It was 20th May 2018 and I was sat in Covent Garden, at a table set out on the cobbles, a glass of champagne, the first I had ever bought for myself, on the table in front of me. I couldn’t remember the last time that I had felt this proud of something I had achieved! Just one hour earlier I had dropped my first ever tour guests back into London and we’d said our final, or so I thought, (more on that later) goodbyes. The Anne Boleyn Tour had been 2 years in the planning but had started as an idea 6 years before that, and now I had done it!
My vision had always been very clear; historical tours based on a person or period in history, the story told in the places it unfolded. There’s something about combining history and travel that heightens both interests, a reason to visit somewhere and a greater appreciation of each destination. I had been “travelling history” for over 15 years when I began British History Tours and knew how fun, but incredibly tiring, it could be. So, I decided luxury hotels and gorgeous food also had to be part of the package, with all the arrangements taken care of so that guests could simply absorb the places and the history without any other concerns.
There were 2 particular things that would prove true over the coming years, things I could not have imagined as I sat there in Covent Garden that day. The first was that I would be welcoming people back onto what I had billed as “once-in-a-lifetime” experiences, for a 2nd, 3rd, even 7th and 8th time! Those ‘final’ goodbyes turned out not to be so, with almost all of the guests on that first tour returning within the following 4 years - it would have been sooner but Covid prevented us touring in 2020 and 2021. The second is how many close friendships are formed, with many people who had travelled alone returning on future tours with a friend they had made on a previous one.
As I write this, 8 years later, I am about to embark on our 16th tour, and 8th ‘The Anne Boleyn Tour,’ and I can proudly report a rebooking rate of 70%, a 5* guest rating record and 2 industry awards! The Anne Boleyn Tour has grown and developed over the years but the fundamentals which make it our flagship tour, and has people returning to repeat it, are still in place. As the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, Hever Castle provides the perfect backdrop for a tour focussed on understanding Anne. Where better to reside as we explore her life and downfall?
Hever Castle Gatehouse
We hire the entire Astor Wing of Hever Castle (the guest wing built by the Astor’s to entertain guests including the future Queen, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon) for our private use, and even banquet in the Great Hall of the castle during our stay. We are joined for the entire tour by our historian-in-residence, Gareth Russell who works exclusively with us, as well as other top historians such as Dr Tracy Borman OBE, Dr Elizabeth Norton, and Prof James Clark.
Dining in the Great Hall at Hever Castle
Fully escorted tours offer so much relaxation - our guests don’t have to think about timings, admissions, how to get anywhere, whether there’s going to be anywhere to grab food or go to the toilet! Some even come on my tours not reading the itinerary and leaving it as a surprise - “We trust you Philippa!” is what they say, how wonderful is that?!
Each year we embark on new tours, exploring different topics and places, and covering various parts of the UK. This October we are in Edinburgh for ‘The Royal Scotland Tour’ where we are exploring 14 historical locations linked with Royal history in Scotland. Next year we have another brand-new tour ‘The Wars of the Roses Tour,’ and an extended version of ‘The Rise of the Tudors Tour,’ which we first ran in 2023. Incredibly beautiful and evocative places with rich histories fill the British Isles and I am often spoilt for choice as to which to include. I never underestimate how valuable it is to our guests to see somewhere on the itinerary that was on their bucket list but they thought they’d never get to visit.
Many destinations are not easy to access, especially for the overseas traveller or anyone relying on public transport, and I have this in mind when I design every itinerary - where can I take guests to, that they wouldn’t easily access otherwise? Take remote places like Pembroke Castle (The Rise of the Tudors Tour, 2024 and 2027) for example, a 2-hour drive west of Cardiff, or the Elizabethan gem, Harvington Hall, in Worcestershire (The Elizabeth I Tour, 2022 and The Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots Tour, 2023) which isn’t far from the nearest large town of Kidderminster but still requires a car to reach and a confidence to drive down a single-track country lane.
In a world increasingly dominated by AI, real-life experiences; putting your feet on the ground, touching the walls, and meeting other people with the same interests, are so important, and ultimately more enjoyable! That’s certainly how I feel, and I am here for everyone who wants to know the joys of following in the footsteps of history.
If I may get serious for a little while, with something as fun as history travel it can be easy to forget that this is a travel product which should only be organised by professional companies. I implore guests to implement due diligence when choosing a tour company. Despite there being a lot of regulation around the UK travel industry it is largely self enrolled, there is no overriding body ensuring that a tour firm is following any of the regulations. All tour operators operating in the UK should provide financial failure protection, among other things, so, if the one you are looking at doesn’t mention how they provide this then it is highly likely that they are not complying with any of the regulations and if anything goes wrong, you will have no one to complain to and may lose your money.
My company, British History Tours is the trading name of History Holidays Ltd which is a member of the Travel Trade Association, part of The Travel Network Group which provides full financial failure protection to my customers.
Back to the fun stuff! This year I am working on some new ideas to expand what we offer, not just in terms of topics, eras and locations but how our guests can explore history, and with more options to suit more budgets. The ideas are currently in development but I hope to share more soon.
You can find details of all our tours at www.britishhistorytours.com, follow me on Instagram (@british_history_tours), Facebook (@BritishHistoryTours) and of course Substack (@BritishHistory). I’d love to share more history with you!
Philippa Lacey
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About the Author
Everyday Life in History: Practical Living History: Philippa talks with Ruth Goodman at Harvington Hall:
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