Your journey begins when you depart on your international overnight flight to England.  

Welcome to London! Our representative will greet and escort you to your bus. You’ll drive to Canterbury, the ecclesiastical capital of England. Tour the historic Canterbury Cathedral where Thomas à Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, was murdered by four knights of Henry II in 1170. While many of the original structures were dismantled during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, Canterbury rose again to prominence as home to French Huguenots escaping persecution and local legend says the signing to hire the Mayflower to take pilgrims to the new world took place in Canterbury. Check into your hotel for dinner and overnight. (B, D)

Journey north to Cambridge University, which was founded in 1209 by a small group of masters and students fleeing from riot-torn Oxford. Early reformers like William Tyndale attended Cambridge, and at the White Horse Inn, a group of men introduced concepts from the German Reformation to England. Cambridge’s Sidney Sussex College produced Oliver Cromwell, leader of both Protestant and Republican reforms in England. Visit King’s College chapel to see Rubens’ breathtaking Adoration of the Magi.  Check into your hotel for dinner and overnight.  (B, D)

This morning’s first stop is Boston, birthplace of John Foxe and home to St. Boltoph’s Church, built in 1319.  In 1607, Puritan leaders (then known as Separatists) were held at Boston’s Guildhall for dissent from the Church of England and trying to depart for Holland in search of freedom of worship. Continue to Lincoln to visit the Cathedral, a famous example of English Gothic architecture, and Lincoln Castle, an 11th-century Norman castle that is home to one of four copies of the Magna Carta (1215) and the Charter of the Forest (1217).  Today’s final stop is Coventry, the city almost nearly destroyed by German bombers in 1940. When the city was rebuilt, it chose to leave the charred remains of the old Coventry Cathedral next to the new modern one, and together they stand as a tribute to the indomitable spirit of the British people. Tonight, join the people of Coventry Cathedral for Evensong.  Check into your hotel for dinner and overnight.  (B, D)

This morning, you’ll explore the city of Oxford and see some of the colleges here. You will tour Christ Church College, one of the 39 colleges that are a part of Oxford University. You will also visit the beautiful Christ Church Cathedral, which houses beautiful paintings and is home to Great Tom, an 18,000-pound bell, which rings every night at 9:05, signaling the closing of the college gates. William Tyndale earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Magdalen Hall (Hertford College) in 1512. He left for London in 1523 to seek permission to translate the Bible into English. You will visit the Sheldonian Theater, where scholars have graduated or been granted honorary degrees since 1669. See also the Bodleian Library and the Radcliffe Camera.  You will see other famous landmarks such as the Bridge of Sighs and the Martyr’s Memorial. Check into your hotel for overnight. Dinner not included. (B)

Enjoy a scenic drive through the charming villages of the Cotswolds, where honey-colored cottages cluster together in secluded valleys. Enjoy a visit to Bourton-on-the-Water, one of the most visited Cotswold villages.  Visit Gloucester Cathedral, one of the few monasteries spared from destruction as this cathedral was the burial site of a king (Edward II), converted into church offices.  Continue to London, where your local tour guide will take you on a panoramic sightseeing tour of the city before stopping at St. Paul’s Cathedral. Attend St. Paul’s Cathedral Evensong service if available.  Check into your London Hotel.  Dinner not included.   (B) 

Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress (which contains the Tower of London) stands on the banks of the Thames River in the heart of London. William the Conqueror originally began construction in 1078, and although this historic castle was not originally intended to be a prison, it once held kings, queens, religious leaders, and even children.  Reformers such as Sir John Oldcastle were imprisoned here during the repression of the Lollards in the 1400’s. Then, proceed to Westminster Abbey. The Westminster Confession of Faith was written here, and the abbey contains the graves of many famous people, including England’s early kings and queens. Enjoy some free time to walk around this area of London before returning to your hotel. Dinner not included. 

Return home with memories of the people of your Anglican heritage and their sacrifices made or stay on for two more days on your own in London or enjoy the Wales and Cornwall Extension.