Come join The Armenian Institute community for a restorative day in the Welsh countryside. Tucked in Hawarden village, you will find yourself immersed in heritage and culture within a remarkable neo-Gothic building dating from the turn of the 20th century– beautiful Gladstone’s Library.
Founded by former Prime Minister William Gladstone, the Library is a unique residential retreat dedicated to theology and spirituality, history, current affairs, and literature, both classical and contemporary. With its iconic reading rooms, peaceful gardens, chapel, cosy guest lounge, bar, restaurant and simple but characterful bedrooms, it offers the perfect setting for a thoughtful break.
This special event offers a rare opportunity to explore treasures from Gladstone’s personal connections with the Armenian people. The Library holds remarkable artefacts gifted to him, including a 16th-century illuminated New Testament, a chalice, and a striking Armenian church window, all of which you will discover during a private guided tour and curated exhibition viewing.
This event forms part of a new series dedicated to exploring Armenian manuscripts and material heritage in lesser-known UK collections. The Armenian Institute is pleased to hold this unique weekend field trip at the Gladstone Library in North Wales.
This event series honours the memory of the late Ruth Keshishian, a lover of books, archives, researchers, and intellectual life, and dear friend and supporter of the Armenian Institute.
The programme runs as follows:
Saturday 20 June 2026
Plan to arrive in good time before the start of the programme.
2pm – Welcome drinks and introductory talk
By the Library’s Warden and Director, Revd Dr Andrea Russell, in the Gladstone Room.
2:30pm – Talks by the Reading Rooms team
Insights from the Reading Rooms team in the Gladstone Room.
3pm – Coffee break
Tea and coffee will be served during this break.
4pm – Private guided tour
Tour of the Library and exhibition/collections viewing in the Glynne Room. Discover the historic building and its fascinating collections, and view Armenian artefacts up close.
5pm – Visit to nearby St Deiniol’s Church
Home to the Armenian window and chalice.
Ticket (2–6:30pm)
🎟️ £50, includes talks, guided tours and refreshments on Sat. 20 June.
Not included in the ticket price:
Train travel (A direct train ride from London Euston, or elsewhere, to Chester railway station. Please write if you need help arranging travel.)
Taxi transfers
Speaker
Andrea Russell is Warden of Gladstone’s Library, taking up the role in October 2022. For the past 10 years, she has been involved in theological education and comes to Hawarden from Oxford Diocese, where she was Director of Formation for Ministry. There, she oversaw the provision of training and continued learning for both clergy and licensed lay ministers. She has a legal background, having worked initially as a solicitor before moving into theology. Her PhD focused on Richard Hooker, a key figure in the Church of England in the 16th Century and even though the title of his book doesn’t at first sight appear to be all that riveting (The Lawes of Ecclesiastical Polity), she assures us that it really is an exciting read! She loves reading crime novels and being by the sea.
