Bucks, Berks and Oxon Group visit to Burnham Abbey

Event details

Thursday 2 October, 10.30am – 2.30pm

Join the SPAB BBO Group for a rare opportunity to visit the historic site and buildings of Burnham Abbey. Founded in 1266 for Augustinian Canonesses by Richard, Earl of Cornwall, the Abbey has a rich history spanning medieval origins, dissolution, and 20th-century restoration by the Society of the Precious Blood.

The visit will be hosted by Duncan McCallum (Chair of SPAB and trustee of the Society), Giulia Baldin (Martin Ashley Architects), and David Bloxam (Cliveden Conservation). Attendees will learn about ongoing conservation work on the unusual earth (wychert) boundary wall, as well as explore the ruined sections of the Abbey, the exterior, the barn, the granary, and parts of the interior of the main Abbey building.

The day includes opportunities for Q&A, informal discussion, and networking over a packed lunch in the refectory.

Burnham Abbey is Grade I listed and one of the best surviving medieval religious houses in Buckinghamshire. It offers a unique insight into both historic architecture and current conservation practice.

You will need

Warm, waterproof clothing and stout shoes/boots. Packed lunch.

Tea and coffee on arrival.

How to get there

Burnham Abbey
Lake End Road
Burnham, Slough
SL6 0PW

Limited on-site parking. Please car share where possible.
Access via gravel driveway with brick piers and iron gates opposite West Town Farm Industrial Estate.

Approx. 30-minute walk from Taplow Station (Elizabeth Line).
 

Accessibility

The visit involves standing and walking over uneven surfaces. Some steps inside the Abbey, though most spaces are on the ground floor. Paths may be slippery. Toilets available on site. 

Anything we can do to make this event more accessible for you? Please email membership@spab.org.uk.

Photos and filming:We may take photos or videos at this event to be used in future promotion, including in print and online. Participants may take photos and short videos for personal use, with permission of the course leader and all other participants in frame. If you want to post on social media, please message SPAB's Comms Team (press@spab.org.uk or @spab1877) for permission. If your material is good, we might ask to share it with our followers.

All bookings are subject to our Terms and Conditions.

Photo credit: Burnham Abbey work in progress, © SPAB via Duncan McCallum