Mayfield Senior School First Itinerary 2013

A 10-day custom-designed performance journey presented by Incantato Concert Tours for the Mayfield Senior School Conservatory for the Arts 

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19 T0 FRIDAY, JUNE 28, 2013 
Arts Immersion Tour in the footsteps of Cornelia Connelly 

DAY 1, Wednesday, June 19 2013 
Overnight non-stop flight to London 
DAY 2, Thursday, June 20 
Welcome to the British Isles 
Your Incantato Tour Manager and coach driver welcome you upon arrival in London and assist with the transfer to the Tunbridge Wells area for check-in and traditional English welcome dinner. 
Located just 30 miles south of London, this historic town has been attracting visitors for 400 years and will be your home away from home for the next four nights. 
DAYS 3 to 5, Friday to Sunday June 21 to 23 
In Cornelia Connelly‘s Footseps - Mayfield School Visit & Highlight Concert 
Travel back in time as your group visits St. Leonards-Mayfield School, located in the beautiful countryside about an hour outside of London and founded by Cornelia Connelly in 1872. The Old Palace at Mayfield dates back to 1325 and was donated to the Society of the Holy Child to be turned into a girls‘ boarding school. Enjoy three days on campus and multiple opportunities to study, work and play with staff and students alike. On Saturday, prepare for a special performance and then on Sunday, MSS will be part of the 150th anniversary celebration Mass in the medieval chapel where Cornelia Connelly was laid to rest. 
DAY 6, Monday, June 24 
Oxford University Visit & Performance 
Discover the more than a thousand year-old history of Oxford as you explore the city center which is shaped largely by the University‘s buildings. After a guided tour with a special focus on the arts, there will be another performance opportunity, before transferring to London, your base for the remainder of the tour. 
DAY 7, Tuesday, June 25 
Cambridge Excursion & Performance 
A university town since 1209, Cambridge offers a lot to see from the Kings‘ College Chapel to the Margaret Beaufort Institute, a Roman Catholic House of Studies for women specializing in theology, spirituality, and leadership for lay ministries. The Mayfield ensembles will likely perform here as well. A special treat will be a „punt,“ a river cruise in traditional boaters. 
DAY 8, Wednesday, June 26 
London Tour & Arts Immersion Part I 
In the morning, take a sightseeing tour of this vibrant city still bustling with the excitement from the 2012 Olympics, including entrances to some of the famous sights such as the Tower of London, British Museum or National Gallery. There will be ample opportunities to explore and experience the bustling London theatre scene through your MSS contacts and to stage a final highlight performance. 
DAY 9, Thursday, June 27 
London in-depth & Arts Immersion Part II 
There is so much to see and do in London that you will appreciate having an extra day to further explore the many sights England‘s capital city has to offer. A special farewell dinner in Notting Hill will conclude the journey. We can also arrange for West End show tickets at an additional cost not yet included. 
Day 10, Friday, June 28 
Return flight home 
Head back to California with memories to last a lifetime. 
This itinerary will continue to take shape based on the participants‘ interests and their fields of study. 

London's Churches with Incantato Tours

London's magnificent churches create the city's unique skyline and tell the story of the capital's history. One of the oldest of these is the cathedral church of St. Saviour and St. Mary Overy, originally founded in 606 AD. It was in this cathedral that John Harvard was baptized in in 1607, which is why there is the Harvard Chapel. On the north bank is where you will find some of the most famous churches, including Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's Cathedral. However, with such monumental buildings, it is easy to overlook some of the other churches, such as St. Margaret, the church of the House of Commons. It was founded in the 12th century; the current building dates back to 1523 and is particularly noteworthy for the 15th-century stained glass in the east window. Just a footpath away from Westminster Abbey, this is where Winston Churchill was married. 
Westminster Abbey itself is, of course, no to be overlooked either. Steeped in more than a thousand years of history, Benedictine monks first came to the site in the middle of the 10th century and established a tradition of daily worship which continues to this day. Begun in 1245, it is one of the most important Gothic buildings in the country. The Abbey has been the coronation church since 1066 and is also the final resting place of 17 monarchs. 
Equally imposing is St. Paul's Cathedral. The current building is the fifth to stand on the site since 604 and it was built between 1675 and 1710 after the previous building had been destroyed in the Great Fire of London. Throughout its long history, there have been several commemorating events, such as Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee celebrated here in 1897. Catherine of Aragon and Prince Arthur were married here in 1501, as well as the famous wedding of the Prince of Wales and Lady Diana in 1981. Most recently, Queen Elizabeth II also celebrated her 80th birthday here in 2006 and her own diamond jubilee in 2012. 

St. Leonard's Mayfield School

St. Leonard’s Mayfield School is a Roman Catholic school for girls aged 7-13 in Mayfield, Great Britain. Mayfield is located less than 40 miles from the center of London. The school was founded 1872 by Cornelia Connelly and the Society and the Holy child Jesus. Cornelia Connelly created an educational system based on trust and reverence. The school is committed to the tradition of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus. 

What is the society of the Society and the Holy child Jesus (SHCJ)?

SHCJ was founded over 160 years ago and is an international society of Catholic women religious committed to Christ based on vision life, spirituality and vision continue

 

Facts about the school:

• The school’s mission is 'to help others to believe that God lives and acts in them and in our world, ant to rejoice in the divine presence' 
• 425 pupils are currently enrolled
• St. Leonard’s Mayfield School is organized into Lower School, Middle School and Sixth Form (Years 11 and 18)
• The majority of pupils come from homes near Mayfield
• The school has an international community: Spain, Mexico, Venezuela, Hungary, Germany, Poland, Russia, China, Hong Kong and Nigeria
• St. Leonard offers a wide variety of activities beyond the classroom e.g. ballet, dancing, hockey, music