Fun at the core of Blakesley Hall’s Apple Day
Sunday 11 October, 11.00am to 4.00pm
Blakesley Hall’s orchard is providing the inspiration for a fruitful family day out on Sunday 11 October when the historic Tudor house hosts its annual Apple Day celebrations.
Apple Day marks this year’s bumper harvest with activities from William Tell-inspired archery to tasting apple juice pressed from Blakesley’s own crop. For those who prefer their juice fermented, cider courtesy of the renowned Norburys Norrest Farm will be available to sample and purchase, whilst in the hall itself, a golden apple trail rewards intrepid explorers!
“We have a real mix of around 16 traditional apple trees on site, from sweet dessert apples to crab apples for making jellies and chutneys, so we’ve got a full day of celebrating this fantastically versatile fruit,” comments museum team manager for Blakesley Hall, Steve Spencer. “Apples were a common ingredient in Tudor cooking, so it is likely that many of the apples from the orchard would have made it onto the dining table of the Smalbroke family who built the hall in the late 16th century.”
Entertainment for the day will be provided by a local troupe of Morris Dancers, Glorishears, with folk music ringing through the air throughout the day. Following their hard work over the summer, honey bees from the Birmingham and District Bee Keepers Association will be making more sweet treats in their observation hive, with jars of local honey also available to purchase, alongside bags of freshly-picked apples and plants to stock their garden from the plant stall. Hot food will be available throughout the day or anyone needing a non-apple energy boost.
Admission to the event, tea-room and grounds of Blakesley Hall is free, with entry to the hall itself priced at £6.00 for adults and £5.00 for concessions.
For further information, please visit www.birminghammuseums.org.uk/blakesley or call 0121 348 8120.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
Other forthcoming events at Blakesley Hall include:
Tue 27 Oct – Fri 30 October
Haunted House: The Witchfinder Visits…
The year is 1645 and the witchfinder general has descended upon Blakesley Hall in search of witches! Find out about this scary episode of British history and see the Hall dressed for Halloween!
Suitable for all ages.
Adults - £3.00, Under 16s free.
Thu 29 October
Creepy Crafts
Drop in for creepy, crafty fun from 12.30pm to 2.30pm.
£2.00 per child.
Sat 12 and Sun 13 December
Tudor Christmas
See Blakesley Hall dressed for a Tudor Christmas and meet Tudor characters preparing for the Yuletide festivities. Enjoy our small Christmas market, with festive tunes provided by the St Barnabus Hand-bell ringers and choir ‘Divertimento’.
Adults £10.00, Concessions £8.00, Children £6.00
Mon 14 & Tue 15 December
Christmas Tour and Victorian Magic Lantern Show
A ‘Christmas through the ages’ tour of the hall with the emphasis on the Tudor period and see how the Victorians celebrated Christmas with a festive magic lantern show. Festive treats available in the café.
£8 Pre-booking essential (tel-0121 348 8120)
Birmingham Museums Trust is an independent charity that manages the city’s museum collection and venues on behalf of Birmingham City Council. It uses the collection of around 800,000 objects to provide a wide range of arts, cultural and historical experiences, events and activities that deliver accessible learning, creativity and enjoyment for citizens and visitors to the city. Most areas of the collection are designated as being of national importance, including the finest collection of Pre-Raphaelite art in the world. Attracting over 1 million visits a year, the Trust’s venues include Aston Hall, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Blakesley Hall, Museum Collections Centre, Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, Sarehole Mill, Soho House, Thinktank and Weoley Castle. www.birminghammuseums.org.uk
Arts Council England champions, develops and invests in artistic and cultural experiences that enrich people’s lives. It supports a range of activities across the arts, museums and libraries – from theatre to digital art, reading to dance, music to literature, and crafts to collections. Great art and culture inspires us, brings us together and teaches us about ourselves and the world around us. In short, it makes life better. Between 2015 and 2018, Arts Council England plans to invest £1.1 billion of public money from government and an estimated £700 million from the National Lottery to help create these experiences for as many people as possible across the country. www.artscouncil.org.uk
For further media information or photographs, please contact:
Jay Commins
Pyper York Limited
Tel: 0121 285 9899
Email: jay@pyperyork.co.uk
