BARD’S DRIVE 2025

CLASSIC AND VINTAGE CAR MEETING & RALLY
SUNDAY 8TH JUNE 2025

For this year’s charity fundraising event, we are meeting at wonderful Walton Hall — a very impressive  Grade II*listed  manor house.

The current Walton Hall has existed since the mid-19th century, but it sits on the site of the several older manor houses and its cellars date back to Elizabeth I’s time.

Classic and vintage Cars will meet at Walton Hall where participants will be able to take photos and chat over refreshment in the Orangery.
From 1pm, participants can take part, if they wish, in a rally (with a quiz) around churches in the area.

Start Time: 10.30 to 10.45am
Refreshments in the Orangery: around 11.15am
Cost: £40 per car  (entry to Church tour quiz is included)

When you book, you will have the option of pre-booking refreshments (tea or coffee and pastries) for the people in your party. (The hotel is unable to take orders on the day).

Cost of coffee or tea and pastries : £6 per head.

Church Quiz
Have fun touring around the wonderful countryside, visiting 5 or 6 historic churches in the area and finding answers to the questions we provide.
While you are touring,  you can also visit car venues (for example, Caffeine and Machine in Ettington or The British Motor Museum in Gaydon) or find a delightful country pub for lunch. (meals and entry fees are not included in the price per car)

We look forward to seeing you at  Walton Hall on Sunday 8th June ! 

Sarah Constable

…and the Bard’s Drive Team  (email: info@bardsdrive.co.uk) 

Please note: meals on the route and the cost of visiting other car venues on the route is not included in the price.)  

If you have any enquiries about Bard’s Drive, please email info@bardsdrive.co.uk

All profits for Bard’s Drive go to our charity,  the Warwickshire and Coventry Historic Churches Trust to enable us to give grants to restore and maintain Warwickshire churches and chapels, preserving them for future generations.

 

PREVIOUS BARD’S DRIVE EVENTS

BARD’S DRIVE JULY 2024

The owners of this stunning Grade II-listed 18th-century manor house kindly agreed that Bard’s Drive could meet at Foxcote House, Ilmington in the Cotswolds.Foxcote is a privately owned home and access to the Foxcote estate is only rarely given so this was a wonderful opportunity.

Cars met at Foxcote House where owners took photos — and then chatted over refreshments in the former Catholic chapel.  After the meeting participants could take part, if they wished, in a rally (with a quiz) around churches in the area. 

 BARD’S DRIVE  JULY 2023
Bard’s Drive 2023 took place on Saturday 22nd July 2023 at Honington Hall (near Shipston-on-Stour). In spite of the weather, we had a great turnout and everyone enjoyed meeting other classic car enthusiasts.

The Trust was very grateful to Benjamin Wiggin for his kind permission for cars to meet in the grounds of Honington Hall –  a stunning 17th century country  house.  James Kerr, a professional photographer, took some great photos of Bard’s Drive participants and their wonderful cars in front of it. Maps and Quiz sheets were provided for those wishing to tour around 5 of Warwickshire’s historic churches and / or classic car venues in the area (The British Motor Museum or Caffeine and Machine at Ettington).

CHURCHES INCLUDED: Honington (All Saints)  CV36 5AA; Shipston-on-Stour (St Edmunds) CV36 4AP; Barcheston (St Martins;) Brailes (St Georges) CV35 0SG; Brailes (St Peter and St Catholic Church);  Ratley  (St Peter ad Vincula) OX15 6DS; Pillerton Hersey (St Mary the Virgin) CV35 0QJ

Click to see  James Kerr’s photos 
If you would like to purchase digital photos, please take a note of the photo number(s) you are interested in and email info@bardsdrive.co.uk      Prices are: 2 photos for £10;  5 photos for 20;   8 photos for £25`
Our thanks to James Kerr for donating profits from the sale of these photos to the  Trust.

 

BARD’S DRIVE 2022

We had an amazing sunny day with bright blue skies on Sunday for Bard’s Drive 2022 on Sunday 19th July 2022.  A variety of  wonderful cars joined us in the courtyard of 14th century Maxstoke Castle to start the Rally.

After chatting, refreshments and taking photos, the cars were waved off with a flag!

Participants visited historic churches of their choice in the area, including Polesworth Abbey;  St Peter’s Mancetter; St Edith’s, Monks Kirby; St John the Baptist and St Anne’s at Wappenbury; St Nicholas, Kenilworth; St Peter and St Paul’s, Coleshilll; St Michael’s and All Angels, Maxstoke –  and took part in our fun Church Quiz and Photo Competition.

Our grateful thanks to George and Edwina Fetherston-Dilke, who generously let us use their home, Maxstoke Castle, as the starting venue.

Thanks too to everyone who took part, the churches for welcoming our rally drivers and all those who helped make it a day to remember.

Photos by Jamie Wright (info@jddigital.co.uk)