Join Pastor Steve Rankin on a 10-day pilgrimage through England, exploring the spiritual and cultural roots of Methodism and Christian history. Highlights include St. Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, John Wesley’s House, the New Room Chapel in Bristol, and the Wesley family home in Epworth.

Experience the wonders of Stonehenge, the Roman Baths in Bath, Shakespeare’s birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon, and Oxford’s Christ Church College. Optional experiences include a West End theatre show or a Royal Shakespeare Company performance.

This journey offers a unique blend of faith, history, and culture—walking in the footsteps of Christian leaders and exploring the landmarks that shaped their lives.

Your pilgrimage begins as you depart the United States on your international flight. Relax, reflect, and prepare your heart for the journey ahead, anticipating the spiritual discoveries and historical treasures that await.

Upon arrival in London, you will meet your awaiting escort and motor coach and transfer to central London, where your journey begins at St. Paul’s Cathedral. For more than fourteen hundred years, a cathedral dedicated to St Paul has stood at the highest point in the city. The present Cathedral, the masterpiece of Britain's most famous architect Sir Christopher Wren, is at least the fourth to have stood on the site. The three-hundred-year-old building is therefore a relative newcomer to a site which has witnessed Christian worship for over one thousand four hundred years.

From there, visit the Tower of London, ancient London's most historic monument and home to the priceless Crown Jewels. Built in the eleventh century by King Edward the Confessor, the Tower has served as a royal palace, prison, and treasury. It was here that the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton took place on 29th April 2011, a joyous occasion celebrated around the world.

Continue with a panoramic city tour as you pass iconic landmarks such as Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and the Houses of Parliament, before checking into your hotel for dinner and overnight.

Today is devoted to the spiritual and cultural heritage of London. Begin with a visit to Westminster Abbey (open from 9.30am to 3.30pm from Monday to Friday, and 9am to 3pm on Saturday. On Sunday, it is open for worship only), an architectural masterpiece that has been the setting for every Coronation since 1066 and contains the tombs of many kings and queens.

You will proceed to the Museum of Methodism (every Tuesday - Saturday, 10.30am - 4pm) and John Wesley’s House (last entry to the House is 2.45pm), exploring the life and ministry of the man who sparked the Methodist movement.  

Nearby, visit Bunhill Fields (38 City Road, EC1Y 2BG), the historic burial site of Susanna Wesley, John Bunyan, Daniel Defoe, Isaac Watts, and others. Pause at the Aldersgate plaque, where John Wesley experienced his heart being “strangely warmed,” a moment that ignited the Methodist revival and changed the course of Christian history. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight. 

OPTIONAL (not included in the package rate): Enjoy a London West End Theatre show or a performance at the Globe Theatre (details announced closer to departure).

After breakfast, depart London and journey into the scenic English countryside. Enroute, stop at Stonehenge, the Neolithic stone circle whose upright and horizontal stones have stood for over 5,000 years. Explore the visitor center, learn about the theories surrounding its construction, and reflect on the ancient mystery and spiritual significance of this sacred site.

Continue to the historic city of Bath, where you will visit the Roman Baths, a remarkably preserved complex built over natural hot springs. Walk where Romans once gathered for relaxation and worship, taste the mineral-rich spa water if you wish, and explore the interactive museum with costumed guides and award-winning audio tours narrated by witty travel writer Bill Bryson.

Arrive in Bristol, check into your hotel, and enjoy dinner and overnight, reflecting on a day filled with wonder and history.

This morning after breakfast, visit John Wesley’s Chapel (The New Room), the oldest Methodist Chapel in the world, originally built in 1739. Explore the chapel, upstairs Preachers’ Rooms, and museum, all highlighting the lives and work of John and Charles Wesley.

Continue to Charles Wesley’s House and then to Hanham Mount, where George Whitefield and John Wesley preached to local miners in 1739. A paved cross and bronze plaque mark one of the earliest openair preaching sites in Methodism.

Return to your hotel in Bristol for dinner and overnight, reflecting on a day rich in faith and history.

After breakfast, early departure Bristol and journey north. Stop at World of Wedgwood to visit the V&A Wedgwood Collection (Opening Times, Open 7 Days, from 10am) (200 kms from Bristol), a collection comprises over 80,000 works of art, ceramics, manuscripts and photographs. Arrive in York and enjoy a guided tour of Minster* (N:B: Monday to Saturday: 9.30am to 5.00pm, with last booking slot at 3.45pm. Sunday: 12.45pm – 2.45pm, with last booking slot at 2.15pm.) one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in Europe. Marvel at its soaring spires, intricate stonework, and stunning stained-glass windows. Stroll the medieval streets of The Shambles, lined with quaint shops, cafés, and timbered buildings, providing a glimpse of life in the Middle Ages.

(*Tower not included - supplement to apply). (about 400 kms)

 *** Not Included in the package rates as not enough time - visit possible in replacement of the York Minster visit *** Continue to the Viking Museum*** (generally open from 10:00 to 17:00 (last admission) from April to October) an interactive experience that brings the lives of Norse settlers to vivid life.

Check into your hotel in York and enjoy dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, depart York and travel to Epworth to visit the Old Rectory, where Samuel and Susanna Wesley raised their children, including John and Charles Wesley. Explore Wesley Memorial Church, where the colorful chancel window illustrates the story of Christ and his disciples.

Head to Birmingham and visit Bishop Asbury Cottage (opening times to reconfirm closer to travel dates - Irregular opening days and times), the boyhood home of Francis Asbury, the first bishop of American Methodism.

Continue to Stratford-upon-Avon, check into your hotel, and enjoy dinner and overnight, preparing for a day of Shakespearean exploration.

Begin with a visit to Shakespeare’s Birthplace (daily, 10am - 5pm (House: last entry 4.30pm)) exploring the rooms where the Bard lived, played, and dreamed. Visit Holy Trinity Church (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 11:00 - 15:45, Wednesday 14:00 - 15:45, Saturday 10:00 - 15:45, Sunday: 11:30 - 15:15), where Shakespeare worshipped and is buried. Continue to Anne Hathaway’s Cottage (daily, 10am - 5pm (House: last entry 4.30pm)), a charming thatched farmhouse surrounded by beautiful gardens, fragrant blooms, and original family furnishings. Enjoy dinner and overnight.

 OPTIONAL (not included in the package rate): Attend a performance at the Royal Shakespeare Company Theatre (details announced closer to departure).

After breakfast, travel to Oxford and enjoy a walking tour of Christchurch College or similar, exploring its cathedral and historic halls, where scholars including John Wesley and William Gladstone studied. Stop at St Michael at the North Gate (Mon: Sat: 9am–3:45pm (later on Service days & Summer months) Sun: 7:30am–5pm) Oxford’s oldest building, with its Saxon tower dating back to around 1040 AD. Located on Cornmarket Street, this historic church once stood beside the city’s medieval north gate. Then, visit Martyrs’ Cross, a tribute to those who gave their lives for faith. Return to London, check into your hotel, and enjoy a Farewell Dinner (3-course dinner with tea/coffee in a pub or restaurant), celebrating the spiritual and cultural richness of your journey.

After breakfast, you will be transferred to London airport for your return flight home, carrying cherished memories of sacred spaces, inspiring stories, and the enduring beauty of England’s spiritual and historical heritage.