We are organising a selection of events during 2016 as part of our celebration. In order to reach out to as many people as possible and provide a range of offerings, the Stoke Poges Society is collaborating with other organisations in the neighbourhood. The key events are as follows:
Date and time: Thursday 21 July at 2 pm
Where: Eton College
Description of Event: Guided tour of Eton College and visit to Eton College
Library which holds an important collection of rare books and manuscripts relating to Thomas Gray including autograph manuscripts of the Elegy and “Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College”.
If you would like to attend: Numbers are limited to 50 people in two groups – a donation of £12 per person including a cup of tea.
Please email:
dianaleclercq for joining information
Date and time: Sunday 11 September at 2 pm
Where: meet at Stoke Poges Memorial Gardens. SL2 4NZ
Description of Event: Heritage Open Day – free walking tour of the Memorial
Gardens and Thomas Gray’s landscape. There will also be a special Thomas Gray display in the Penn-Gray Museum. Full details will be available on our website or
http://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/directory/stoke-poges-memorial-gardens1
If you would like to attend: No charge but numbers are limited to 50 people in two groups: Please email Franzi Cheeseman:
Franzi.Cheeseman
Date and time: Thursday 22 September at 6.30 pm
Where: St Giles’ Church, Church Lane, Stoke Poges SL2 4NZ
Description of Event: Poetry Competition 2016 – Award Ceremony
Winners from 2016 and previous years will read their poems, the judges will deliver their comments and we will finish with readings from Gray’s poems followed by a short reception.
If you would like to attend: Please email dianaleclercq
Date and time: Monday 26th December 2016 at 5 pm
Where: Westminster Abbey, London SW1
Description of Event: Evensong followed by the laying of a wreath on Gray’s
Memorial in Poet’s Corner.
If you would like to attend: Please email rogeraskew
If there is sufficient demand, we may organise transport from Stoke Poges.
Past events
Date and time: Wednesday, 2 March at 6.10 pm
Where: Election Hall, Eton College
Description of Event: The Thomas Gray Tercentenary Taster: a programme
devoted to the works of Thomas Gray read by students and interspersed with explorations of the “Elegy” and the “Eton Ode” by staff members.
Date and time: Thursday, 19 May at 3 pm
Where: Parish Church, Chalfont St Giles, Bucks HP8 4QF
Description of Event: A Heav’n-gained Friend: Thomas Gray and Horace Walpole – Ffion Hague explores this fascinating relationship
including the events of their Grand Tour.
If you would like to attend: tickets will be available from the Chalfont St Giles
Literary Festival from early March. www.chalfontstgilesliteraryfestival.org.uk
Date and time: Saturday 9 July from 12 pm
Where: Gray’s Monument, Stoke Poges Memorial Gardens,
and St Giles’ Church
Description of Event: Stoke Poges Village Gray Celebration
Join us for a fun day with as we formally launch “Gray’s Landscape” and the new Interpretation Board. Refreshments will be available including teas in the Memorial Gardens. The afternoon will finish with a short programme of readings and music in St Giles’.
If you would like to attend: all are welcome – there is no entry fee – a collection
for the Thomas Gray Anniversary Fund will be taken after the Concert.
