The association organises a number of visits each year, one longer tour, usually overseas and others in the UK.

Many field visits are also included in the Annual Conference and the Practical Days

Overseas

Previous trips have included: Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Spain and the USA.

The 2018 Spring Tour

Saxony

In May we visited Saxony taking in Dresden, the metal mining region of Erzgebirge, the brown coal mining area, the famous paddle steamers in Dresden, the ribbon weaving town of Großröhrsdorf and took the Fichtelbergbahn narrow gauge steam railway to the highest town in Germany amongst many other visits.

Look out for the report in the next issue of IA News.

Watch this space for details of the 2019 Spring Tour as soon as they become available.

In the UK

There have been a number of visits investigating Country House Technology led by Professor Marilyn Palmer (President) and Dr Ian West.

During the late 18th and 19th centuries a variety of technological innovations were becoming available to enhance the comfort and convenience of domestic life but, far from urban centres, the great Country Houses had to be self sufficient in the provision of gas, electricity, sanitation and water supply if they wished to make use of them.

Subsequently, the decline of many country houses, together with their being donated to the National Trust, has meant that less alteration has taken place than in domestic property. In 2008 Professor Marilyn Palmer (AIA President) and Dr Ian West began studying the technology in a wide range of country houses, examining both the physical remains and the historical evidence and trying to place them in the wider context of the effects they had above and below stairs.

Previous tours have included the South West, The North West, The North East and Scottish Borders, The Welsh Borders, East Anglia and Bucks, Oxon & Surrey.

These Country House Comfort & Convenience tours are run in agreement with the Association by Heritage of Industry Ltd.
For full details visit: http://www.heritageofindustry.co.uk
Email: info@heritageofindustry.co.uk
Write: Heritage of Industry Ltd, The Gables, 20 Main Road, East Hagbourne, Didcot OX11 9LN
Phone/Fax: +44 1235 352275