ONLINE TALKS
Clough Williams Ellis – The Man Who Built Port Meirion
Wonderful lecture – could hear every word – we love Nicholas M’s ‘modus operandi’ – so knowledgeable and a great personality.
Henbury Hall – On Behalf of the Friends of the British Antique Dealers Association
Now that the recent series of his lectures has come to an end, I just wanted to place on record how much I have enjoyed them.
What a wonderful talk on Henbury.
Will you please pass on from me a tremendous thank you to Nicholas for his most inspiring and very informative talk he has just given and also for passing on his incredible knowledge to me.
Erdigg, A House saved from dereliction
Please thank Nicholas for his interesting and fascinating talk. Such an easy voice to listen to.
Paul De Lamerie
Really enjoyed this afternoon’s webinar, I love silver so this was a joy to watch.
We were able to watch it today – and very interesting it was too.
…thoroughly enjoyed the lecture.
A fascinating talk! I enjoyed it so much.
The Sixth Duke of Devonshire
Another fascinating talk by Nicolas Merchant whose detailed knowledge of this subject seems peerless.
That was the best lecture and the best lecturer. Wonderful!
An excellent and wide-ranging talk.
Eileen Gray – In conjunction with the friends of The BADA
Excellent. Thank you.
Thank you again for putting together such a selection of different and interesting talks. I hadn’t heard of Eileen Gray so really enjoyed the talk. Looking forward to the next one.
Thank you, very informative lecture. That was first zoom lecture I have ever watched.
The lecture was really enjoyable this afternoon
That was such an interesting talk and well- illustrated with interesting slides.
Gosh what a woman! What an inspiration!! Thank you again.
Thank you for the Eileen Gray, so interesting, loved it.
If You Want To Get Ahead, get a Tiara – For the friends of The BADA
With yesterday’s super zoom talk about tiaras, it really gave me an enormous lift in spirits. Thank you.
I really enjoyed Tiaras yesterday. Thank you.
Thoroughly enjoyed Nicholas’s talk yesterday! What a bunch of yummy gorgeousness!!
I really enjoyed the talk on Tiaras – not that I have any experience of such items!!
What a lovely lecture Nicholas just gave us. He’s so interesting to listen to and fun with it!
Holkham and Houghton Lecture for Historic Houses
Another fascinating and meaty lecture. Nicholas’s enthusiasm certainly shines through.
Nicholas Merchant and all at HH involved in planning and executing the presentation are to be congratulated on a very professional presentation.
I would just like to say “thank you” to the team for organising last night’s talk and to Nicholas Merchant for delivering it.
Just a brief note to say how much I enjoyed the lecture by Nicholas Merchant on the above houses.
I have just watched the lecture and found it fascinating.
I very much enjoyed the talk on Holkham Hall.
My thanks to Nicholas for a really interesting talk on Holkham and Houghton
Another great talk by Nicholas – always informative, well considered and with just the right amount of humour!
The lecture was fascinating with the right amount of facts and photos to give a flavour of both houses.
I watched the lecture last evening and found it most interesting. The lecturer is excellent and obviously has a wealth of information at his fingertips.
I just wanted to thank the HHA and Nicholas Merchant very much indeed for yesterday’s excellent lecture.
Two fascinating houses, a first-class speaker, and wonderful illustrations made it most inspiring and memorable.
Roll on the next HHA lecture!
Nicholas was entertaining and informative.
We watched the talk last evening and found it very enjoyable and interesting.
Very interesting and connection with Catherine the Great added to historical knowledge too.
I watched the lecture last night. It was very interesting, Nicholas was informative and easy to listen to, the slides were good quality.
The pictures and the actual talk were all very good.
Just to say enjoyed the lecture very much.
My wife and I really enjoyed Nicholas Merchant’s talk. It was excellent to have this overview of the houses and to have Nicholas’ historical and political perspective.
Eileen Gray, An Irish Rebel
Excellent expose of the work and life of Eileen Gray… It was a magnificent feast and I’m sure all who were tuned in found it truly eyeopening.
Queen Mary, “My One Great Hobby”
I loved the lecture on Queen Mary’s jewellery, what an excellent speaker Nicholas is I could have listened for another hour!
Queen Victoria in the South of France
What a vivid and knowledgeable and well-illustrated talk by Nicholas Merchant yesterday!
It was one of those occasions where you really wanted to drink in all Nicholas was saying and savour his information and the way he expressed it and he really didn’t leave any loose ends for follow up – a really good talk. A very interesting talk and wonderful illustrations.
Thank you to Nicholas for a most entertaining talk…
That was a really lovely and most interesting talk! Superb illustrations too!
What an interesting talk I watched it by the window with the sun streaming in
That was a most interesting talk about Queen Victoria and I much enjoyed Nicholas’ amusing little anecdotes.
That was fascinating.
A very interesting and enjoyable lecture.
TRAVEL TESTIMONIALS
Country Houses of Cheshire
Nicholas Merchant was excellent.
Nicholas Merchant did a wonderful job and remained cheerful in all situations.
Country Houses of Northamptonshire
Nicholas was again a friendly and knowledeable tour manager.
Nicholas Merchant is a very good tour manager who combined a personal manner, humour, sound admin and a good working relationship with all of the tour venues.
Well organised by Nicholas. Good to have two experts per visit Nicholas and the House Guide.
The introductory lectures that Nicholas gave were very useful.
Nicholas Merchant was an excellent tour manager as well as art lecturer.
An excellent trip. Nicholas was a superb guide… his subject knowledge and sense of humour are fantastic.Every property visited was brought to life.
Tour was superb, the houses, the guides, the lunches and Nicholas was excellent.
Tour manager inspired confidence and dealt with any problems without fuss
Our tour manger was knowledgeable and had a lovely sense of humour. He also knew when we had enough information.
Excellent tour. A great tour guide – knowledgeable, amusing and helpful with customers who needed.support.
Nicholas was excellent and the hotel staff were terrific.
Nicholas was a delightful host who wore his learning lightly and with humour and Oscar was a great coach driver.
Nicholas, as always, was excellent in his presentations and management of the tours.
Nicolas is a lovely guide who judged his presentation so well.
Brilliant tour manager.
Nicholas M very well organised.
Our charming (and extremely knowledgeable) host -Nicholas. Northamptonshire, an gem of a county. We saw it at its best.
Always a pleasure to tour with Nicholas Merchant.
Tour Manager Nicholas was superb.
Tour guide, Nicholas, was very knowledgeable, which made the visits to the various houses all the more interesting.
Country Houses of Sussex
Excellent tour manager and great selection of places to visit
Nicholas Merchant was informative, friendly and his talks before each day gave us an insight as to what to expect the following day.. Would go on another of his tours. Food was good, and a congenial group.
Nicholas Merchant was an excellent guide and tour manager ……. you work people like him very hard and you are lucky (and so were we) to get someone so competent and efficient. He was a much more knowledgeable guide in some of the houses that the local volunteers and could have provided a better experience than the locals in some of the venues. Nicholas’ first lecture, summarising what we were going to see/experience gave a very good starting point for the tour. Our driver was exceptional and the bus very comfortable
A most enjoyable few days exploring Sussex stately homes under the expert guidance of Nicholas Merchant who is knowledgeable, informative and entertaining.
Rothschilds in the Vale of Aylesbury
Our Tour Manager was exceptionally well qualified to lead such a visit, a bear-leader in the 18th century style, with a clear schedule even when changes occurred, and ready to smooth over any problems with a sense of humour. It was a pleasure to be led so unostentatiously by such a c Nicholas Merchant – excellent- most interesting lectures; he coped very well with changing country house regulations. Coach driver, very good at navigating, very friendly. A most enjoyable trip with a civilised and knowledgeable person.
Nicholas Merchant – excellent- most interesting lectures; he coped very well with changing country house regulations… A most enjoyable trip.
Nicholas as excellent as ever.
Country Houses of Staffordshire
Nicholas was his usual ebullient, knowledgeable and thoughtful self.
This is my second holiday with Nicholas Merchant and he is outstanding.
Villas and Gardens of The Cote d’azur
The four lectures given by Nicholas Merchant before our visits provided context to help us enjoy them fully.
Both Serge and Nicholas were brilliant and the Riviera was a revelation re scenery, flora and climate.
Nicholas Merchant’s morning talks in the roof top bar were educational and set us up for the days visits.
Nicholas, the lecturer, was an amusing raconteur and he and Serge were an entertaining double act. The holiday was truly excellent.
The regular talks by Nicholas Merchant were extremely informative and completely filled holes that I didn’t know existed!
Nicholas Merchant, our eminent lecturer regaled us most mornings with stories of beautiful gardens, extraordinary villas and their often illustrious owners.
Your lectures were a mine of information and detail but with some wonderful one-liners and humorous asides. Very many thanks.
Thank you for making our trip a relaxed, informative and entertaining experience.
Thank you so much for such a delightful week of treats!
Thank you very much for your very informative talks which were so interesting and fun. I have always loved that part of the world and you have really brought it alive for me.
Thank you for bringing to life all of the places we visited and the things we have seen. You have encompassed all aspects of our visit to the area with great passion and expert wit and humour making it very easy to digest and remember.
We have very greatly appreciated your knowledge and expertise.
Thank you for your expertise and for your company.
Nicholas Merchant had encyclopaedic knowledge of each place we visited and left us well informed, entertained and amused.
Nicholas’s talks were delightful.
Nicholas Merchant – what can I say! Such a superb lecturer. His talks were great and he has such a wonderful sense of humour. His descriptions and style make me wish his talks went on longer.
The tour lived up to expectations; both Nicholas and Serge (tour manager) were excellent and complemented each other with knowledge and enthusiasm – and charm.
Country Houses of Derbyshire
Nicholas was a very relaxed tour guide.
We have been on many Travel Editions tours over the years and have enjoyed them all – this was our second tour guided by Nicholas and as usual we enjoyed his lectures, his wit and his knowledge so very much.
Excellent lectures which we so enjoyed and which provided so much helpful background.
One final point, Nicholas Merchant was superb throughout.
Nicholas Merchant was an excellent guide and looked after all of our needs.
Rothay Manor
Once again many thanks for organising a most enjoyable stay at the Rothay Manor – good talks, good visits and good company!
Country Houses of Northamptonshire and Lincolnshire
Many thanks for a terrific time… Your organisation and knowledge plus enthusiasm were first class.
Another very enjoyable holiday.
A wonderful holiday.
Such an enjoyable short break.
Hebridean Princess
I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed your talks and general information during the ‘castles and Houses of the Clyde’ cruise on the Princess. It is rare to encounter a knowledgeable person who also has a sense of humour and can disseminate facts in an interesting, engaging manner.
Greatly enjoyed your talks, it made the trip worthwhile.