LeisureCourses.net – short courses & residential study breaks in great locations

The Making of a Myth: King Arthur, Joseph of Arimathea & Glastonbury

An exploration of the origins of the legends about "the matter of Britain" -the collection of medieval myths and legends associated with King Arthur and the origins of Christianity in Britain, some of which are associated with the west country. We look at any historical foundation of such myths together with their development and elaboration...

Mozart In Vienna – Trouble & Triumph

Mozart arrived in Vienna having walked out of Salzburg and with the disapproval of his father, which turned out to be a risk both professionally and personally. Yet during the years 1781-1791 he composed some of his most innovative and inspired music. His three da Ponte operas as well as the Magic Flute appeared, as...

The Making of England: Alfred the Great & The House of Wessex

From the reign of King Egbert in the early ninth century, Wessex slowly emerged as the dominant kingdom in Anglo-Saxon England. Egbert’s direct descendant, Alfred the Great, saved Wessex from Viking attack and invasion and through far-sighted reforms provided his descendants with a foundation from which England would be unified. With reference to sources of...

The Language of Drawing

From the caves at Lascaux to the plans for the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, so much human endeavour begins with drawing. As children, when we pick up a crayon and draw, we discover a liberating and potent way to describe the world around us. Drawing is our first language with which we communicate our...

Migration – Where did West Country People Go? The Untold Story

A chance to look at the untold story of migration from the West Country all over the world. Early Migration in the 1600s to the New World, the rush for land in America during the 1800s, new life in Australia and New Zealand and not forgetting movement to other parts of the United Kingdom. Ideal...

The Roman Army in the West Country

During this day course we will examine why the Roman Army was deployed to the West Country, the role, tactics and distribution of Roman forts, and the different types of Roman soldiers and their equipment. The tutor will bring a range of equipment that is representative of archaeological artefacts found in the West Country including...

Choosing Plants for Your Borders

This classroom based course, run over three consecutive s, is for those who want no more expensive mistakes through impulse buying. Whether you are planting a border from scratch or trying to improve an established garden, the wealth of plants on offer can be overwhelming. By considering a few simple guidelines, putting plants together to...

Summer Swing!

Summer is the time for all things light-hearted, so why not spend a day learning some of the Swing Era’s most-memorable numbers in this fun group-singing workshop? With Cole Porter’s Too Darn Hot and the Gershwin brothers’ iconic ‘Summertime’ we’ll explore the rhythmic conventions of swing-feel and the lush textures of jazz harmony. Suitable for...

Book Club: The Book Thief

Bookbinding – Crossed Structure Binding

This course is intended for all levels from the complete beginner to the more experienced and will take place in a studio that is well equipped for general bookbinding. This course will focus on a technique of non-adhesive binding used widely on the Continent. A useful and flexible style using either paper, leather or leather...

An Introduction to Russian Language and Culture

Russian is a Slavik language. It is becoming an increasingly popular language to learn in Western countries these days since the end of the Cold War and an interest in Russian culture. The course will help you learn the Cyrillic Russian alphabet and its origins. You will learn basics of writing, reading and common phrases...

Let there be light… and there was light

Light is essential for life and growth, so during this creative writing day we shall compare mankind's early belief in its origin with today's theory of the Big Bang. We also use light to describe insight, spiritual revelation and the search for knowledge. We shall use music, study and paintings of light in all its...

Much Ado About Nothing: Deception, Darkness & Dogberry

‘I have deceived even your very eyes’. We will explore, through reading and analysis, one of the most popular of Shakespeare’s comedies, Much Ado About Nothing. We will focus on the central theme of deception in the play: in particular the benevolent deception which supports the love story between Beatrice and Benedick, and the malevolent...

Family History Research Day: Using Dillington’s Computers or Your Own Laptop

If you have hit a brick wall in your family history research or simply need a few pointers in the right direction, this one day workshop will provide you with the opportunity to come along and carry out your own research, whilst receiving guidance and advice from the tutor. A computer will be provided or...

Kinky Ukuleles

The songs of ‘The Kinks’ will be the focus for this innovative ukulele workshop run by Sally Vaughan who has delivered a number of popular ukulele courses at Dillington House over the past 2 years. When Ray Davies of ‘The Kinks’ penned his 60s classics he often cited influences from the music hall days of...

Concert with the Gould Piano Trio

For over twenty years the Gould Piano Trio have remained at the forefront of the chamber music scene, and we are very excited to welcome them to Dillington. The programme for this concert will include Ravel’s Sonata for Violin and Cello in C Major, Mozart’s Trio in G Major K564 and Beethoven’s Archduke Trio.

An Introduction to Designing Your Own Garden

This classroom based course, which runs over three consecutive s, provides an opportunity to improve and refresh your garden with support and help from a professional garden designer. You will learn, step by step, how to redesign your own plot. The course will begin with basic principles and go on to consider choosing the right...

AA316 – Open University Nineteenth Centrury Literature Revision

This course is designed specifically for Open University students studying AA316 and preparing for the examination. Its purpose is to revise and consolidate the work that has been done on the nineteenth-century novel, and to examine ways of turning that work to the best effect in the examination. Skills of close analysis will be practised,...

Recorder Short Course

This is an ensemble course for upper intermediate level recorder players. We shall play as a large conducted ensemble, exploring music in many different styles and from all periods of music from the sixteenth to the twenty-first century. The music to be studied will utilise all sizes of recorder, from descant to contrabass. Students are...

Mediation and Mindfulness

A course designed for beginners, and for anyone wanting to refresh their own practice. We will look at how traditional meditation is now ‘mainstream’, formulated as Mindfulness by Jon Kabat Zinn et.al., and used therapeutically in many social contexts. We will have short periods of silent practice with different meditation supports, starting with the breath...

Romanesque, Art, Architecture & Design

The Romanesque period represents the first truly European wide international style, since the fall of the Roman Empire. Its spread alongside the expansion of the Roman Catholic Church is no coincidence, as both the Catholic faith and the nascent political ambitions of new nation states combined to create a heady mix of militant Christianity, politics,...

Ancient Egyptian Treasures in Oxford and Cambridge

The Ashmolean Museum in Oxford and Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge house two of the finest collections of Egyptian antiquities in the UK. In this day course will explore a wealth of ancient Egyptian material, examining highlights of these two wonderful collections from the Predynastic Period (4th millennium BC) through to the Roman Period (2nd century...

A300 – Open University Twentieth Centrury Literature EMA Preparation

This course is designed specifically for Open University students studying A300 and preparing for the End-of-Module Assessment (EMA). Its purpose is to provide an opportunity for detailed analysis of the relevant texts, as well as full discussion of theoretical issues and approaches to writing and structuring the extended essay. There will also be a chance...

Britain’s Industrial Heritage

This course showcases aspects of Britain’s rich industrial heritage, from Cheshire to Aberdeen, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire and the Isle of Man. Typical sites include textile mills, water and wind mills, railways, canals, mines, limekilns, cement works, breweries, maltings, salt works and ports, but often the smallest industries are the most fascinating. There is a field visit...

Paper Making and Literature

Using rags, old books and new ideas, make handmade paper with a literary theme. Authors like Wordsworth, Tennyson, Shakespeare, Ruskin, Dickens and Beatrix Potter (to name a few) will be our inspiration. Inventive and highly personalised papers will be created with flowers, cloth, rope, old books and lots of words and poetry!

Book Club: The Go-Between

Beethoven and the Archduke Rudolph

Beethoven’s wide-ranging list of compositions offers endless opportunities for discovery. Our weekend will feature a variety of music written for or dedicated to his favourite patron, the Archduke Rudolph, including concertos, chamber music, piano sonatas and the great Missa Solemnis. There will be visual and musical illustrations, as well as a performance of the celebrated...

What’s New on the Internet for Family Historians?

Are you just using a few family history websites and not finding anything new? This course is your chance to widen your search and find out about the many new sites family historians can benefit from to further their research. Jane will present an up to the minute review of websites you can use both...

News From the Fronts: Focus on the Battle of Jutland

While the Battle of Verdun ground on, the Allies built up resources for major offensives on the Eastern Front under General Brusilov and a coordinated Anglo-French offensive astride the River Somme. At sea the German High Seas Fleet sought a conclusive engagement in the North Sea. Thus came about ‘Der Tag’ - the culmination of...

Figure & Portrait Drawing in any Medium

Beginners and those of all levels of experience are welcome on this day of drawing or painting from a professional life model, clothed and posed in everyday, familiar settings, including observation of the human head. Students are invited to bring any materials they prefer. Demonstrations and studies in proportion, tone and colour will support individual...