The only access drive to Copped Hall is via the white 18th Century gates on Crown Hill – south of the mansion. On Guided Tour Days access will be from 10.00 and 11.00am only. On Open Days access will be from 11.00am to 4.00pm only. The lodges are privately owned and it is essential not to disturb the lodge owners for access. Dogs are welcome but must be kept on leads. There is no need to book beforehand. The tours last about 21/2 hours.

GUIDED TOURS

These cover the whole of the gardens, part of the mansion, the cellars and the stables.
Third Sunday morning every month – except December which is the 2nd Sunday.
Tours start from 10.15am
Cost £7
Dates – March 16th, April 20th, May 18th, June 15th, July 20th, August 17th, Sept 21st, Oct 19th, Nov 16th, Dec 14th. 2009 Jan 18th, Feb 15th and March 15th.
Tea, coffee and home made biscuits and cakes, etc. are available in the Racquets Court where there is also a shop. There are also permanent exhibitions on site.

AUSTIN 7 CARS AT COPPED HALL

Sunday April 6th.
Access only from 10.00am – 11.00am. Entry 3.50 Mansion Tour £3.50
Owners parade their vehicles on the garden terrace at Copped Hall. A chance to see
a fine collection of vintage cars.

OPEN GARDEN “THE GARDEN FOR GARDENERS”

Sundays 6th April, 4th May, 1st June and 6th July.
Access between 10.00am and 11.00am only. The gardens are closed at 13.00pm.

This is a new idea where the gardens are open for people to wander around and talk to the gardeners. There is no tour but a map with brief descriptions of the gardens is given out on arrival. The mansion is not open on these days. The Racquets Court is open for tea and coffee, home made biscuits and cakes as usual.

OPEN DAYS

Sundays May 25th and August 24th. 11.00am – 4.00pm
Cost £3.50 gardens and £3.50 mansion (with guided tour).

There is access to the whole of the gardens, part of the mansion, the cellars and the stables. Tea, coffee, home made biscuits, cakes and lunch are available as well as alcoholic drinks. There are stalls selling produce. There is a shop in the racquets court and various exhibitions.

COPPED HALL “APPLE DAY”

Sunday 5th October. Gates open 11.00 a.m. and close at 4.00 p.m.
Entry Tickets £3.50
Mansion Tours £3.50
Apple Day is an annual celebration of apple orchards and local distinctiveness initiated by Common Ground in 1990; it is a way of celebrating and demonstrating the variety and richness of orchard fruits, in linking particular apples with their place of origin and hopefully ensuring that they do not slip away. Come and join the fun, learn about apples from displays and demonstrations, taste different fruits and juices and play some traditional games. There will be refreshments, sales tables and trees to buy. You can also learn from our bee keeper about the bees that pollinate the flowers.

For details of Guided Tours, Open Days or other events
- call the Copped Hall Trust telephone 01992 571657 (call minder)

PRIVATE GROUPS TOURS

Copped Hall is visited throughout the year by various special interest groups.
To book a guided tour- write to:
The Administrator, The Copped Hall Trust, Stables
Court Yard, Crown Hill
Epping, Essex CM16 5HS
Telephone 01992 571 657.
It is helpful if your group contains 20 people or more. Tea, coffee and home made cakes are always available on such tours which take approximately 21/2 hours. However, we may be able to accommodate private groups of fewer than 20 people (with their own allocated guide) on the third Sunday of each month.

EDUCATION 2008

STUDY DAYS

Tickets available from Alan Cox: 020 7267 179
Email: Coxalan1@aol.com
112 Torriano Avenue, London NW5 2SD

Helen Lowther – Gardening Workshop

Tuesday 1st April 9.30am to 4.00pm
Cost £35
Price includes coffee or tea and home made biscuits on arrival and lunch in the Racquets Court. Also included is a planted specimen that can be taken home. This informative and practical workshop will cover the basics of gardening and is ideal for giving extra confidence and knowledge for the enthusiastic new gardener.

The areas covered will include advice on soil/potting composts, seeds/sowing, pricking out/planting up, garden tools, pest and diseases and more. This will be a hands-on workshop.

Helen is an experienced gardener, who has been chair of a local organic gardening group and part of the advisory team on the HDRA stand at the Chelsea Flower Show. Helen manages four allotments and is in charge of the 450 foot long herbaceous border at Copped Hall. Helen is a trained adult education tutor.

William Tyler – “The Social History of the English Country House Garden”

July 8th 10.00am for 10.30am start. Cost £25
Price includes coffee or tea and home made biscuits on arrival and lunch in the Racquets Court.

William Tyler will follow the story of the gardens of the great English Country Houses, not by the plants grown or the garden design employed, but rather through their social history. The relationship between the outside staff and the inside, as well as the relationship between the garden staff and the family will be explored. The uses made by the family of their gardens will also be explored whether as places of intrigue, of politics, of retreat, and even of liaisons – forbidden or otherwise.

William Tyler is an adult educator, very well known in the county for his talks and lectures on history, both local and national.

Peter Lawrence – “Wanstead Parklands – Five Centuries of History Revealed”

August 7th 10.00am for 10.30am start.
Cost £25
Price includes coffee or tea and home made biscuits on arrival and lunch in the Racquets Court.

From a royal hunting estate to one of the finest classical estates in England, this Study Day sets out, century by century, the development of possibly the most exotic estate ever designed so close to London and the centre of trade. Included in the Study Day will be the results of recent research into families that developed Wanstead, their power, influence at Court and, in the end, their downright stupidity.

The study day will be fully illustrated, including video clips.

Peter Lawrence is a well-known local lecturer on historical subjects such as architecture and local history.

Dilys Bidewell – Summer Drawing Course

Tuesday 17th June, Tuesday 24, June Tuesday 1st July - 9.30 am to 5.00pm
Cost £30 per day - which includes tea or coffee on arrival, a ploughman’s lunch and afternoon refreshments.

Note : It is possible to choose to attend any or all of the days.

All days must be pre-booked and pre-paid before the 2nd June.
The course is limited to 10 people per day.
The historic architecture and formal gardens of Copped Hall offer a rich and varied range of subjects to anyone interested in drawing from observation. The course will provide an opportunity to spend time in this inspiring location, while developing your drawing skills, at your own pace, with the one-to-one support of an experienced artist and tutor. There will also be a brief presentation of different aspects of drawing at the start of each day.

All levels of experience are welcome, including beginners. The course places no restrictions on the choice of media used for drawing. Easels will be provided.

Dilys Bidewell is an artist and qualified teacher. Originally trained as an architect, Dilys has an MA in Fine Art and has taught as a regular visiting lecturer on the BA and MA Fine Art Painting Courses at Wimbledon College of Art since 1991. She has also conducted summer schools for Central St Martins at Byam Shaw School of Art.

Please telephone Dilys Bidewell on 020 7267 1679 or email or email dilysb1@aol.com for any questions to do with the course.

COURSES

ARCHAEOLOGY

The Copped Hall site is an important archaeological site. Its recorded history starts in the 12th century. A programme of excavations is being carried out, under the aegis of the Copped Hall Trust Archaeological Project (CHTAP), on the site of the earlier Copped Hall, which stood at the northern end of the gardens and was demolished in 1750. Tudor, medieval, Roman and Iron Age finds have been unearthed. The CHTAP Field School offers archaeologists who have already learned the basics of excavation and recording the opportunity to develop their skills further.

Instruction will be given in the context of actual excavation. (A training dig for beginners is not being offered this year.) Certificate for attendance is available. The Field School will run from Monday to Friday in weeks beginning 11th and 18th August. Over-night accommodation will not be provided. Bookings must be for one or two whole weeks, not single days. Cost £100 per week (includes lunch and refreshments).

For more information write to:
Pauline Dalton, Roseleigh, Epping Road, Epping, Essex CM16 5HW. Tel. 01992 813 725.
Email: pmd2@ukonline.co.uk

LECTURES

These are held at Theydon Bois Village Hall. Tickets cost £5 per lecture. Tickets available from:
Francis Dennett, 7 Highfield Green, Epping, Essex CM16 5HB
Tel. 01992 610713.
Email: mail@dennetf.fnet.co.uk
Tickets are also available on
the door. Tea and biscuits are available in the interval.

Alan Cox “Last Year at Copped Hall”
March 16th 7.30 for 8.00pm
Alan Cox is the co-founder of the Copped Hall Trust and its architect. He will give an overview of the achievements at Copped Hall within the last year.

Lecture to be announced
October 5th 7.30 for 8.00pm

Georgina Green – "A Comparison between two 18th Century Gentlemen”.
November 16th 7.30 for 8.00pm
Sir Charles Raymond of Valentine House and John Conyers of Copped Hall

Georgina Green is well known for her talks and writings on local historical subjects
– using her own thorough research.

MUSIC AND THEATRE AT THE MANSION - 2008

FITZWILLIAM QUARTET

Saturday June 28th 7.30pm Tickets £12.50 – Licensed Bar.
Founded in 1968 by four Cambridge undergraduates, the Fitzwilliam Quartet is an international acclaimed quartet. The Trust is very fortunate to have them play at Copped Hall. The performance is in the mansion entrance hall.

BAVARIAN EVENING - THE EPPING FOREST BAND

Saturday 13th September 7.00pm Tickets £12.50 inclusive of food. Licensed Bar.
This is an early Oktoberfest. Within the mansion cellars.
A celebration of the link between the people of Epping and Eppingen in association with The Epping –Eppingen Town Twinning Association. There will be music by Epping Forest Band, food and drink in the cellar and a friendly social evening for everyone.

TRADITIONAL JAZZ – THE HUGH RAINEY BAND

Saturday 11th October 7.00pm. Tickets £10. Licensed Bar. Snacks available.
The Hugh Rainey Band is one of the best known Traditional Jazz Bands in South East England. The performance is in the mansion cellars.

THREE CAROL CONCERTS

Saturday 13th December, St.John’s Church choir.
Saturday 20th December, The Waltham Abbey Church Choir.
Sunday 21st December, The Cantando Singers
Carols start at 3.00pm Gates open at 2.00pm.
Tickets £7.50 Accompanied children under 14 free.
Mince pies and mulled punch are included in the ticket price.
Note: This year the carols will be held in a different large room heated by a roaring log fire !

SHAKESPEARE’S “THE TEMPEST”

Sunday June 15th. 4.00pm matinee only. Tickets £10 per person.
Refreshments available.
This will be performed in the Copped Hall Gardens by the highly respected Greek Theatre Players. These locally based players perform in traditional costume with traditional music.
Tickets for all the above music and theatre events are obtainable from Frances Dennett, 7 Highfield Green, Epping, Essex CM16 5HB tel. 01992 610713 Email: f.dennett3@ntlworld.com
Cheques should be made out to “The Copped Hall Trust” and a stamped addressed envelope enclosed.

OTHER EVENTS FOR 2008

Tickets available from Frances Dennett, 7 Highfield Green, Epping, Essex CM16 5HB.
Tel. 01992 610 713 Email: f.dennett3@ntlworld.com or on entry.

FRIENDS TENTH ANNIVERSARY TEA

Saturday 26th April from 3.00pm to 5.00pm
Cost £5 – includes cream tea.
Tickets must be purchased beforehand.
The Copped Hall Trust set up the Friends of the Copped Hall Trust on April 26th 1998 nearly three years after the Trust acquired Copped Hall on the 30th June 1995. To celebrate the first 10 years of the Friends we are holding a tea party within the mansion.

250TH ANNIVERSARY PICNIC

Saturday 21st June from 5.30pm to 7.00pm Gates open at 5.30pm. Cost £7.50
The Epping Forest Band will play from 7.00pm below the garden front of the mansion. Please bring your own picnic supper and chairs. Licensed Bar Copped Hall was constructed from 1753 – 1758 after which John Conyers and his family moved in – although elements of decoration remained unfinished. This picnic
celebrates John Conyers occupation of his new house in 1758

COPPED HALL RUN

Monday 29th September Organised by The Rotary Club of Epping.
Contact John Padfield on 01992 575762 all details.

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