Early Notifications

Watch out in this section for forthcoming details of the "Summer outing".

Next years residential weekend at Higham Hall in the Lake district will be in March 2008. The theme will be the Peninsula Campaign. Details to follow.

For further details and booking form click here or contact Janet and David Bromley by E-mail: djbromley@derventio.fsnet.co.uk. 

Stratfield Saye House

The estate at Stratfield Saye was a gift from a grateful government to the 1st Duke of Wellington on his return from the Battle of Waterloo. The house, dating from around 1630, houses a wonderful display of items, including busts of Wellington and Napoleon and paintings depicting the events at Waterloo and the Peninsular War. In the grounds is the grave of Copenhagen, Wellington's favourite charger. It is marked by a headstone and a turkey oak, grown from an acorn planted when the horse was buried.

Apsley House

This was the London home of the first Duke of Wellington and his descendants, and stands right in the heart of London at Hyde Park Corner. For over 200 years, this grand mansion has been known colloquially as 'Number 1 London', because it was the first house encountered after passing the toll at the top of Knightsbridge.

It passed to the Wellesley family in 1807, being first owned by Richard and then his younger brother Arthur Wellesley, later the Duke of Wellington.

Inside Apsley House you will see many aspects of the first Duke's achievements. There are paintings by many famous artists, many of them part of the Spanish Royal Collection which came into Wellington's possession after the Battle of Vitoria in 1813. A colossal nude statue of Napoleon by Canova stands at the foot of the stairwell of the house.

Throughout his long career, the Duke was presented with many items of silver plate and unique porcelain as trophies from grateful nations. Many of these can be seen in the houses Museum Room.

Apsley house website

Wellington’s Waterloo Headquarters

Wellington's HQ along the Brussels Road was in the village of Waterloo the night before the battle. He had retreated here trusting that the Prussians under Marshal Blucher would come to his support.

The building where Wellington stayed is now a museum containing a number of artefacts and displays relating to the battle.

For information on this museum and other museums and sites in the area dedicated to the battle click here www.waterloo-tourisme.be

Peterborough museum and Normans Cross

In 1797 a prison was built at Norman Cross, near Peterborough, to hold prisoners, mostly French, of the Napoleonic Wars (1793-1815). At times as many as 7,000 prisoners were held in what was perhaps the world's first purpose built prisoner of war camp. Many of the prisoners earned money from the sale of caskets and models made from bone and straw.

The site of the prison is marked by a stone cross and is just off the Normans cross roundabout on the A1 south of Peterborough. A number of artifacts made by the prisoners can be viewed at Peterborough Museum where there is an ongoing conservation programme"