British & LDS Church History with The Freedom of Religion or Belief Foundation in the UK

Depart for London Heathrow Airport, Overnight on the trans-Atlantic flight.

Group arrivals throughout Saturday. Once you have collected your luggage you will transfer to the Delta Hotels Heathrow Windsor, where you have the chance to rest and nap, or choose to visit the Magna Carta Landmark, walk along the Thames, or tour the shops of Windsor. That evening we enjoy a group dinner at our hotel with a detailed overview of our upcoming tour. (D)

This morning we board a coach to Bath, England. Bath is an elegant city built for pleasure and relaxation; beautiful Bath has been a well being destination since Roman times. Bath is the only city in the UK designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the great Spa towns of Europe. The Romans founded Bath in the 1st century AD and used the natural hot springs to create a thermal spa. We will tour the city's Roman remains, including the Temple of Sulis Minerva and the Roman Baths complex to view some of the most famous Roman remains north of the Alps. We see the Pulteney Bridge and other heritage sites along the city's streets, with every footstep revealing compelling cultural attractions and astonishing architecture. We are staying at The Roseate Villa Bath where we have dinner followed by a guest lecture from Elder Martin J. Turvey, Bath resident and Area Seventy for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (B,D)

We leave Bath in the morning to travel by coach to Wales. Matthew and Julie Jones, residents of Merthyr Tydfil and Welch born, will lead us through their region today. Wales was once a massive coal and iron producing area, and the scars of that industry are only gradually starting to fade. We witness how this industrial landscape provided a fertile ground for the Restored Gospel message. We begin our day with a visit to Big Pit National Coal Museum where we sense how men, women, children, and pit ponies dug for black gold. Wales has long been known for its stories and songs, and Welsh Latter-day Saints had a major impact on music in the Church. In 1849, Brigham Young asked John Parry Sr., a convert from Newmarket, to form a choir for the Church’s next general conference. Parry gathered 85 Welsh singers for the performance, and it soon became a tradition to have a large choir perform in the tabernacle. We continue with a drive through the Merthyr Tydfil area on route to St Fagans National History Museum where we visit the whole of Welsh history in one spot! Over forty original buildings from throughout the nation have been carefully reconstructed and preserved allowing us to walk through the wide spectrum of Welsh history. Matthew will review the history of the Church in this region. We overnight in Cardiff at the voco St. David's. (B,D)

As we leave Wales this morning we travel through the beautiful Wye Valley before entering Gloucester to discover sites made famous by Wilford Woodruff and the United Brethren. Included is a special visit to the restored Gadfield Elm chapel – Britain’s first LDS owned meeting place and an iconic symbol of the United Brethren’s story. We visit Benbow’s farm and Castle Frome and learn of the faith and sacrifice of John and Jane Benbow. This is a tale of miracle after miracle. We visit the medieval market town of Ledbury where we meet William Carter - Utah’s first ploughman, and a welcoming Baptist church. We follow in the footsteps of Wilford Woodruff, Willard Richards and Brigham Young to the top of the Herefordshire Beacon for a very important meeting. We get a sense of the influence of these early converts after they emigrate to join the saints in Nauvoo. We learn about Thomas Kington – the head of the United Brethren, William Pitt, the musical convert, James Palmer, a remarkable missionary, and many others. The stories on this tour will demonstrate the faith of these early converts as they witnessed miracles and as persecutions came. As the day ends, we arrive at the luxury Old Bank Hotel in Oxford. (B,D)

Following breakfast in our hotel, we wind our way through the streets of Oxford, through stately colleges and grassy meadows, track the history back to the beginnings of Oxford, and then build layer upon layer of famous name after famous names including Henry VIII, Cardinal Wolsey, Lewis Caroll, C.S. Lewis, John Ruskin, J.R.R. Tolkien, Thomas More, Samuel Johnson and many more. We learn the history behind the iconic images of the Radcliffe Camera, the Divinity School, and Bodleian Library. We tour together the Ashmolean Museum and discover the influential John Wycliffe and his nemesis Richard Fleming, the tragic ending of the Oxford Martyrs, and the founding of Wesley’s Holy Club. Mix in the Harry Potter filming locations and you have the beginnings of a splendid stroll through Oxford. Later in the day we have the incredible opportunity to attend an Evensong Service in the Pembroke College Chapel, hosted by the Reverend Doctor Andrew Teal. The Pembroke Chapel is the most beautiful building in the College and was built after the Civil War by Christopher Wren. Following our Evensong Services, we travel by coach to London for the first of our five nights in the Capital City, where we say farewell to our coach and driver and have our first of five overnights in our The Bailey's Hotel London Kensington. During the coming days in London our travel will be by tube, bus, and taxi. (B,D)

On Thursday, we divide the group for various events and tours. During the AM and PM, Julie Jones, Director of the APPG. The APPG for International Freedom of Religion or Belief leads small private bespoke tours of the Houses of Parliament and we have lectures and guest speakers in Portcullis House. While in London, we also enjoy a tour of Kensington Palace and visit various sights and museums not typically toured by larger groups. On Thursday and Friday evening, optional musicals and concerts will be selected for smaller groups, including the Royal Albert Hall, Shakespeare’s Globe, and West End theatre performances. Overnight in The Bailey's Hotel London Kensington. (B,D)

During the day, we are joined by special guests and speakers who give us talks and lectures focused on Religious Liberty. In the evening, smaller groups attend optional theatre performances, plays, musicals, and concerts in the West End, Shakespeare’s Globe, or various historical performance venues. Overnight in The Bailey's Hotel London Kensington. (B,D)

On Saturday, London’s main Market Day, we visit the Portobello Road Market, walk through Noting Hill and then various small but spectacular museums such as the Leighton House in Holland Park, The Wallace Collection near Portman Square, The Aspley House on Hyde Park, and others. This evening those who wish can opt to attend another concert or a play in the West End. Overnight in The Bailey's Hotel London Kensington. (B,D)

In the morning, we walk from our hotel to the Hyde Park Chapel on Exhibition Road to attend a Sacrament meeting with a local ward. In the afternoon, we visit the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Natural History Museum. Later in the day we follow the footsteps of Wilford Woodruff, Heber C. Kimball, and George A. Smith as we see the exterior of St. Paul's Cathedral at night, the Millennium Bridge and tour the nearby Roman Ruins. Overnight in The Bailey's Hotel London Kensington. (B,D)

Make your own way to the airport, board your flight in London and arrive at home. (B)