Songs, Threads and Yarns

Monday 17 Jun 4pm — Friday 21 Jun 10am, 2024

To make a booking enquiry please complete the form below. We will contact you to confirm availability and complete your booking.

textile crafts made in a residential craft holiday
Pricing

Full board per person (tuition, activities, all meals & accommodation):

£430– single ensuite room
£390– sharing an ensuite room
£390– single non-ensuite room
£355 – sharing non-ensuite room

Camping per person (tuition, activities, all meals):

£260

Non Resident (tuition, activities, all meals except breakfast):

£240

A summer holiday at Halsway Manor in which to share textile crafting skills, songs and stories. With host Meg Rose and very special guest the multi-talented Tim Van Eyken.

The week presents a unique opportunity to develop your own craft projects in a supportive and convivial atmosphere, working with our hands whilst exploring related aspects of folk music, song and story telling. This is not an instructional course as such. Presentations on various topics of interest and techniques are programmed throughout the week. The emphasis will be on learning from each other by show and tell and there will be free time to walk and relax too.

Who is it for?

The week is aimed at textile crafters and artists of any level of experience – complete beginners, happy hobbyists, dedicated professional and anyone in between – who would like a few days in a lovely setting to develop their craft project, share their skills and learn from others.

You do not have to be a singer, musician or storyteller, but if you are please bring your instruments, songs and stories to share – anything craft-related especially well received!

We would also like to make it absolutely clear that, while many of these crafts are associated with women and women’s work, ALL are welcome!

The Team

Meg Rose has taught mixed crafts for many years and also has a long association with Halsway Manor, including hosting many singing courses.

Tim Van Eyken  Is a melodeon player, guitarist, whistle player, clog dancer among other things.  Tim made his first album, New Boots, in 1998, and in the same year won the BBC Young Folk Award. Following extensive solo touring, including work for the British Council in the Middle East, Oman, Mozambique and Macedonia, he joined Waterson:Carthy with whom he toured and recorded for six years. He was a founder member of the band Dr Faustus. In 2006 he released his album Stiffs Lovers Holymen Thieves, and he and his band “Van Eyken” were nominated for 4 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2007 and went on to win the award for Best Traditional Track with ‘Barleycorn’. In 2008 he originated the role of Songman in the National Theatre production War Horse, and after performing in the production for two years he retrained as an actor at Oxford School of Drama, during which time he also wrote music for The Adventures of Abney and Teal for Cbeebies. Recent credits include Frees / Lady Capulet in Shakespeare In Love -West End, Evans/Levi in Birdsong –national tour, Doctor in GOOD at the Manchester Royal Exchange, Ballad Singer in The Ballroom of Joys and Sorrows at Watford Palace Theatre, and for BBC Radio 4, Reg in Wildsong and Scott in The Loving Ballad of Captain Bateman, a drama for which he also wrote and performed the music. He is currently writing the music for The Winter’s Tale for BBC Radio 3.