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Day Trips from London: Escape the City with Dr. Alan Montgomery

Day Trips from London: Escape the City with Dr. Alan Montgomery


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Can't make this time? A video recording will be sent to all participants after the seminar.

The south of England has more than its fair share of historic towns and cities, many of them only a short train journey from central London.  Join us as we journey from Oxford to Rochester, Colchester, St. Albans, and Brighton.

Oxford is famous throughout the world for its ancient university, but also offers some fascinating and eccentric museums. Long associated with literary icon Charles Dickens, Rochester is home to an astonishing Norman castle and one of Britain’s finest cathedrals. Colchester in Essex bills itself as the oldest city in the UK and it is still possible to see many remnants of its glorious classical past, including evidence of its destruction at the hands of rebel queen Boudica in 60AD. St Albans, meanwhile, is another ancient town renowned for its collection of classical mosaics, its enormous medieval cathedral largely built from recycled Roman bricks. The seaside town of Brighton, on the other hand, was founded in the Georgian era, its fantastical Pavilion a reminder of its heyday as a fashionable resort popular with British royalty.

Led by a historian and tour guide, this interactive seminar will explore five of southern England’s most interesting and picturesque towns, all of them an easy train journey from London. Designed to inform curiosity as well as future travels, participants will come away with an insight into the past and present of these charming historical places.

Eager to explore the United Kingdom in person? Our Context Private Tours are available here. 

Alan Montgomery was born and raised in Scotland but has spent most of his adult life in London. Having achieved an MA in Art History at Glasgow University, he worked for many years in the art world at both an international auction house and an antique dealer. In recent years he has returned to academia, achieving an MA in Classical Civilisation in 2011, and has recently completed a Ph.D. in which he analyzed eighteenth-century attitudes towards the ancient Roman world. In addition to his work for Context Travel, Alan also writes catalog essays on Contemporary Art for a leading auctioneer. Elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland in 2017, his first book, entitled 'Classical Caledonia', was published by Edinburgh University Press in August 2020.

This conversation is suitable for all ages.

90 minutes, including a 30 minute Q&A.

Customer Reviews

Based on 10 reviews
100%
(10)
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K
Kathy Maher (McLean, US)
You can't go wrong!

I've done half a dozen seminars with Dr. Alan Montgomery, and every one has been a winner. I truly think he's one of the top lecturers that Context has. He's knowledgeable, organized, and populates his talks with a large number of interesting facts beyond those you can read in a guidebook. I'm just worried that he'll run out of new topics to discuss!

D
Denise McDonald (Clearwater, US)
Nice overview

I have been to most of the cities (and one “ex- city” ) but I wish I would have seen this discussion first …

B
B.K. (San Antonio, US)
Wonderful experience

Guest did not leave comment

K
K.C. (San Angelo, US)
Great Info for Short Day Trips

My husband and I will be traveling to London in September, and we were looking for short excursions from the city besides the obvious (Stonehenge, Bath, Windsor, etc.). From this conversation with Dr. Montgomery, we decided to visit Oxford and St. Albans.

A
A. (San Diego, US)

Guest did not leave comment

Customer Reviews

Based on 10 reviews
100%
(10)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
K
Kathy Maher (McLean, US)
You can't go wrong!

I've done half a dozen seminars with Dr. Alan Montgomery, and every one has been a winner. I truly think he's one of the top lecturers that Context has. He's knowledgeable, organized, and populates his talks with a large number of interesting facts beyond those you can read in a guidebook. I'm just worried that he'll run out of new topics to discuss!

D
Denise McDonald (Clearwater, US)
Nice overview

I have been to most of the cities (and one “ex- city” ) but I wish I would have seen this discussion first …

B
B.K. (San Antonio, US)
Wonderful experience

Guest did not leave comment

K
K.C. (San Angelo, US)
Great Info for Short Day Trips

My husband and I will be traveling to London in September, and we were looking for short excursions from the city besides the obvious (Stonehenge, Bath, Windsor, etc.). From this conversation with Dr. Montgomery, we decided to visit Oxford and St. Albans.

A
A. (San Diego, US)

Guest did not leave comment