Past outings and events

Visits to Tollsworth Manor,
​ June 2022
​During three separate visits over 60 members spent a most interesting and memorable afternoon at the home of Gordon Gillett in his beautiful Grade II* Listed Hall House.  Gordon described the history of the site since 675 AD, including its use as a Monastic Farm with links with Merton Abbey.  After the Reformation the property was owned by Henry VIII  but there was no evidence of him actually residing there. More recently it was owned by the YHA in a somewhat dilapidated condition and Gordon purchased it with his late wife Carol in 1983. 
​Gordon gave us a most humorous and informative presentation of Tollsworth Manor saying how they could see it’s great potential and subsequently made a heartfelt decision to restore it. Gordon concentrated on the interior of the Manor and with Carol’s love of gardening, she created a beautifully stocked cottage garden with a very old huge Sycamore tree which stands in all its glory in the back garden.
Gordon and Carol started raising money for Cancer related charities with Christmas Fairs in 1984 and since 1990 with Open Gardens. As a result of Westerham U3A’s visits, over £1,400 will have been raised for St Catherines Hospice as our payments have been matched by other funders of the Hospice. Next year’s Open Garden for St. Catherine’s Hospice is on 11th June 2023.

Middle Temple Hall

The perfect venue for a magical Christmas lunch! The Architecture Group thoroughly enjoyed their festive buffet mixing with the barristers in the beautiful Elizabethan Middle Temple Hall (pictured) with its magnificent double hammer beam roof.
​The meal was preceded by a conducted tour of the Middle and Inner Temple on a gloriously sunny day. A truly wonderful start to the festive season!

Winter walking

The Walking Group is undeterred by wintery weather.  With such great walks in and around Westerham, Limpsfield, Sundridge and beyond, they never sort of trails.