In 2015, new history tours from ACE Cultural Tours commemorate the bicentennial of the Battle of Waterloo, delve deeper into the music and literature of WWI through the life of Ivor Gurney, and examine the turbulent history of French Huguenots to mark the 330th anniversary of the revocation of the Edict of Nantes.

Wellington & Waterloo

June 2–5, 2015; £1050

Napoleonic historian Colonel Nick Lipscombe, Chairman of the official organisation for the commemoration of the Waterloo bicentenary in the UK, leads this exploration of the life and times of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. Visits in Winchester, Windsor, and London are combined with fascinating lectures from special guest speakers including Dr Huw Davies, who analyses Wellington's military career and Lady Jane Wellesley, who tells the story of the Iron Duke as a family man.

More: http://www.aceculturaltours.co.uk/tourdetails/4341

The Music & Poetry of Gloucestershire: Ivor Gurney & Friends

July 14–17, 2015; £565

Join Dr Kate Kennedy, one of the world's leading experts on the life and work of Ivor Gurney, for an in-depth examination of some of the most intriguing music and literature of World War I. As well as Gurney, the landscapes and architecture of Gloucestershire inspired poets and composers such as FW Harvey, his closest friend and fellow soldier poet; the composer Herbert Howells; his teacher Sir Hubert Parry; and his inspiration, the poet Edward Thomas, a victim of the war.

More: http://www.aceculturaltours.co.uk/tourdetails/4389

Huguenots of the Cévennes: Remembering the French Wars of Religion

August 31 – September 7, 2015; £1895

In 1685, the revocation of the Edict of Nantes removed religious rights from French Protestants (known as Huguenots) and precipitated one of the most significant mass exoduses in history. This tour is based in the Languedoc, the heart of the French Wars of Religion, with visits in Orange and Crest before we head deep into the breathtaking scenery of the Cévennes National Park to discover the important sites and battlefields at the heart of the Camisard revolt. Our journey culminates as we join thousands of others for the atmospheric Assemblée du Désert, the annual gathering marking the long years during which Protestantism was illegal in France.

More: http://www.aceculturaltours.co.uk/tourdetails/4397

Other new history tours in 2015 include Asturias: The Cradle of Spain and Via de la Plata: Mérida to Salamanca with Rose Walker, an expert in mediaeval Spanish art, and Hungarian History Along The Danube with broadcaster, writer and filmmaker Dennis Marks. Our popular regular tours include The Channel Islands: Occupation & Defence, Mediaeval Burgundy, and Malta Through History.

NOTES

For further information or images, please contact Jessica Burrows at jessica@aceculturaltours.co.uk

Founded in 1958, ACE Cultural Tours is the UK's most experienced cultural tour operator. With a growing portfolio of over 1000 specially tailored tours for small groups, ACE offers over 200 departures every year. Every tour is led by a Tour Director – both a specialist in their field and a convivial host – and the tour groups regularly enjoy privileged access to private buildings, collections and special guests. Owned by the charitable organisation, the ACE Foundation, all tour profits are used to support educational projects in the UK and worldwide.

ACE Cultural Tours is a bonded tour operator, holding ATOL licence no 1204 and is also a member of AITO and ABTOT.

Visit the ACE Cultural Tours website here: www.aceculturaltours.co.uk

Visit the ACE Foundation website here: http://www.acefoundation.org.uk

Visit the Stapleford Granary website here: http://staplefordgranary.org.uk