NCS - 2018 summer Youth challenge
Over the summer we had two groups of young people deliver social action projects of gardening and historical re-enactment as part of the UKGOV National Citizen Service (NCS) Youth Challenge program! The Historical Re-enactment was performed in the courtyard by the students and gave the audience a glimpse into the life of Robert Dudley, the founder of the Lord Leycester. Our second group of young volunteers cleared the garden and planted new plants, installed a bird feeder, bench and ornaments to the trees. Both groups worked hard and should be proud of their accomplishments - we love what they did and hope to see them again!
Our Hero runs in the two castles race
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Our hero Mike Tansey ran in the Two Castles Race with his team to raise money for the Lord Leycester! Not only did he raise about £1,000 for us, but he also won the prize for First Place in his category as a Senior Runner! We are so proud of him! |
700-YEAR-OLD GREAT HALL HOSTS THE COURT LEET BEER FESTIVAL
On Friday 16th and Saturday 17th February, the Lord Leycester hosted the Beer Festival in the Great Hall. With the event sold out, hundreds came and enjoyed a wide variety of specially selected ales and ciders, such as Happy Valley, Backyard Gold and Bee Sting Cider. The Warwick Mayor honoured us by opening the event and sampling a few of the ales.
Money that was raised from the event will be used to fund our "Reveal the Seal" campaign, which is raising money to restore a seal commemorating King James I Banquet back in 1617. We would like to say a huge thank you to Warwick Court Leet for sponsoring and organising this event and don't forget they will host the same event in 2019 - 15 and 16 February! Pre-purchase your ticket as entry is limited.
Money that was raised from the event will be used to fund our "Reveal the Seal" campaign, which is raising money to restore a seal commemorating King James I Banquet back in 1617. We would like to say a huge thank you to Warwick Court Leet for sponsoring and organising this event and don't forget they will host the same event in 2019 - 15 and 16 February! Pre-purchase your ticket as entry is limited.
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Institution of our new master
On Monday 6th November, Heidi L Meyer was formally instituted as the 33rd Master and, more significantly, the first female Master of The Lord Leycester Hospital in its 450-year history!
It was a rather special historical event as part of a tradition that has continued since the first Master was installed in 1571 by our founder, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leycester. A ceremony was held in the Chapel, centered around the Master taking the oath laid down in 1571 to 'govern and order this Hospital, and the poor thereof, in the fear of God according to the Laws, Statutes and Ordinances of the Founder thereof' before the Bishop of Coventry, who gave her his blessing.
In attendance at the service was our Patron Viscount De L'Isle, the Governors, Warwickshire Dignitaries including the Lord Lieutenant, the Mayor, the High Sheriff, the Court Leet, and town and district council representatives.
It was a rather special historical event as part of a tradition that has continued since the first Master was installed in 1571 by our founder, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leycester. A ceremony was held in the Chapel, centered around the Master taking the oath laid down in 1571 to 'govern and order this Hospital, and the poor thereof, in the fear of God according to the Laws, Statutes and Ordinances of the Founder thereof' before the Bishop of Coventry, who gave her his blessing.
In attendance at the service was our Patron Viscount De L'Isle, the Governors, Warwickshire Dignitaries including the Lord Lieutenant, the Mayor, the High Sheriff, the Court Leet, and town and district council representatives.
Photographs courtesy of Gillian Fletcher
Warwick's King James Festival
On 3rd-5th November 2017, events were held across Warwick for the King James Festival to celebrate the 400th anniversary of King James I's visit to Warwick during which Fulke Greville hosted a 3-day banquet for King James in our very own Great Hall, the cost of which took the people of Warwick 10 years to pay off! A plaque was erected in the Great Hall to mark this event but was later covered up in the 1950s-60s, and we are fundraising to expose it in our #RevealTheSeal campaign.
We recreated this banquet (for only one - sold out - night!) with a 5-course feast of Jacobean food, drink and entertainment, featuring Warwick School choir, brass players and classical guitarists, Dante Ferrara playing the lute and the hurdy gurdy, and Adam Busiakiewicz giving the guests an historical account of the event. The banquet was attended by King James himself (played by Rich Eddy) and his courtiers Fulke Greville (played by Tony Henning) and the Earl of Buckingham (played by Mark Robertson).
We recreated this banquet (for only one - sold out - night!) with a 5-course feast of Jacobean food, drink and entertainment, featuring Warwick School choir, brass players and classical guitarists, Dante Ferrara playing the lute and the hurdy gurdy, and Adam Busiakiewicz giving the guests an historical account of the event. The banquet was attended by King James himself (played by Rich Eddy) and his courtiers Fulke Greville (played by Tony Henning) and the Earl of Buckingham (played by Mark Robertson).
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Some photographs courtesy of Gillian Fletcher
The following day, we hosted an event in our Courtyard and Great Hall to continue the festivities with another performance from Dante Ferrara and more 17th century food and drink, including Warwick Pies, suckling pigs, cakes, ale and mead!
Welcoming Our Wounded Warrior
On Thursday 2nd November, Guardsman John Dawson, our Wounded Warrior was welcomed to The Lord Leycester Hospital. This is in keeping with our 450-year-old Charter from 1572 that calls for the Hospital to provide a place of refuge and home to soldiers' as shall hereafter be maimed or hurt in the wars, in the service of the Queens Majesty, her heirs and successors'. John served with the Grenadier Guards in Helmand, Afghanistan 5 years ago where he was injured, and he is now very excited to be here and we are delighted to have him in our community.
We would like to thank the Grocers Company who gave a very generous donation to renovate the Laight Flat, John's new home, and The Grenadier Guards, The Royal British Legion, ABF The Soldiers' Charity, Blesma, The 353 Trust, Rugby for Heroes, Warwick Relief in Need Charity, The Warwick Lions Club, Jenny Bragg and Mandy Littlejohn for their generous outpouring of philanthropy and support.
We would like to thank the Grocers Company who gave a very generous donation to renovate the Laight Flat, John's new home, and The Grenadier Guards, The Royal British Legion, ABF The Soldiers' Charity, Blesma, The 353 Trust, Rugby for Heroes, Warwick Relief in Need Charity, The Warwick Lions Club, Jenny Bragg and Mandy Littlejohn for their generous outpouring of philanthropy and support.
Filming
Scenes over the years - The Lord Leycester has featured in a number of films because of its authentic buildings and spectacular versatility as a medieval/Tudor backdrop. Below you see scenes from Dr Who and the 1990's version of Pride and Prejudice starring Colin Firth. The latest is the BBC series Shakespeare and Hathaway!
Fire Fighters
In February 2017, Watch Commander Steve Bolt led a team from Leamington Spa Fire Station to train at the Lord Leycester Hospital on ladder pitching, not a straight forward task when the buildings are medieval.
“We train every day,” said WC Bolt “but not every day on such old buildings and this takes extra skill and precautions.”
The Lord Leycester Hospital is over seven hundred years old with half timbered buildings vulnerable to fire – however, the Lord Leycester did avoid being burnt down by the Great Fire of Warwick in 1694.
“We train every day,” said WC Bolt “but not every day on such old buildings and this takes extra skill and precautions.”
The Lord Leycester Hospital is over seven hundred years old with half timbered buildings vulnerable to fire – however, the Lord Leycester did avoid being burnt down by the Great Fire of Warwick in 1694.
Drama
The Lord Leycester is a perfect venue for drama and dramatic productions! We have drama students and real actors who visit us. In May 2017 our Warwick local group, the Slaughterhouse Players (in the photo on the far left) put on a production of Good Queen Bess to raise funds for our chapel roof.
Music
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(Right) In January 2017 Fran Barsby put on a series of events to encourage young students interest in Harp Playing.
"Come and Play the Harp" was another successfully event put on in our Great Hall. (Left) And the improbable - a Mexican Band performs in front of the Masters House. |
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The Lord Leycester Japanese style
We were sent this stunning video by Minako Karachi. Lord Leycester is a popular place for Japanese tourists to visit. The narration is mostly in Japanese - with a few small segments in English - but the cinematography is great and worth viewing.