Kings, Queens and picnics at Witley Court for Jubilee

King & Queens Family Fun Trail - 2 –7 June 2012

Jubilee Picnic Party – 3 - 4 June 2012

Anyone looking for a regal setting for their Jubilee celebrations would be hard-pushed to find a better venue in Worcestershire than Witley Court & Gardens, near Worcester, where the site team will be celebrating the event with family fun trails and picnics!

From Sunday 3 to Jubilee Bank Holiday Monday 4 June, visitors to the historic house and gardens are invited to bring their rugs and picnic baskets to join the Jubilee Picnic Party, part of a national initiative from English Heritage to encourage visitors to enjoy al fresco dining, using the most stunning historic properties as backdrops for their chilled feasts, accompanied by a trio of musicians!

“Witley Court is a wonderful place for picnics, with great expanses of grass for people to spread their rugs in a number of different settings, from the wilderness gardens and alongside the woodland trail for those who like a bit of shade, to the rolling lawns around the fountain for sun lovers,” says site manager, Anna Pearsall. “We’re also going to have garden games outside the visitor centre to keep families amused, from chess to snakes and ladders and even a collection of 70s classic toys like space hoppers and hoola hoops for outdoor fun.”

In case of inclement weather, the fun will move indoors to the Education room, where children can also enjoy arts and crafts activities, including colouring in royal-themed templates and crown-making for young princes and princesses!

Children will also be encouraged to explore the grounds further in a fun Kings & Queens Trail, collecting a quiz sheet from the admissions desk and seeking out all of the eight monarchs hidden around the North Park – a royal certificate will be presented to everyone completing the trail!

Throughout the Jubilee weekend, Witley Court’s famous fountain will fire every hour on the hour - on a still day the column of water rises up to 70 feet in the air! Visitors can also enjoy the recently opened woodland and lakeside walks, and see the stunning blooms in the restored East Parterre garden.

Witley Court is located on the A443 in Great Witley, around 10 miles North West of Worcester. Admission prices are £6.50 for adults, £5.90 for concessions and £3.90 for children, with a family ticket (two adults and up to three children) available for just £16.90. English Heritage members get in free. The site is open daily from 10.00am – 5.00pm.

For more details, please call 01299 896636 or visit www.english-heritage.org.uk/witleycourt

ENDS

Notes to editors:

Other Jubilee events at English Heritage sites in the West Midlands include:

For further media information, please contact:

Jay Commins

PRO – English Heritage

Tel: 0113 251 5698

Mob: 07810 546567

Email: jay@fim.org.uk