Harlaxton during the summer - August

 August 2010

August marks a turning point in the annual calendar at Harlaxton.  The first part of the month continues with Summer Schools but from the middle of the month we plan and look forward to welcoming visiting faculty and their families, and students for the Fall Semester. 

Recent Summer School visitors have included students from the College of New Jersey and from Western Kentucky University, who arrived at Harlaxton during the last week of July and stayed into August.  Both groups enjoyed many trips out, including in their itineraries visits to Newstead Abbey, Southwell workhouse, Stratford upon Avon, and Cambridge, amongst others.  Students from the College of New Jersey, who stayed for a total of three weeks, also attended classes in the Manor, with a final examination the day before departure!

During the first week of August we were joined by members of a Young Adults Retreat from the Kings Gate Community Church - it was a delight during this week to hear their singing from the Great Hall each morning. The picture shows member of the group assembled in the grounds of the Manor.

Sunday 8 August was a big day in the Harlaxton calendar, as this was the annual Open House event.  During the immediately preceding days the whole site was a hive of activity with lawns being cut, hedges trimmed, floors mopped and lights dusted.  The actual day was fine and sunny and this encouraged a record number of visitors, many of whom were visiting for the first time and expressed surprise and delight at the magnificence of the state rooms.  The conservatory and gardens generated a lot of interest, with Head Gardener Andrew Potter on hand to answer the many questions, and some parties taking the opportunity to picnic in the grounds.  Visitors were also able to see the restoration work currently being undertaken on the Lion terrace to the rear of the Manor - a visit to the Open House event next year, on Sunday 7 August 2011, will allow the full glory of the rebuilt and repaired terrace to be experienced.

The final group to visit this summer will be the Texas Woman’s University Soccer Team - fitting in a very brief visit, their first to Harlaxton, on their UK tour.  Hopefully they will manage to play some soccer whilst they are here.

August will also see the last of the summer weddings at Harlaxton, though there are more to come later in the year.

Though the summer season for 2010 is drawing to a close, Harlaxton is already planning for 2011 and beyond.  To discuss opportunities for summer study or other events at Harlaxton please contact Edward Bujak, Vice Principal for Academic Services, (email: ebujak@harlaxton.ac.uk) or Cynthia Marke, Programmes Coordinator,  (email: cmarke@harlaxton.ac.uk).