 6.30pm for the 7.30pm performance. www.tlcm.co.uk/events/83/bowood-house-gardens
Starting out at the Brighton Festival in May (and concluding in mainland Europe in September), The Tempest’s tour will take in some of the UK’s most significant, historically important and visually stunning castles, cathedrals and stately homes.
The Handmade Fair, presented by Kirstie Allsopp,arrives in Wiltshire for the first time over the weekend of Friday 22nd - Sunday 24th June.Kirstie Allsopp, Liz Earle and Sarah Raven will each appear as a featured daily host, respectively.
The Handmade Fairoffers an extended weekend of creativity and the chance to learn a new craft through the joy of the handmade. This will be the perfect opportunity to get stuck into a new project or hobby while sharing tips, tricks and skills with other like-minded creatives. Inspiration will come from leading experts and with handpicked sellers assembled there’s the chance to shop for unique items, materials and tools that are not to be found on the high street. Celebrity Q & As, live demonstrations, hands-on making sessions and workshops are all on offer as part of this artistic celebration while food and drink from the UK’s best artisans add to the flavour too. www.thehandmadefair.com/bowood
‘A Boundless Summer’ weekend of music – Saturday 21st & Sunday 22nd July – will be headlined by Jools Holland on one night and Katherine Jenkins the next. On the Saturday(5-10pm), Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra will be joined by former members of Squeeze: drummer Gilson Levis and, as the evening’s special guest, founding member and song writer, Chris Difford. Ruby Turner, Louise Marshall and Rosie Mae will be the vocalists. Sunday 22nd’s (5.30-10pm) featured artist will be mezzo soprano,Katherine Jenkins supported by the National Symphony Orchestra and conductor, Anthony Inglis (who previously performed at Bowood during last August’s Great British Prom concert) with singer and actor, John Owen-Jones as the evening’s special guest.
Staged by Boundless - the club that offers members a choice of great-value days out, holidays and exclusive events - these two Bowood concerts are open to the general public. www.boundlesssummer.co.uk
Declared a smash hit by some 4,000 concertgoers in 2017,Classic Ibiza will return for its second successive year on Saturday 4th August, bringing some of the best of the White Island’s dance tunes to orchestral life. The 2018 oncert promises to be bigger and better with the involvement of dance music pioneers, Ministry of Sound.
The evening will again start with a chill-out set with picnics being enjoyed as the sun fades and the dancing begins. Then the live DJ will turn up the tempo in the interval before the Urban Soul
Orchestra (conducted by Stephen Hussey) and vocalists at the top of their game return to the stage to ramp things up into full, party mode. As a hint of what’s to come, 2017’s second set started with Fat Boy Slim’s “Right Here Right Now” and Insomnia’s “Faithless” to a euphoric response as music-accompanying lasers turned the beautiful grounds of Bowood into a magical, alfresco nightclub. The atmosphere was electric as one classic dance track followed another. www.classicibiza.co.uk/general-information3.html
With its first Bowood appearance earlier this month, theBowood Classic Car & Motorcycle Show will return on Sunday 12th Augustfor another day-out for motoring heritage enthusiasts and the whole family, staged by leading vehicle event organiser, Classic Shows.
The showcase ofvintage, classic and modern vehicles in front of Bowood House will be accentuated by insight from a commentator and vehicle experts. A variety of club stands, sports and convertibles, kit, custom and replica and American vehicles will be featured too and local car clubs - including the Jenson Owners Club, Banbury Classic Car Club, Wessex MG Club, Rolling Back the Years and the Classic Car Historic Motor Club - are already signed up. Awards will be presented for a range of categories and culminating in the Pride of Ownership, Club of the Show and Car of the Show awards. Rounding off the experience will be trade and autojumble stalls, children’s entertainment and quality food and drink choices too.Admission to the event is included in Bowood House and Gardens’ admission price.
Back at Bowood for its third consecutive year will be the August Bank Holiday weekend’s Great British Food Festival (Saturday 25th - Monday 27th August).Guest demos will run alongsidekids’ cookery lessons while over 80 top local producers, real ale, wine bars and live music will also be featured among the great range of foodie delights across thisthree day event. www.greatbritishfoodfestival.com/bowood-house
Other returning events that have achieved loyal followings over the years include Tractor Ted’s Big Machines Weekend in August (Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th), and September’s Living Heritage Wiltshire Game and Country Fair(Saturday 22nd & Sunday 23rd). Also making good advantage of the wide-open space and stunning sceneery at Bowood, will be theLPS Events Triathlon(Saturday 30th June & Sunday 1st July) and the LPS Events Duathlon (Sunday October 14) .www.bowood.org/events
Throughout the season, 2018‘s “A Patriotic Peace: the 5th Marquess and the First World War at Bowood House” special exhibition will be mounted in Robert Adam’s Orangery. Marking the centenary of the end of World War, it will follow on from 2014’s ‘For King and Country‘ exhibition. Bowood House served as an auxiliary Red Cross hospital from 1915-1919 and was based in the Orangery and the Sculpture Gallery. A key focus of the 2018 exhibtiion will be the 5th Marquess of Lansdowne’s ‘Peace Letter’. Appalled at the scale of slaughter from a war that had been expected to last just a few months, Lord Lansdowne called for Britain to negotiate a peace treaty with Germany. While Lord Lansdowne’s advocacy was highly informed and well-considered, his viewpoint on peace negotiation was extremely unpopular among those singularly-focussed on the prospect of victory. Considered “a deed of shame”, his ‘Peace Letter’, published in The Daily Telegraph on 29th November 1917, set him as an outcast and effectively ended his political career.
Bowood House and Gardens visitors will appreciate those extras that complement their whole experience: ample parking, The Stables Restaurant, The Treehouse Café and an inspiring Gift Shop, for instance.
For those wishing to extend their visit with an overnight stay on the Estate, the 43 bedroom Bowood Hotel, Spa and Golf Resortis justa mile from the House and Gardens, wonderfully positioned in the western corner of Capability Brown’s parkland and with its own dedicated entrance onto the Estate. Bedroom rates are from £150 per night with breakfast included and use of spa facilities. Entrance to Bowood House and Gardens is also included during the open season (through to Sunday November 4 2018).
For more details on upcoming events at Bowood, visit: www.bowood.org/events/