Residential Modules UK

On this page you’ll find the practical details of our residential modules but if after reading both pages you had any further questions, please do get in touch via the contacts at the bottom of the page. You can also subscribe to our regular newsletter via the button on this page. All upcoming events, courses and activities can be found on our Events pages.

Our Methods

At present our education programme is based upon a modular approach: we take two subjects for exploration per year – one for the autumn, and one for the spring. Each module has an introductory reading (sometimes a dialogue or text from the writings of the great Platonists, sometimes a modern textbook, and sometimes a specially written paper). 

We then have three weekend seminars – the first is used as an initial exploration with particular emphasis on setting up a framework or
overview from which the subject can be expanded.  The second weekend, usually around 5 to 6 weeks after the first, is the most intensive weekend – we expect our students to have spent some time at home studying and contemplating the subject for consideration and the bulk of the weekend is spent in group discussions.  The third weekend is largely given over to student presentations which act as prompts to further group study.  Each weekend, in addition to study sessions, has a period for formal (but relatively short) meditations and devotions, without which philosophy tends towards a merely two-dimensional rationalism rather than a profound and spiritual discipline.  We also leave plenty of time for informal activities during which we find that conversations often transform seemingly small observations or questions into significant insights and moments of understanding. 

Our tutors are always happy to keep up correspondence with
our students during and after a module should further ideas or questions arise, using our space on Slack.

Each module, as far as is possible, is self-contained allowing potential students to join us at the start of any module.  Of course, as the modules are studied and built upon so the students’ appreciation of the subtleties of philosophy grows: we occasionally run separate study groups during our weekends allowing students of differing experience to work at an appropriate speed. 

Commitment 

The modules we run are our best attempt at maintaining a continuous cycle of study and contemplation on what are, by their very nature, profound subjects.  This does mean that attendance at all three weekends is important – to miss one weekend, especially the first or second, will mean that the student will struggle to catch up on the areas missed.  We realise that life is never as simple or as predictable as one would like, but we do ask within
reasonable limits that the commitment to a module is seen as one to attend all three weekends, as well as to home study between them.  You should also note that our weekends start at 6.45 pm on Friday evenings and end at around 2 pm on Sunday afternoons – we try to make full use of the  hours available to us and again wherever possible we ask our students to ensure that they arrive by the scheduled start time. 

Finances 

Our venue is a retreat house in Purley Chase, Warwickshire: charges for a weekend are £175 inclusive of all costs (accommodation is nominally shared bedrooms, but it is almost certain that in practice nobody will be asked to share) or £198 for single ensuite rooms: this represents only what the Trust pays the retreat house for your accommodation and meals. 

The Trust comes from a tradition that does not see wisdom as something to be bought and sold, nor as a possession nor a professional qualification, and our programme is run, as nearly as possible, on a cost basis.  The charges payable are set to cover accommodation and food, and our tutors do not charge for their work.  Our charges are, therefore, significantly below what is normally charged for similar weekends.  Where students may struggle to pay even these charges, we always try and ensure that this is not a barrier to participation, and should you find yourself in such a position, you should have no hesitation in approaching the Treasurer in confidence (treasurer@prometheustrust.co.uk) to ask for a bursary.   Where students are in a position to make donations over and above the set fees, we do ask that this is given serious consideration.  The Trust works hard to ensure that all donations received are put to the best possible use, and that monies put into the hands of the Trust are placed in the direct service of philosophy.  The Trust is a registered charity (registration number 299648) and any gifts made to it by UK taxpayers enable the charity to reclaim tax paid. 

Cancellations: fees cannot be refunded on late cancellations. 

Copies of papers for each module are free to enrolled students; students may have to purchase books (which if supplied by the Trust, attract a generous discount). 

Venue and schedule

We use the Purley Chase Centre for all our weekend seminars:
it is the headquarters of the Swedenborgian Church, and is situated in the
countryside near Mancetter, Warwickshire. Purley Chase Centre is a lovely building, comfortably appointed, and consists of an older building in which the (nominally) shared accommodation is situated, and a large newer extension in which the dining room and the majority of the ensuite rooms are situated. There is a well-stocked cash bar which is opened (on request) on Saturday evening; adjoining the bar is a conservatory. The grounds, where you can walk or just sit, are beautiful.

Residency Sample Schedule

Upcoming module

The dates for the next few years for the modules are below:

Winter/Spring 2025

18-19 January 2025
14-16 February 2025
4-6 April 2025

Autumn 2025

5-7 September 2025
24-26 October 2025
5-7 December 2025

Winter/Spring 2026

16-18 January 2026
27 February-1 March 2026
10-12 April 2026

Autumn 2026

11-13 September 2026
16-18 October 2026
4-6 December 2026

The next module starting in September 2024 will look at Platonic metaphysics and theology. See “Upcoming Module” on this page or go here for more information. Other upcoming events are also listed below/to the side, but for our full programme, please check out our Event pages.