Historic Houses
Enjoy a three night stay at The Star and enjoy access to a selection of historic and well known houses, guided by the team at The Star.
At Friston Place, Olga Polizzi has gradually developed a planting scheme that melds Italianate formality with the romance of an English flower garden.
On Tuesday 5 May, make your way to Friston Place, the stunning Jacobean home of Olga Polizzi. You will be given a tour of the garden, after which there will be a drinks reception in The Great Hall. On return to The Star, dinner will be served in The Dining Room from 7pm.
Charleston was a gathering point for some of the 20th century’s most radical artists, writers and thinkers known collectively as the Bloomsbury group.
The following day, after breakfast, the group will go by coach to Charleston, the former home of The Bloomsbury Group, for a private tour of this extraordinary historic house. There will also be a guided walk around its pretty cottage garden, and the opportunity to look round the exhibition (‘Virginia Woolf & the Hogarth Press’ and ‘Guerrilla Girls’) as well as time to visit the excellent shop! Lunch will be at The Ram in Firle. The afternoon will be spent at Michelham Priory, a stunning Tudor house on an 800 year old historic site, where guests will be given a private tour of the house, and there will be time to explore the gardens. Dinner will be served at The Star in the evening.
Monk’s House, its garden and writing shed all plaited themselves intimately into the lives of Virginia and Leonard Wolf.
On Thursday, guests will go by coach to Monk’s House, the former home of Virginia Woolf, for a private tour of her house and garden in the pretty village of Rodmell. The group will then go to Farleys House, the former home of the model and war photographer, Lee Miller (recently played by Kate Winslet in the critically acclaimed film, ‘Lee’). Lunch will be served in the Atelier at Farleys, followed by a private talk with Antony Penrose, the son of Lee Miller, about his grandmother, ‘The Legendary Lee Miller’. The afternoon will include a tour of the house in which Lee Miller lived, which is a fascinating journey back in time, and a showcase of an extensive art collection. On return to The Star, there will be free time to explore Alfriston, followed by dinner at the hotel.
The oak leaf carved into the beams of Alfriston Clergy House inspired the National Trust to adopt it as their logo.
On the final morning, enjoy a short walk to Alfriston Clergy House on the Tye, for a special guided tour of this Wealden House, that was the first ever National Trust property. A tour of the garden at The Clergy House marks the end of this three night break, and guests will say farewell.
Tuesday 5 May
15.00–Private Tour of Friston Place (guests to arrive independently)
17.00–Departure from Friston Place to The Star
19.00–Dinner at leisure in The Dining Room
Wednesday 6 May
Breakfast at leisure
9.30–Depart The Star by coach
10.00–Private tour of Charleston (House and Garden)
12.30–Lunch at the Ram
14.15–Depart The Ram
14.30–Private tour of Michelham Priory
19.00–Dinner at leisure in The Dining Room
Thursday 7 May
Breakfast at leisure.
10.00–Depart The Star by coach
10.30–Private tour of Monk’s House
12.00–Depart from Monk’s House
12.30–Lunch at Atelier at Farleys House (followed by a private talk by Antony Penrose)
14.00–House Tour of Farleys House
15.30–Depart from Farleys to The Star
19.00–Dinner at leisure in The Dining Room
Friday 8 May
Breakfast at leisure
09:20–Guests to walk from The Star to Alfriston Clergy House
09.30–Private tour of The Clergy House
10:45–Departure
Historic Houses
8-5 May
From £2451 for entrance to the Historic Houses, three nights accommodation, breakfast, lunch and dinner (£60 allowance per person, per night, excluding drinks) each day. Based on two guests sharing a Classic Juliet room.
