Zoom Rental | Treason & Tragedy: Death on Tower Hill
2025-04-02 12:00 - 2025-06-30 12:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom Recording, Virtual, New York, NY, 10036, United States
Paul Delaroche, The Execution of Lady Jane Grey, 1834. The National Gallery, London. The 9-day Queen was executed inside the Tower on Tower Green.
While the Tower of London may be infamous for its executions, the majority of beheadings actually took place just beyond its walls, on Tower Hill—a site steeped in political turmoil, betrayal, and bloody justice. In this gripping tour, Rob Smith will unravel the dramatic stories of those who met their fate on this notorious execution ground. Tower Hill became the final stage for some of the most high-profile figures in British history, many of whom had once wielded great power, who found themselves condemned as traitors. We will explore the fate of Simon of Sudbury, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who was dragged from the Tower and beheaded by enraged Poll Tax rebels in 1381. Another infamous figure to fall on Tower Hill was Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII’s once-trusted advisor and architect of the English Reformation. The site also witnessed the beheading of Lord Lovat (Simon Fraser) in 1747—the last man to be publicly executed on Tower Hill. His execution, witnessed by a large crowd, marked the end of an era. This virtual tour will bring to life the gripping stories of those who faced the executioner’s axe—tales of ambition, treachery, courage, and vengeance—while also exploring the historical significance of Tower Hill. Hear about the shadowy events that shaped British history.
Tickets: $30 members*; $40 non-members
*Membership discount applied automatically when logged into your Royal-Oak.org account

Zoom Rental | Discovering Devon: National Trust Treasures
2025-05-01 12:00 - 2025-06-30 12:00 | Zoom Recording, Virtual, New York, NY, 10036, United States
The Stables at Knightshayes, Devon ©NT Images Mel Peters
Journey through some of Devon’s most captivating National Trust properties, each with its own unique story. From grand estates to hidden collections, history comes to life at every turn. Stephen Benton leads this virtual tour where we start with Lydford Gorge, where dramatic waterfalls and ancient woodlands create a truly magical landscape. And we will soak in the Jazz Age elegance of Coleton Fishacre, the dreamy 1920s retreat of the D’Oyly Carte family, containing Art Deco interiors with windows emphasizing sea views. Nearby is Greenway, Agatha Christie’s beloved holiday home perched on the river, filled with her literary history (and rentable as an NT cottage!). We will hear tales of seafarers at Buckland Abbey, once home to Sir Francis Drake, and explore Killerton, a stunning Georgian home with lush gardens and the Trust’s fashion collection—once gifted away for the sake of political beliefs. We will marvel at the rare Gothic Revival splendor by Victorian visionary, William Burges, at Knightshayes—a complete country gentleman’s dream—surrounded by gardens containing one of the most varied plant collections in England. Finally, we will step inside the granite walls of Castle Drogo, a unique early 20th-century house designed by renowned architect Sir Edwin Lutyens. We will end our tour with a look at a world of feathers and shells featured at A la Ronde, a 16-sided 1790s house.

Tickets: $30 members*; $40 non-members
*Membership discount applied automatically when logged into your Royal-Oak.org account

Zoom | Essex: England’s Quiet Corner
2025-05-28 17:00 - 18:00 | Zoom Meeting
Bourne Mill, Essex ©National Trust Images/Megan Taylor
Join Royal Oak for a captivating digital tour of Essex, a county rich in history, natural beauty, and architectural treasures. Led by tour guide Rob Smith, we will explore this southern, low-lying region, home to one of England’s longest coastlines, ancient forests, and charming villages. We will explore Colchester, Britain’s oldest recorded town, where significant Roman ruins—including a Roman wall—offer a glimpse into the past. Nearby, picturesque Bourne Mill, originally built as a fishing lodge, was later transformed into a 72-bucket watermill that produced the high-quality woolen cloth for which 17th-century Essex was famous. Just a short walk away, visitors will find some of the area’s most celebrated inns and pubs. We will venture to Paycocke’s House, a stunning Tudor merchant’s home adorned with intricate woodcarvings and paneling—an enduring testament to the wealth generated by Essex’s prosperous cloth trade. However, no area highlights the outstanding natural beauty of Essex as Blackwater Estuary. This important coastal area is the oldest recorded battlefield in England. Copt Hall Marshes are a remote producing farm along the estuary with an incredible breeding area for birds and waterfowl. Northey Island, a remote tidal island—the single largest block of saltmarsh in Blackwater—is the closest you will get to true Essex wilderness and home to many protected bird species. Travel with us digitally as we explore this quiet county, highlighting incredible areas of natural beauty.
Tickets: $30 members*; $40 non-members
*Membership discount applied automatically when logged into your Royal-Oak.org account

Zoom Rental | Essex: England’s Quiet Corner
2025-05-29 12:00 - 2025-06-30 12:00 | Zoom Recording, Virtual, New York, NY, 10036, United States

Zoom | Gainsborough House & Exhibition: Masterpieces from Kenwood
2025-09-25 14:00 - 15:00 | Zoom Meeting
Reopened in 2022 after a transformational refurbishment, Gainsborough House in Suffolk is the National Centre for the artist Thomas Gainsborough (1727-1788). The house combines the artist’s childhood home—a Grade I, 18th-century merchant brick town house—with new exhibition galleries and facilities. The house holds the world’s largest single concentration of Gainsborough’s work and presents the artist’s life and legacy through dynamic exhibitions. Emma Boyd, the Keeper of Art and Place, will take us on a virtual tour, showing remaining parts of the old house including the hall and oak doorway dating back to the 16th century. She will describe the history of the house (which stayed in the artist’s family until 1792) and illustrate the current exhibition, Masterpieces from Kenwood:The Splendour of British and French Painting (May 9–October 19, 2025). The show features 18th-century masterpieces by both British and French artists, including Sir Joshua Reynolds, George Romney, Angelica Kauffmann, and François Boucher. These masterpieces, on loan from Kenwood House and collected by Edward Cecil Guinness, 1st Earl of Iveagh (1847–1927), are displayed alongside the work by Gainsborough. Ms. Boyd will show these outstanding paintings and reveal how Gainsborough’s art fits within the broader context of the artistic work created by his British and French contemporaries.
Tickets: $25 members*; $35 non-members
*Membership discount applied automatically when logged into your Royal-Oak.org account

Zoom Rental | Gainsborough House & Exhibition: Masterpieces from Kenwood
2025-09-26 - 2025-12-31 | Zoom Recording, Virtual, New York, NY, 10036, United States
Reopened in 2022 after a transformational refurbishment, Gainsborough House in Suffolk is the National Centre for the artist Thomas Gainsborough (1727-1788). The house combines the artist’s childhood home—a Grade I, 18th-century merchant brick town house—with new exhibition galleries and facilities. The house holds the world’s largest single concentration of Gainsborough’s work and presents the artist’s life and legacy through dynamic exhibitions. Emma Boyd, the Keeper of Art and Place, will take us on a virtual tour, showing remaining parts of the old house including the hall and oak doorway dating back to the 16th century. She will describe the history of the house (which stayed in the artist’s family until 1792) and illustrate the current exhibition, Masterpieces from Kenwood: The Splendour of British and French Painting (May 9–October 19, 2025). The show features 18th-century masterpieces by both British and French artists, including Sir Joshua Reynolds, George Romney, Angelica Kauffmann, and François Boucher. These masterpieces, on loan from Kenwood House and collected by Edward Cecil Guinness, 1st Earl of Iveagh (1847–1927), are displayed alongside the work by Gainsborough. Ms. Boyd will show these outstanding paintings and reveal how Gainsborough’s art fits within the broader context of the artistic work created by his British and French contemporaries.
Tickets: $25 members*; $35 non-members
*Membership discount applied automatically when logged into your Royal-Oak.org account

Zoom | Feeding the City: London’s Iconic Food and Drink Factories
2025-09-29 17:00 - 18:00 | Zoom Meeting
London was the largest city in the world during the 19th century, with an appetite to match. As the city’s population exploded, food and drink needed to be produced on an unprecedented industrial scale. In response, sprawling factories sprang up across the capital, churning out everything from biscuits to gin. Some of these London historic food sites remain active today, while others have been repurposed, leaving behind only traces of their industrial legacy. Through this fascinating virtual tour, Rob Smith will take us back to London’s flavorful past as he explores the food factories that helped feed the population of the metropolis. We will explore the story of the Lyle’s Golden Syrup factory in Silvertown—founded in the 1880s and operating today—producing its famous syrup in the world’s oldest branded packaging. We will learn about McVities in Harlesden, home to beloved British biscuits like the Digestive and Jaffa Cakes, and we will explore what became of Gordon’s Gin distillery, once a powerhouse in Clerkenwell. We will also virtually visit the former Sarsons’ vinegar works in Bermondsey, whose towering vats now house creative studios. Rob will reveal what life was like for the factory workers, the production innovations that shaped their industries, and the legacy left by these factories that shaped London’s culinary and urban history.
Tickets: $30 members*; $40 non-members
*Membership discount applied automatically when logged into your Royal-Oak.org account

Zoom Rental | Feeding the City: London’s Iconic Food and Drink Factories
2025-09-30 - 2025-12-31 | Zoom Recording, Virtual, New York, NY, 10036, United States

Zoom | Glassware, Stone and Beer: Lambeth’s Lost Industry
2025-10-30 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom Webinar, Virtual, United States
Delve into the rich but often overlooked industrial past of Lambeth, once a thriving hub of craftsmanship and production along the Thames. Guided by Richard Watkins, this virtual tour explores the legacy of the industries that once defined the South Bank—from the artistry of Coade Stone, a remarkable artificial stone used in architecture across London, to the decorative ceramics of Doulton’s, and the bustling activity of the Lion Brewery, where barrels of beer once flowed toward Westminster. Using historical images, maps, and surviving landmarks, we’ll trace how this stretch of riverfront evolved—from a landscape of workshops and kilns to one of cultural institutions and modern redevelopment.
Tickets: $30 members*; $40 non-members
*Membership discount applied automatically when logged into your Royal-Oak.org account

Zoom Rental | Glassware, Stone and Beer: Lambeth’s Lost Industry
2025-10-31 12:00 - 2025-12-31 23:30 | Zoom Recording, Virtual, New York, NY, 10036, United States

Zoom | From Castles and Cathedrals to Chalk Downs: West Sussex
2025-11-13 14:00 - 15:00 | Zoom Meeting
The ruins at Nymans, West Sussex ©National Trust Images/Clive Nichols
West Sussex is a picturesque county, rich in historic towns, grand estates, and stunning National Trust properties. Stephen Benton will lead us on a captivating virtual journey through its varied landscapes and cultural landmarks. Our tour will include a “visit” to Chichester, a cathedral city, and continue to Arundel, known for the magnificent castle, owned by the Dukes of Norfolk, and charming streets. We will also explore West Dean, a historic estate with beautifully restored gardens nestled in the South Downs—formerly the home of poet and Surrealist artist Edward James. Throughout the tour, Stephen will highlight favorite National Trust sites including 17th-century Petworth House, containing a world-class art collection and a 700-acre park; and Uppark, a 17th-and 18th-century house remarkably restored after a 1989 devastating fire. We will also look at the atmospheric ruins and gardens at Nymans as well as the interiors and gardens at Standen, one of the finest examples of Arts & Crafts architecture and interiors. Finally, we will explore the dramatic landscapes of Devil’s Dyke and the rolling hills that provide West Sussex its timeless character.
Tickets: $30 members*; $40 non-members
*Membership discount applied automatically when logged into your Royal-Oak.org account

Zoom Rental | From Castles and Cathedrals to Chalk Downs: West Sussex
2025-11-14 - 2025-12-31 | Zoom Recording, Virtual, New York, NY, 10036, United States

Zoom | British Connections in the Gibbes Collection, Charleston S.C.
2025-12-08 14:00 - 15:00 | Zoom Meeting
Thomas Middleton of The Oaks, 1770By Benjamin West (American, 1738–1820)
The Gibbes Museum of Art, located in the heart of Charleston, South Carolina, contains a premier collection of over 10,000 art objects. While its works primarily focus on American Southern art connected to Charleston, many objects have British connections. Housed in a stunning Beaux Arts-style building, the museum offers a rich window into the region’s history as a major British colony, where Charlestonians commissioned portraits and collected works painted by English artists. Becca Hiester, Gibbes Director of Education and Programs, will give a virtual tour exploring the museum’s transatlantic connections, with a special look at British-American artist Benjamin West. West, born in Pennsylvania, rose to prominence while in 18th-century London. He earned the nickname “American Raphael” and attracted the attention of patrons such as King George III. In 1772, he was appointed Historical Painter to the King, and later became President of the Royal Academy. Becca will explore West’s work and describe the artist’s connections to wealthy Charlestonians. Finally, she will explain how British art found its home in the Gibbes Collection.
Tickets: $20 members*; $30 non-members
*Membership discount applied automatically when logged into your Royal-Oak.org account

Zoom Rental | British Connections in the Gibbes Collection, Charleston S.C.
2025-12-09 - 2025-12-31 | Zoom Recording, Virtual, New York, NY, 10036, United States

Zoom | Christmas in Georgian London
2025-12-09 17:00 - 18:00 | Zoom Meeting
At the start of the Georgian period, Christmas was a refined and relatively modest affair, especially among the upper classes. Gone were the Tudor boisterous revels. Instead, the holiday was marked by elegant entertainments, subdued gatherings, and traditional fares such as rosemary garlands, Christmas porridge, and the ever-popular buttock of beef. However, by the late Georgian period, shifting changes in custom led to a wave of nostalgia for the festive customs of “Old England.” This change brought renewed enthusiasm for traditional celebrations tied to St. Nicholas Day and Twelfth Night festivities, and the development of new foods and culinary treats. Accompanying the ascension of the new monarch in 1714, King George I, came the now popular custom of serving plum pudding as part of Christmas dinner. Join Rob Smith for a lively virtual tour of Christmas in Georgian London, as he unwraps the layers of tradition, transformation, and theatricality that shaped the holiday season.
©National Trust Images/William Shaw
From candlelit masked balls and extravagant feasts, to bustling frost fairs on the Thames, and raucous pantomimes on Drury Lane. Along the way, Rob will share stories of seasonal indulgence and holiday tales, including a tale of a highwayman who funded his Christmas celebrations through robbery. Join us as we explore how Georgian London celebrated the season and historically peer through the city windows lit by candlelight and alive with holiday cheer.
Tickets: $30 members*; $40 non-members
*Membership discount applied automatically when logged into your Royal-Oak.org account

Zoom Rental | Christmas in Georgian London
2025-12-10 - 2025-12-31 | Zoom Recording, Virtual, New York, NY, 10036, United States
