Come and sing in the exceptional cloisters and hillside garden at Iford Manor. All the songs and harmonies will be taught by ear by Jane Harris, Director of Songways. 

Thursday 20 July

3:30 – 6pm

£22 including entry to the Peto Garden
Registration from 3:15pm at the entrance to the garden.
If you arrive early you are welcome to go into the garden.

Iford is an “other-worldly” place with an exquisite garden nestled in a sheltered valley near Bath. We will sing in several parts of the garden, including the Loggia, the Great Terrace, the Casita and the Italianate Cloisters. To sing at Iford is a particularly special way to enjoy all that it has to offer: to savour the sounds we create in different parts of the garden, listen to the bird song, relish the privilege of having the cloisters to ourselves, enjoy learning songs and harmonies together and feast our eyes on the wonderful vistas throughout the garden. 

Comments from last year's Sing at Iford led by Jane:

“Beautifully conceived, curated and delivered… magical”
“Fabulous – food for the soul”
“Really moving – cathartic”
“Meditative and free flowing… inspiring”
“Ecstasy on a summer afternoon”
“Heaven on earth”

Read about Sing at Iford with Jane in July 2022

Peto Garden, Iford Manor, Iford, Bradford-on-Avon BA15 2BA
Map & directions | Free parking in the orchard car park

The excellent Cafe at Iford will be open before the event for refreshments and light lunches.

PLEASE NOTE

Please bring a bottle of water... plus sun hat or umbrella depending on the weather.
There are steep steps and uneven paths.

Tickets are non-refundable*. If you are unable to attend you are welcome to pass your ticket on to someone else.

*If the event cannot take place due to Covid or other circumstances, it will be postponed and your ticket will be valid for the future date. In that situation, if you are unable to make the future date you will be offered a refund.

JANE HARRIS

Jane Harris is an experienced choir leader and Director of Songways, based in Bath. Jane teaches by ear and loves to explore songs in different ways to enrich and deepen the singing experience. She has a clear, inclusive and enabling teaching style, uncovers the best in singers’ voices and draws people together with heartfelt, resonant singing.

Jane also plays the violin, which she will use to introduce some of the songs. She has a rich, vibrant voice and has released an album of her own songs, inspired by the natural world – One touch of nature. Jane also performs with her own vocal group, Rolling Harmony.

IFORD AND THE PETO GARDEN

In 1899, the architect and garden designer, Harold Ainsworth Peto, discovered Iford. The individuality of the garden owes everything to his inspiration and eye for combining architecture and plants.

The peaceful, Grade 1 registered garden is unlike any other with its romantic design and architecture, combining formality with nature and magnificent rural views across an unspoilt valley, whilst beautifully framed architectural gems and antiquities punctuate your visit throughout.

The house is built into the steep hillside, so terracing forms an important element of the design. Peto was particularly attracted by the charm of old Italian gardens, where flowers occupy a subordinate place amongst the cypresses, broad walks, statues and pools. The current owners have restored the design and planting in accordance with Harold Peto’s vision and over the years, have transformed the area of the Oriental garden.

The garden includes delightful features such as the Loggia, the Great Terrace, the Casita and the largest of Peto’s garden buildings, the Cloisters.

More about the garden

Iford Cloisters image Neosnaps, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>;, via Wikimedia Commons