West Thorney was a village on Thorney Island, 5 miles west of Chichester. The village was demolished after the Air Ministry requisitioned the Island just before World War II and became an RAF airfield during the War. It remained a RAF base with operational buildings and housing for RAF families until 1976. Since 1982, the base has been used by the Royal Artillery.

Set in a beautiful and peaceful location by Chichester Harbour, the Grade 1 listed parish church is dedicated to St Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors. The original building dates from around 1100 A.D. In the churchyard is a military cemetery containing British, Commonwealth and German graves from World War II.

We regret that this visit is now fully booked.

The Art of the Newlyn School, 1880 – 1940

Image  Breadwinners by Walter Langley ( Copyright Bowerman Charitable Trust) 

Come and join other membersof TASCLV for this special and exclusive group visit to lovely Champs Hill, north of Pulborough. It is a renowned venue for music and has a marvellous private collection of modern art, held by the Bowerman Trust.

Our visit is to see the temporary exhibition of Cornish Newlyn School paintings from the Bowerman Trust’s extensive private collection.   Works include those by ‘father’ and ‘queen’ of the Newlyn School, Stanhope and Elizabeth Forbes; Newlyn pioneer Walter Langley, and one of Britain’s most influential 20th Century female artists, Dame Laura Knight.  Many other painters are due to be featured, including Harold Harvey, Lamorna Birch, Frank Bramley, Frederick Hall, Edwin Harris, Frank Heath, William Banks Fortescue, Norman Garstin, Dod Procter, Albert Chevalier Tayler and Henry Scott Tuke, RA, RWS.

·       2.30pm Arrive at Champs Hill for coffee, tea and biscuits in the Barn.

• We hope that Mary Bowerman will welcome the group and describe the context for their collection of the Newlyn paintings.
• 3pm Self-guided viewing of the Newlyn School exhibition in the Music Room
• 4.30pm Group departs Champs Hill.

Tickets: £15 includes tea, coffee, biscuits, donation and exhibition viewing.

For Booking Form press here

LIVE IN THE ASSEMBLY ROOM, NORTH STREET, CHICHESTER WITH PEPE MARTINEZ

Regretfully this is cancelled due to our lecturer's ill health. 

Refunds will be made in due course.

We very much regret that this visit has been cancelled due lack of interest.  Refunds are being processed

THE ARTS SOCIETY CHICHESTER LAVANT VALLEY

Summer Social

STANSTED PARK AND HOUSE

Rowlands Castle, Hampshire, PO9 6DX

Tour of house and chapel

Wednesday 23 July 2025 at 2 pm​

In 1983 the 10th Earl of Bessborough gave Stansted Park, his family home, its beautiful contents and the Arboretum to the public. Visitors can explore the state rooms that are  furnished as though the 10th Earl was still at home, giving you a real sense of a bygone era, including the extensive Servants' Quarters below stairs.  The history of the house and the family are brought to life by knowledgeable and friendly guides.

PRIVATE CHAPEL

On 16 April 1644, Stansted House was attacked by Parliamentary forces.  By the end of the day, the house, built in 1480 on the site of the former hunting lodge, was in ruins.  A new house was built some two hundred metres to the north-east in 1688, on the site of the present mansion, which commanded views across the coastal plain to the Solent and over parkland to the East and West.The ruins of the original House successively became stock sheds, a brewery and a bailiff's house until the Chapel of St Paul was built there by the Reverend Lewis Way in 1807.  The Regency building incorporates earlier structures, and is by an unknown architect.

The Chapel you see today has a colourful history and is Grade 1 listed. It was consecrated on 25th January 1819 (the Feast of Conversion of St Paul) by the Bishops of St David's and Gloucester. It contains a unique East window with Christian/Jewish iconography and Hebrew Tablets of the Ten commandments. John Keats attended the consecration service, along with 300 people and like many of them, is rumoured to have stood at the back. He used the Chapel's imagery in his poems The Eve of St Agnes and The Eve of St Mark.

(There are other attractions such as the pottery, the yew maze, the bookshop, the farm centre, the garden centre, the light railway, the arboretum. You may wish to make a day of the visit and walk through the forest and arboretum, or lunch in the café (need to book separately) 

Our tour will be at 2 pm , meeting in the Dutch Garden at 1.45pm and will be followed by tea and cake in the Blue Saloon

Booking Form  available here:https://www.theartssocietylavantvalley.org.uk/DocumentStore/2025%20Booking%20Form%20Summer%20social%20Stansted.pdf

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We are pleased to offer a day trip to Tudeley Church and Standen House and Garden.

All Saints’ Tudeley near Tonbridge is the only church in the world to have all its windows decorated by the artist Marc Chagall. The east window is a memorial tribute to Sarah d'Avigdor-Goldsmid who died aged 21 in a sailing accident in 1963. She was the daughter of Sir Henry and Lady d'Avigdor-Goldsmid; the family then lived at the fine Jacobean house Somerhill nearby.

Over the next 15 years, Chagall designed all the remaining eleven windows. The chancel windows were finally installed in 1985, the year of Chagall's death at the age of 98.

A guided tour will be part of the visit. The only other Chagall glass in Britain is a window at Chichester Cathedral.

Built in the 1891 to 1894, Standen House today tells the story of family life during the 1920’s. The design of the house for James and Margaret Beale is a monument to the combined genius of Arts and Crafts architect Philip Webb and his friend William Morris.

Standen was the Beale family’s country retreat from 1894 until 1972 when it was bequeathed to the National Trust. Today, it retains the warm and welcoming feel of the home that was planned.

We will have a short introduction on our arrival. The house is not suitable for group guided visits, but we will have timed entry for us divided into small groups.

National Trust members will be entitled to free entry to Standen House and Gardens. You must have your membership card with you on the day.

Cost - £43 National Trust members         £59 non-National Trust members

Payment preferably by BACS, or cheque payable to"TAS – Chichester Lavant Valley". 

Please note that once a booking has been made and payment received, no refund will be made unless the space can be filled by another person or the event has to be cancelled.  

If you are booking more than one visit at the same time, please make separate BACS payments or write a separate cheque for each visit.

Enquiries should be directed to Ian Milton at iansmilton@hotmail.com or 01243 371788. 

BOOKING FORM - Please CLICK HERE

The visit is now fully booked. A very limited number of reserve places are available.

Portsmouth Distillery is a premium artisan spirit producer. Established in 2018, its home is in the fabulous eighteenth-century Bastion of Fort Cumberland. Located on the south-eastern tip of Portsea Island, surrounded by the sea and centuries of naval history.

Our tour will be of all facilities with expert explanations about the processes used in the creation of its fine spirits. We will learn about how its spirits are made, the history of Fort Cumberland and visit their jewel in its crown, the Powder Magazine. There we will be able to taste its fabulous 'core-range' spirits and have a chance to soak up some of the history of the place. Once we have tasted the spirits and chosen our favourite, we will be given a full-sized drink of your choice.

There is a shop at the distillery, stocking the full range of spirits, gift packs and merchandise so you can take something home to continue to enjoy the Portsmouth Distillery experience.

We will meet at the Distillery. There is plenty of parking right by the Distillery and there is full wheelchair accessibility for the whole tour. We have been asked to respect the onsite speed limit of 10 miles per hour.

Cost - £28  

Payment can be made preferably by BACS or cheque payable to TAS – Chichester Lavant Valley. 

Please note that once a booking has been made and payment received, no refund will be made unless the space can be filled by another person or the event has to be cancelled.  

Enquiries should be directed to Ian Milton at iansmilton@hotmail.com or 01243 371788. 

If you are booking more than one visit at the same time, please make separate BACS payments or write a separate cheque for each visit.

Booking Form - Click here

VISIT TO WINCHESTER AT CHRISTMAS

Tuesday 3 December 2024

We are pleased to offer a day coach trip from Chichester to Winchester at Christmas.

Our day will begin with a guided tour of the Cathedral and discover one of the finest medieval cathedrals in Europe. With a captivating history, magnificent architecture, priceless treasures and works of art, it has been a living place of worship and welcome for over 900 years.

The rest of the day will be for members to decide which of the many attractions in the city they wish to see. Clearly, the starting point should be the Cathedral Christmas Market, recognised as one of the best in Europe. Situated within the Cathedral grounds, it is renowned for its bustling atmosphere, stunning location and high-quality exhibitors. Visitors travel from around the world to shop at the pretty wooden chalets.

There are a wide variety of other places to visit. The iconic Round Table of Arthurian legend takes pride of place within the medieval Great Hall. The newly refurbished Westgate Museum is housed inside a surviving, fortified medieval gateway and tells the story of the bustling Tudor and Stuart Winchester city. It also offers unrivalled views over the city from its roof.

Perhaps more overlooked is Wolvesey Castle, the monumental remains of a 12th-century palace, once the residence of the Bishops of Winchester as well as a peaceful and beautiful walk along the River Itchen. Alternatively, the wide range of shops and restaurants in Winchester may help with finding Christmas presents.

A Woods Coach will pick up members at Oaklands Way, Chichester at 9.00am. We will leave Winchester at 4.00pm with an estimated return to Chichester by 5.30pm.

Initial booking is for ASCLV members only. Guests will be welcome to join if spaces remain available on 20 November. Enquiries on this possibility should be directed to Ian Milton at iansmilton@hotmail.com or 01243 371788.

Cost - £34.00

Payment can be made preferably by BACS or cheque payable to TAS – Chichester Lavant Valley.

Please note that once a booking has been made and payment received, no refund will be made unless the space can be filled by another person or the visit has to be cancelled.

If you are booking more than one visit at the same time, please make separate BACS payments or write a separate cheque for each visit.

For the booking form please press HERE

SUMMER SOCIAL 29TH JULY 2024 GOODWOOD HOUSE TOUR AND TEA

Join us at Goodwood House at 1pm for 1.15pm on 29th July for a tour of the ground floor of Goodwood House, about 1 hour, followed by a sit-down afternoon tea. The cost for each member will be £34

Meet in the Car park which is  well sign posted . If anyone needs to be dropped off at the front door that is fine. Any member who is disabled but drives themselves may park at the front door.  Please let us  know of anyone who may need assistance so we can notify the House.

 Please also let us know if you have any dietary requirements

BOOKINGS NOW CLOSED 

We are pleased to offer a visit to Parham with guided tours of the House & Gardens.

Parham is one of the Country’s finest Elizabethan houses set at the foot of the South Downs near Storrington. This beautiful place has changed little over the centuries and remains a family home. The seven-acre Gardens were laid out in the 18th century with a lake, a brick and turf maze and many specimen trees. The Walled Garden contains wide herbaceous borders, a rose garden, a cut flower garden, a vegetable garden, an orchard and a 1920s Wendy House. A splendid Greenhouse, also dating from the 1920s, has a fine display of other tender plants.

There will be a group tour of the House at 10.15am and the Gardens at 1.45pm. Time between the 2 tours will be free for lunch and to wander the Gardens. A café is available for refreshments.

As transport is not being provided on this occasion, members will need to meet in the Parham car park. Further details will follow after booking.

Initial booking is for ASCLV members only. Guests will be welcome to join if spaces remain available on 2 June. Enquiries on this possibility should be directed to Ian Milton at iansmilton@hotmail.com or 01243 371788.

Cost - £27.00

Payment can be made preferably by BACS or cheque payable to TAS – Chichester Lavant Valley.

Please note that once a booking has been made and payment received, no refund will be made unless the space can be filled by another person or the visit has to be cancelled.

If you are booking more than one visit at the same time, please make separate BACS payments or write a separate cheque for each visit. A booking form is overleaf.

Booking Form - Please CLICK HERE

Tuesday 25 June to Sunday 7 July 2024

Oxmarket Contemporary will be open:

10.00am - 4.30pm Tuesday to Saturday and 12.00 - 4.00pm on Sunday

St. Andrew's Court, off East Street, Chichester, West Sussex POI 9 1 YH

Oxmarket

                       Contemporary OXMEst.1976 ARKET.ORG charity no 263367 V v E                                       OF   SOCIETYTHE SuppokedARTSby

We are pleased to offer a visit to the Watts Gallery by coach from Chichester.

Our visit will begin with an Artists' Village Walking Tour, which will visit the Watts Gallery, Watts Cemetery Chapel and Limnerslease, the home and studios of George and Mary Watts. We will also see the Pottery Building, the former home of the Compton Potters’ Guild. 

The tour will be for about 1.5 hours. About 3 hours will remain for lunch and to wander around the Village to view works of personal interest.

Please wear comfortable shoes as the Artists Village covers a large site. Watts Gallery, Limnerslease, Artist in Residence Studio, Shop and Tea Shop are accessible, but, due to the historic nature of the buildings, the Cemetery Chapel and Watts Contemporary are currently inaccessible for wheelchair users. 

Booking Form - Please CLICK HERE

We are pleased to offer a second guided tour of St Mary’s Hospital for those who were unable to make a booking for the Tour in November 2023. The Tour will last for about one hour with tea and coffee afterwards.

St Mary's Hospital in St Martin's Square, Chichester is one of the oldest almshouses in the country. It is a remarkable surviving example of a 13th Century hospital, still in use today as a Christian foundation, providing a home for up to 36 residents. The interior is notable for its timber construction, particularly its roof, and for the chapel attached to it.

To respect the peaceful life of the residents, the tour will be limited to 20 people.

Initial booking is for ASCLV members only. Guests will be welcome to join if spaces remain available on 15 January 2024.

The cost is £11 per person.

Please note that once a booking has been confirmed, no refund will be made unless the space can be filled by another person or the tour has to be cancelled. 

If you are booking more than one visit at the same time, please write a booking form and a separate cheque or make a BACS payment for each visit.

Booking Form: Now fully booked, with waiting list also closed. no further booking will be taken.

Chichester Cathedral is renowned for its modern artworks, including important pieces by John Piper, Graham Sutherland and Marc Chagall. Many of these works were commissioned by Dean Walter Hussey, a great patron of the arts during his time in office from 1955 to 1977.

The Cathedral is also noted for its earlier works including unique Tudor paintings of national importance and two Romanesque panels known as the “Chichester Reliefs”, which are dated as early as 1125 to 1150.

We are pleased to offer a guided tour of the Cathedral to highlight these art treasures.

The tour will be limited to 40 people and is now fully booked. A few more bookings can be made to join a waiting list in case of withdrawals..

The cost is £8 per person..

Please note that once a booking has been confirmed, no refund will be made unless the space can be filled by another person or the tour has to be cancelled. 

If you are booking more than one visit at the same time, please write a booking form and a separate cheque or make a BACS payment for each visit.

Booking Form - Please CLICK HERE

St Mary's Hospital in St Martin's Square, Chichester is one of the oldest almshouses in the country. It is a remarkable surviving example of a 13th Century hospital, still in use today as a Christian foundation, providing a home for up to 36 residents. The interior is notable for its timber construction, particularly its roof, and for the chapel attached to it.

We are pleased to offer a guided tour of St Mary’s Hospital at 2pm for about one hour.
To respect the peaceful life of the residents, the tour will be limited to 20 people.

This tour is now fully booked.   

Another visit has been booked for Wednesday 20 March 2024 at 2.00pm for those who could not gain a place on this tour. Publicity and booking is now available for this tour by clicking the link on the relevant page.

 As one of Britain’s pre-eminent cultural institutions, the Wallace Collection is home to one of the most significant ensembles of fine and decorative arts in the world.

Highlights include oil paintings from the 14th to the late 19th centuries by artists such as Titian, Velazquez, Rubens and Van Dyck: princely arms and armour, and one of the finest collections of eighteenth-century French paintings and decorative arts. Visitors can also enjoy superb medieval and Renaissance objects, including Limoges enamel, maiolica, glass and bronzes.

 
This outstanding collection at Hertford House, the former home of Sir Richard and Lady Wallace, is displayed in a manner designed to evoke the lives and tastes of is founders, creating a special ambiance that remains an essential part of its charm.

We will have a guided tour on arrival as well as time to wander freely through the Collection or elsewhere nearby.

A Woods Coach will pick up members at Oaklands Way, Chichester at 8.15am and will arrive back by about 7.00pm.

Please note that once a booking has been made and cheque received, no refund will be made unless the space can be filled by another person or the visit has to be cancelled. Cheques will be cashed shortly after the visit.

 Cost: £50.00

 Ian Milton

Visit Organiser, ASCLV

15 Southbourne Avenue

Emsworth

iansmilton@hotmail.com

 01243 371788.

Booking Form - Please CLICK HERE

Members are invited to our Summer Social at the Tinwood Vineyard at Halnaker, at 12 noon on Tuesday 20th June. 

It is just to the east of Chichester off the A285. (Postcode PO18 0NE). Plenty of parking; bus 55 from Chichester to Halnaker.

Tinwood has a first-class reputation for its hospitality. We will have a talk on their history and wine production, a tour of the vineyard and their wine facilities, followed by a tasting of three of their wines; this will be accompanied by a substantial sharing platter of mixed hors d’oeuvres. We will finish by 2.00/2.30 pm.

To ensure that we secure a private tour, we shall need to have your booking and cheque by 14th March, the date of the March lecture.

Cost  £36 per person. 

Booking. You can book either:-

a) by emailing our kind organiser for the day Marilyn Humphrey on c.m.humphrey@btinternet.com (giving your name, address and ‘phone number) or

b) giving your name to Marilyn at the Registration desk at the March lecture. (If you would like to bring a guest, please indicate when booking; guests are welcome if space is available after members have booked.)

Payment must be made by 14th March.
Please either:-

a) post a cheque, made payable to “TAS Chichester Lavant Valley”, to Membership Secretary TASCLV, Little Meadow Cottage, Charlton, Chichester PO18 0HU to arrive by 14th March, with the tear-off booking slip below or

b) bring a cheque made out as above to give to Marilyn at the March lecture with the tear-off slip.

Booking Form CLICK HERE

We do hope that you will come and join us and meet other members on our first real social event since lockdown.

Best wishes. Ian Farman. Chairman.

We are pleased to offer another day trip with guided tours at two interesting but very different places.

Russell-Cotes Musuem
In 1901, Merton Russell-Cotes gave his wife Annie a dream house on a cliff-top overlooking the sea at Bournemouth as a birthday present – lavish, splendid and with a touch of fantasy. They filled this exotic seaside villa with beautiful objects from their travels across the world and lined the walls with a remarkable collection of British art, creating a unique atmosphere in a dramatic setting.
It is a home, an art gallery and a museum sealed in time and given to the future.
We will have a guided tour as well as time to wander freely through the Gallery.

Christchurch Priory
In the afternoon, we will have a tour of Christchurch Priory. A monastery existed at Christchurch before the Conquest and is recorded in the Domesday Book. The origin of the current Priory dates to 1094. Over the centuries as can be expected there have been numerous additions and alterations. It is one of the longest parish churches in the country and is as large as many Cathedrals. The Priory building is a Grade 1 listed building.

Lunch will be taken at Christchurch. There are cobbled streets with cafes which lead to the ruined castle overlooking the river.

A Woods Coach will pick up members at Oaklands Way, Chichester at 8.30am and will arrive back by about 6.15pm.

The visit is now fully booked, but bookings are still being taken in case of withdrawals. Enquiries please to Ian Milton at iansmilton@hotmail.com or 01243 371788.

Please note that once a booking has been made and cheque received, no refund will be made unless the space can be filled by another person or the visit has to be cancelled. 
Cost: £50.00             Cheques will be cashed shortly after the visit.

If you are booking more than one visit at the same time, please provide a separate cheque for each visit.
Booking Form - CLICK HERE

We are pleased to offer a morning visit at 10.00am to Pallant House Gallery in Chichester.

Sussex has a distinctive chalk-cliff coastline and the rolling hills of the South Downs have inspired artists for centuries. From some of our greatest landscape artists like Constable and Turner to contemporary artists working in the area today, this exhibition lets us discover Sussex as a place of creativity, exploration, retreat and alternative lifestyles.

Whether it’s William Nicholson’s beautiful, sparse paintings of the Downs, Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell’s colour-drenched depictions of the pond at Charleston, or Lee Miller’s photographs of the farms around her house, this wide-ranging exhibition that encompasses print, sculpture, photography and digital works shows Sussex as we have never seen it before.

We will have a talk on the Exhibition before being able to walk freely through it and the other rooms in the Gallery.
Tea and coffee are also available at the Gallery.

ASCLV members who are also Friends of Pallant House Gallery will have free entry to the Gallery, but they must show their Friends membership card on arrival.
ASCLV members who are not Friends of House Gallery will be charged £9.50 on arrival.

If you wish to join the Visit, please pay £6.00 for the Talk to ASCLV, as directed on the booking form, regardless as to whether you are a Friend of the Gallery or not.

Booking form, please click HERE 
Initial booking is for ASCLV members only. Guests will be welcome to join if spaces remain available on 3 January. Enquiries on this possibility should be directed to Ian Milton at iansmilton@hotmail.com or 01243 371788.
Please note that once a booking has been made and cheque received, no refund will be made unless the space can be filled by another person or the visit has to be cancelled. Cheques will be cashed shortly after the visit.

Lee Miller & Picasso Exhibition

 We are pleased to offer an afternoon visit to Newlands House Gallery in Petworth.

The Gallery occupies an 18th century townhouse in the centre of Petworth, comprising 12 rooms spread over 7,500 sq. ft.  The Gallery’s ambition is to stage world-class exhibitions focused on the great artists of the 20th century.

We will have a guided tour of the current exhibition and have time to walk freely through the rooms, which will unravel and chronicle the extraordinary life of Vogue model turned war correspondent Lee Miller, a pioneer in surrealist art, fashion and photojournalism.

The exhibition will focus on the artist’s relationship with Picasso and moments lived together, captured by Miller before and during the 2nd World War, the aftermath and beyond. The exhibition will also tell the unlikely story of Picasso’s accidental discovery of Sussex, where Lee Miller would eventually reside with her family.

Afternoon tea will be available at the Gallery included in the cost. If you do not wish to take up this offer, please fill in the appropriate box on the booking form.

ASCLV members who are also Newlands House Gallery members, and their guest if appropriate, will have free entry to the Gallery and the guided tour.   If required, Tea will be £5.50.

Cost: £22.00 for entry, tour and afternoon tea,  or £17.00 for entry and tour only.

Booking form, please click HERE 

Initial booking is for ASCLV members only. Guests will be welcome to join if spaces remain available on 15 November. Enquiries should be directed to Ian Milton at iansmilton@hotmail.com or 01243 371788.

Please note that once a booking has been made and cheque received, no refund will be made unless the space can be filled by another person or the visit has to be cancelled. Cheques will be cashed shortly after the visit.

If you are booking more than one visit at the same time, please write a separate cheque for each visit. 

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS VISIT IS NOW FULLY BOOKED.   UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO ACCEPT APPLICATIONS ONTO THE WAITING LIST WHICH HAS HAD TO BE CLOSED

We are pleased to offer a day trip to two interesting but very different places.

Collecting and exhibiting contemporary art for almost 100 years, Towner Art Gallery, presents exhibitions of national and international importance for audiences in Eastbourne, the UK and beyond, showcasing the most exciting and creative developments in modern and contemporary art.

Of particular interest is the Ravilious Gallery and Collection Library.
Since the 1930s, Towner has developed one of the largest public collections of work by Eric Ravilious (1903–1942) as well as extensive archive materials.

The highlight of the visit will be a behind-the-scenes visit to the Gallery’s Art Store.

In the afternoon, we will have a tour of Lancing College Chapel. Seen by travellers along A27 standing high above the River Adur, the Chapel is a magnificent Gothic Revival building and is the largest school chapel in the world - the height of the nave is 90ft to the apex of the vault.

It was founded by Nathaniel Woodard in 1868 and dedicated in 1911. The West end includes the massive rose window, dedicated by Archbishop Coggan in the presence of HRH Prince of Wales in 1978, which at 32ft in diameter is the largest in England.

In 2020 work started to finally finish the chapel and its west end. Architect Michael Drury designed an elegant three-arched porch to provide an entrance worthy of a national Grade 1 listing. This work is now completed.

A Woods Coach will pick up members in Oaklands Way, Chichester at 8.30am, and will arrive back by about 6.00pm.

Initial booking is for ASCLV members only. Guests will be welcome to join if spaces remain available on 11 October. Enquiries on this possibility should be directed to Ian Milton at iansmilton@hotmail.com or 01243 371788.

Please note that once a booking has been made and cheque received, no refund will be made
unless the space can be filled by another person or the visit has to be cancelled. Cheques will be cashed shortly after the visit.
Cost: £45.00

Booking Form please click HERE

If you are booking more than one visit at the same time, please write a separate cheque for
each visit.

We are pleased to offer our members a visit by coach to Knole House, Sevenoaks.

Knole is a National Trust country house situated within 1,000 acres, Kent’s last medieval deer park. The House ranks in the top five of England's largest houses occupying a total of about four acres.

Originally built as an archbishop’s palace, it has passed through royalty to the Sackville family, who still live there today. The House dates back to the mid-15th century with major additions in the 16th and 17th centuries. The Grade 1 listing reflects its mix of late-medieval to Stuart structures. in particular its central façade and state rooms.

In 2019, an extensive conservation project was completed to restore and develop the structures of the buildings and thus help to conserve its important collections.

There will be plenty of time for lunch and a wander around the Park.

Entry to the house will be free to National Trust members, but please remember to bring your National Trust membership card with you as you will be charged the full entry fee without it. 

Non-members will be charged the entry fee, which is pre-paid in the total visit cost. A "Past to Present Tour" will be an initial external tour of the House for our whole group. (The £5 Tour fee will be included within the overall cost of the day.)

 Given the size of Knole House and its grounds, there will be a lot of walking to be undertaken to appreciate its beauty and historical importance. This may include spiral staircases.

A coach will pick up members at Oaklands Way, Chichester at 8.45am, with an estimated return by 6.30pm.

Initial booking is for TAS Chichester Lavant Valley members only. Guests will be welcome to join if spaces remain available on 27 June. Enquiries on this possibility should be directed to Ian Milton at iansmilton@hotmail.com or 01243 371788.

Please note that once a booking has been made and cheque received, no refund will be made unless the space can be filled by another person or the visit has to be cancelled. Cheques will be cashed before the visit.

Cost: £35.00 - National Trust members      £50.00 - non-National Trust members.

Booking Form - Please click here

We are pleased to offer a day trip to Salisbury with guided tours of Arundells, the home of Sir Edward Heath, and the Cathedral to our members. 
Each tour will be for about one hour.

We will visit Arundells in the morning.
Located within the magnificent Cathedral Close, the house is one of Salisbury’s most charming destinations with paintings by Churchill and Sargent, ceramics from Chairman Mao, David Lloyd George’s writing desk and memorabilia from Nixon and Castro.

Sir Edward bequeathed Arundells to a Charitable Foundation set up in his name. He wanted everyone to its beauty and to enjoy his personal collection of artwork, photographs, sailing memorabilia and political cartoons.

In the afternoon, we will have a tour of the Cathedral.
It is unique in England being built to near completion between 1220 and 1258, resulting in a final structure, which is evocative of a single era of English architecture. It is probably the finest example of Early English in the country.

The Cathedral has the tallest spire in Britain at 404 feet and the oldest working clock in Europe dating to 1326. Its greatest treasure is one of four original copies of the Magna Carta.

Time will be allowed between the formal tours for lunch and a wander in the City Centre.
A self-guided tour of the Cathedral Close will also be available. To help you plan your day, we will let you have your formal tours times nearer the day. 

A coach will pick up members at Oaklands Way, Chichester at 8.45am and will leave Salisbury at 4.30pm arriving back by 6.30pm.

Members are invited to bring a friend with them.  Requests please to Ian Milton at iansmilton@hotmail.com or 01243 371788.

Please note that once a booking has been made and cheque received, no refund will be made unless the space can be filled by another person or the visit has to be cancelled. Cheques will be cashed before the visit.

Cost: £45.00

Booking Form - Please click here

Many members will have enjoyed its exhibitions and walked around the beautiful gardens with the Arts Society in 2019 and 2021.

We have now been invited to visit its Summer Exhibition on the Late Newlyn School (1900 to 1939). It centres on the second wave of Newlyn artists with the works by Lamorna Birch and Harold Harvey and featuring the work of Harold and Laura Knight, Alfred Munnings and Dod Procter with some late examples of Stanhope Forbes. 

The suggested donation is £10 per person which includes tea and coffee and biscuits. Please note that once a booking has been made and cheque received, no refund will be made unless the space can be filled by another person or the visit has to be cancelled. Cheques will be cashed before the visit.

We shall drive to Champs Hill individually. Car parking available on site.

Please note that once a booking has been made and cheque received, no refund will be made unless the space can be filled by another person or the visit has to be cancelled. Cheques will be cashed before the visit.

Booking Form - Please click here

In the comfort of your own home, enjoy a live video tour at 2pm (UK time) direct from St Mark's Square via Zoom.

We will see St Mark’s Square, its history, and surrounding architecture and art. This will include St Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace, the iconic Campanile bell tower, the elegant Clock Tower, the nearby Bridge of Sighs, the Marciana National Library, the ancient Mint and the Napoleonic Wing, plus the Olivetti Showroom.

Luisella Romeo, our guide, will give a personal commentary on her iPhone video and offer the chance to chat with us, time allowing. (Her iPhone has a stabiliser for greater comfort and higher video quality)  She has been giving Venetian tours for over 20 years. She lives in Venice.

“I like to meet people from all over the world and deal with different ways of life and perspectives. I think the labyrinth of Venice is a crossroads of human stories to tell. And I love my job: I hope you can feel this passion when we explore Venice together!”  

As with other Zoom events, members will receive an email with a link to click on to join the tour nearer to the day of the event. The tour will last about 75 minutes. It is free to members.

Revitalising “Breadwinners” - a special lecture by Simon Gillespie introducing The Bowerman Charitable Trust’s major new acquisition - Breadwinners by Walter Langley – last exhibited in 1996!

Simon Gillespie is a fine art conservator whose studio has a global reputation for its work treating some of the finest works of art in private and public collections. You may recognise Simon from the well-loved BBC4 television programme ‘Britain’s Lost Masterpieces’ where he and art historian Bendor Grosvenor uncover some of the nation’s overlooked gems.

We shall drive to Champs Hill individually. Car parking available on site.

Very limited availability - Booking Forms - Click Here

 The Royal Pavilion is an exotic palace in the centre of Brighton with a colourful history. Built as a seaside pleasure palace for King George IV, this historic house mixes Regency grandeur with the visual style of India and China. 

An extensive internal restoration programme was completed three years ago. To anyone who has never been to the Royal Pavilion or has not been since then, a visit is highly recommended.

We recommend travelling by train to Brighton Rail Station, which is a 15-minute walk to the Royal Pavilion.

There are no on-site parking facilities in the Royal Pavilion grounds and parking around the Royal Pavilion and in the city is limited and expensive. A Park and Ride service is available from Withdean Stadium in the north of the city. It is signposted from the A23 and enables you to park your car and catch a bus to the Royal Pavilion.

 Cost: £25.00

Booking Forms - Click here

We have been invited by the Bowerman Charitable Trust to Champs Hill on the afternoon of the 23rd June 2021  to view their 19th Century European Art Exhibition, as well as a look around their fabulous gardens and sculptures. The art exhibition will include Dutch, Italian and Flemish paintings which have not been seen together since 2015.

This will be a self-drive Visit and booking arrangements will follow.

The suggested donation is £10 per person which includes refreshments.

Please Click Here for Booking Form

The Wallace Collection is a national museum which displays the wonderful works of art collected in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries by the first four Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace, the son of the 4th Marquess. It was bequeathed to the British nation by Sir Richard's widow, Lady Wallace, in 1897.

Displayed at Hertford House, one of the family's London properties in the nineteenth century, the Wallace Collection presents its outstanding collections in a sumptuous but approachable manner which is an essential part of its charm.

Travel is by coach from Oaklands Way, Chichester at 9am  Leaving London at 4.30.

Organiser: Ian Milton

Join us for a virtual tour of the Old East End of London with Blue Badge Guide Pepe Martinez.

The East End is one of London’s most fascinating and dynamic districts.  Discover the story of immigration, wave after wave of people coming to London to seek refuge, looking for a better life. Using powerful images, video and google street view, our journey takes us from the arrival of French Huguenots in the 1680’s through to the arrival of the 10,000 Jewish children of the Kindertransport at Liverpool Street station in 1939. 

There is no need to brave Southern Railways or the tube to enjoy this virtual visit to London via Zoom.

Click here for ZOOM INSTRUCTIONS

Members will receive an email a few days before the talk/tour giving instructions on when to log in in readiness for the 2PM start  

Pepe Martinez is an award winning London Blue Badge Tourist Guide.  He was born in the East End and has lived there all his life.  He is an accredited Institute of Tourist Guiding Trainer and is currently tutoring on the London Blue Badge training course. 

For a list of other proposed visits, please refer to our April Update on the "News" section.

See the Museum at 48 Doughty Street, his London family home, where he wrote Oliver Twist, Pickwick Papers and Nicholas Nickleby.
 

Enjoy a 90 minute Guided Walk of sites associated with Dickens, with expert guide.

​Bookings have now closed

Transport:  Travel by train.  Meet in Central London

Limited to 30 members due to size of house (3 parties of 10)

 Visit organiser: Ian Milton

Back in 2015 we put our name down for this magical  event, which was highly recommended at the Arts Society Information Day. We are now fortunate to have been given a coveted December slot, when the Abbey will be beautifully decorated for Christmas  

The Tour

We will assemble at 6.45pm in the Cloisters for a welcome by a member of the Purcell Club or Abbey clergy. We then move into the Abbey and take seats in the Nave for the commencement of the tour at 7.00pm, when the first piece of sacred music is sung.

The speaker will describe the history and architecture of the Abbey in some detail, moving from one location of interest to the next, including the Quire, Sacrarium, High Altar, the Cosmati Pavement (unique in this country), St Edward the Confessor’s Shrine, Henry VII Chapel and Poets’ Corner.  At various points there will be a pause for members of the Purcell Club to sing suitable musical items ranging from the 16th to 21st centuries.  

On returning to the Nave for the final part of the tour, a short piece will be played by one of the Abbey organists to demonstrate the Abbey’s magnificent organ. The tour will end with the choir singing a piece of suitable solemnity, such as ‘The Kontakion for the Departed’, around the Unknown Warrior’s Grave as the lights dim.  The evening will conclude at approximately 9.15pm.

The Purcell Club

The Purcell Club is named after Henry Purcell, the famous composer, who was organist of Westminster Abbey from 1679-1695. It is a male voice choir formed predominantly from members of the Westminster Abbey Old Choristers’ Association, though guest singers join us from time to time. The singers give their services in order to put on these tours and all the profits from ticket sales go to support the Abbey and a range of small charities.

Click here for a Booking Form

Both the National Maritime Museum (NMM) and the Queens House (QH) are home to a wealth of wonderful art.  We are privileged to have 2 specialist guides (Dr Roger Knight was Deputy Director of the NMM and now writes books on British history. Dr Pieter van der Merwe is Curator Emeritus at the NMM and also Deputy Lieutenant for the Royal Borough of Greenwich).  They will introduce us to some of the outstanding treasures at both locations.  

The Painted Hall has been described as the UK’s Sistine Chapel, an epic 18th-century masterpiece.  It reopened this year following an £8.5-million restoration.  Our guided tour will include not only the Hall but other gems of the Old Royal Naval College (ORNC) including the exquisite 18th-century Chapel of St Peter and St Paul, the Victorian Skittle Alley and the famous Water Gates.

Click here for booking form

Highlights

*Discover Sofia on a guided walking tour and see the remarkable legacies left by the Thracians, Romans, Ottomans and more.

*Visit the Boyana Church, a 900-year-old chapel renowned for its rare and beautiful frescoes.

* Explore the picturesque Old Town of Plovdiv, a city more ancient than Rome.

Book Direct with Riviera Travel

See our Lavant Valley Magazine for contact details

Set in the Cotswolds, Sudeley is rich in Tudor history. After the Wars of the Roses, Henry VII granted Sudeley to his uncle, Jasper Tudor, who held it until his death in 1495 when it reverted back to the monarch.  It became one of Henry VIII’s royal residences which he and Anne Boleyn visited and where the King met with Thomas Cromwell to plan the dissolution of the monasteries. On Henry's death, it passed to Edward VI, who granted it to his uncle, Thomas Seymour and his wife Katherine Parr.  They were accompanied to the castle by their ward, Lady Jane Grey. Aged 36, Katherine gave birth to a daughter, Mary, but died seven days later. She is buried in the chapel of St. Mary at Sudeley.  King Charles I found refuge at the castle during the Civil War but, following Cromwell’s orders, it lay neglected for nearly 200 years until it was rescued by wealthy Worcester glove-makers, John and William Dent.  Restoration was continued by their nephew, John Sudeley and his wife Emma. Her dedication resulted in the magnificent castle, beautiful gardens and exhibitions at Sudeley today.  It is now the home of Elizabeth, Lady Ashcombe and her son, daughter and their families.  Apart from the castle and the newly restored exhibitions, there are the award winning gardens, St. Mary's Church where Katherine is buried and a rare breed pheasantry.  

On the way home, we will stop for tea in delightful Bourton-on-the-Water. Straddling the River Windrush, it’s known for its low bridges,  traditional stone houses and tea shops.

Visit organiser: Liz Juniper

Click here for booking form. 

Our April lecturer Jennifer Toynbee-Holmes will lead us on a walking tour of the Holland Park artists’ houses, studios and workshops. If you wish you can then visit Leighton House Museum and gardens as well as 18 Stafford Terrace, the home of Punch cartoonist Edward Linley Sambourne, as colourful a character as some of his own cartoons.  The house remains much as it was when the family lived there and a visit is highly recommended by Jennifer. 

Visit Organiser: Cindy Smith

Click here for booking form

The visit includes a guided tour of The Theatre Royal
with Arts Society Lecturer Jane Tapley, a two course lunch at the theatre restaurant, a talk on Bath and a coach tour of Georgian Bath with a commentary by Jane. There will be free time to explore our favourite places in Bath before we return.
Visit Organiser: Alan Power

Click here for a Booking Form

Two course Christmas lunch in the magical surroundings of the Beaulieu Abbey Domus. 

Visit the Palace House, gardens and Motor Museum. 

 Click here for a Booking Form

Visit Organiser: Liz Juniper

Inspired by our ‘Starchitects’ lecture, this early afternoon tour is perfect for exploring the city’s modern architectural wonders and iconic landmarks.  We'll learn the inside story of their gradual development from the 1950s to the present day.  Our guides will discuss the quirky, unusual and award-winning features of the City's most innovative and environmentally sustainable buildings.

Visit Organiser: Liz Juniper

Click here for a Booking Form

Visit this masterpiece of Baroque architecture. Home to the 12th Duke of Marlborough and his family and the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, Blenheim Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site boasting a long and diverse history. Today, the Palace is home to one of the most important and extensive collections in Europe, which includes portraits, furniture, sculpture and tapestries.

Formal gardens surround the Palace, and they include the majestic Water Terraces, the Duke's private Italian Garden, the tranquil Secret Garden with all of its hidden treasures, the new Churchill Memorial Garden and the beautifully delicate Rose Garden.

Visit Organiser : Josette Fox

The Bowerman Charitable Trust have invited us to Champs Hill on the afternoon of Monday 14th May 2018  to view the ‘European Tour’ Exhibition, as well as a look around the gardens and sculptures. The paintings will be a selection of paintings from the 19th and 20th Century and will include artists from Italy, France, Spain, The Netherlands and Belgium.  The suggested donation is £10 per person which includes tea and coffee.

Click here for a Booking Form

click here for directions to Champs Hill

click here for a location map of Champs Hill
 

Click here for a Booking Form

A house with two tales, Hughenden Manor has a rich history. On one hand it was the Victorian home to Benjamin Disraeli, Queen Victoria's favourite Prime Minister. On the other, it was the base for a secret map-making organisation during WWII. Both stories can be explored as we tour the historic building.

We also visit Cliveden where, in addition to enjoying the glorious gardens, we will take a tour of some of the public rooms on the ground floor, including the impressive Great Hall and famous French Dining Room. We shall  learn about the history of the estate from 1666, when the first property was built by the Duke of Buckingham, through to the Astor dynasty of the 1900s.  

Visit Organiser:  Liz Juniper

Click Here for a Booking Form

Dr Susan Kay-Williams (who gave our May 2017 lecture on Tapestry) will lead us on the ‘Curator’s Tour’ of the Royal School of Needlework, which  includes the workshops and exhibitions. Also at Hampton Court we will have the opportunity to visit the Cumberland Gallery, which was the subject of our February ‘2017 lecture.

     Visit Organiser: Liz Juniper

Click here for a Booking Form

PLEASE MAKE CHEQUES PAYABLE TO ‘THE ARTS SOCIETY LAVANT VALLEY’.

Relive the magic and splendour of steam-hauled fine dining on board one of the Watercress Line’s First Class dining trains. 

The Watercress Belle will take us back to ocean liner glamour. Dress up for the occasion and join us for Christmas Lunch with fellow members and friends.

Coach travel from Chichester.

Visit Organiser: Liz Juniper

Click here for Booking Form

Please make cheques payable to Lavant Valley DFAS

Canaletto & the Art of Venice presents a spectacular selection of 18th-century Venetian art, with Canaletto's greatest works shown alongside paintings and works on paper by Sebastiano and Marco Ricci, Francesco Zuccarelli, Rosalba Carriera, Pietro Longhi and Giovanni Battista Piazzetta.

The exhibition explores the many delights of 18th-century Venice, from the splendours of the Grand Canal and St Mark's Square to its festivals, theatre and masked carnival, bringing the irresistible allure of the most beautiful city in the world to The Queen's Gallery.

Also, visit the Royal Mews, home to the Royal collection of historic coaches and carriages considered to be one of the finest working stables in existence. A private talk is included in the Canaletto exhibition and a multimedia tour in the Royal Mews. 

Your ticket, when stamped, is valid for use for a year from date of entry so it is easy to return at leisure to see other excellent Royal Collection exhibitions

(travelling by train)

Visit Organiser: Anne Overton

CLICK HERE for a Booking Form

Booking deadline now 9th May

Hatchlands Park is home to the Cobbe Collection; with forty two historic keyboard instruments it is the world's largest group of its kind. Many of the instruments are associated with famous composers.

We shall enjoy a concert featuring the instruments in the collection (see concert detail below) and after lunch will be able to explore the house and beautiful parklands. Hatchlands houses a fine art and furniture collection. It was an early interior design commission for architect Robert Adam, his work can be seen in ceilings and fireplaces throughout the house. 

Concert
Florian Mitrea – piano

Mozart

Sonata in B flat, K281
Sonata in A minor, K310
Rondo in A minor, K511

FLORIAN MITREA, born in Bucharest, won important Romanian youth piano competitions before moving to the UK. He studied at the RAM for six years under Diana Ketler, graduating with 1st class honours. Florian made his debut with the Philharmonia Orchestra in 2014 and with the Collegium Musicum in Basel in 2015 and the George Enescu Philharmonic and Romanian Radio Chamber Orchestra in 2016.

Visits Organiser: Josette Fox

FULLY BOOKED

The summer home of William Morris, Kelmscott Manor, a Grade I listed farmhouse c1600, is perhaps the most evocative of all the houses associated with Morris. The garden inspired many of his most famous designs and the house contains an outstanding collection of furniture, embroidery, textiles, art, carpets, ceramics and metalwork by Morris, his talented wife and daughter and his friends including Benson, Burne-Jones, Rossetti and Webb.

A late 18th-century neo-classical house, Buscot Park is set in lovely landscaped gardens and parkland (pictured above). Within the house are displayed fine furniture and art of the very highest order, including the Faringdon Collection, a superlative collection of Old Master paintings and Pre-Raphaelite artwork. In the grounds is a lovely 20th century water garden with canals and classical bridges

Visit Organiser: Liz Juniper

FULLY BOOKED

On the edge of Hampstead Heath, surrounded by tranquil landscaped gardens, the recently refurbished Kenwood House is one of London’s hidden gems. We shall enjoy a guided tour around Robert Adam’s eighteenth century house with its magnificent Library and the art collection which boasts paintings by Vermeer, Gainsborough, Constable, Turner and a marvellous self portrait of Rembrandt. We shall also be shown the gardens which merge into Hampstead Heath with its fine views of London.  Then we shall have a guided tour of Hampstead Village and recommendations for tea shops too, if required. Filled with historic architecture and a friendly atmosphere, Hampstead maintains its villagey appeal. Our guide for the day will be Andrew Davies, a highly regarded NADFAS lecturer and guide.
PLEASE NOTE THERE WILL BE SOME WALKING 

Visit Organiser: Anne Overton

Booking now closed

We will enjoy a pre-exhibition lecture by a gallery expert before visiting this major exhibition of Hockney's work. 
This exceptional show gathers together an extensive selection of his most famous works celebrating achievements in painting, drawing, print, photography and video across six decades.
The show explores Hockney’s witty and brilliant challenges to conventional picture making, from his portraits and images of Los Angeles swimming pools, through to his drawings and photography, Yorkshire landscapes and most recent paintings. A once-in-a-lifetime chance to see these unforgettable works together.

Visit Organiser: Liz Juniper

Travelling by train

NOW FULLY BOOKED

Click here for Travel Advice

Click here for Walking route from Waterloo to 2 Temple Place

Click here for Walking route from Waterloo to Royal Courts of Justice

Two Temple Place is one of London’s hidden architectural gems. Set on The Embankment behind the Strand, it is a late-Victorian neo-Gothic mansion, with a Tudor twist. Built for William Waldorf Astor by John Loughborough Pearson, no expense was spared on its opulence. It only opens to the public in the winter months when exhibitions are held. This winter the exhibition is "Sussex Modernism - Retreat and Rebellion" Click here for details of the exhibition 

Our tour of the Royal Courts of Justice will be led by a Blue Badge Guide. Highlights will includeThe Great Hall, viewing of original court documents relating to Guy Fawkes from the year 1605, the history of the fabulous art, including works by Wright, Lawrence and Shee and the history of the RCJ's famous cases.

Visits Organiser: Liz Juniper

Click here for booking form

Built in the reign of Elizabeth I, Loseley Park stands in beautiful Surrey parkland. The intricate panelling in the Great Hall was once in Henry VIII’s Nonsuch Palace.
After a guided tour of the festively decorated ground floor we will enjoy a two course Christmas Lunch under the ancient beams of the 17th Century Tithe Barn. The garden and grounds can be visited after lunch.

Click here for booking form

Goldsmiths’ Fair is recognised internationally as the premier showcase in the UK for contemporary designer jewellery and silver. It is a celebration of the best of British goldsmithing, silversmithing and enamelling talent and a treasure trove of creativity, design innovation and superb craftsmanship.

Tony Tucker, NADFAS lecturer and Blue Badge Guide will take us on a tour of The City's medieval Guildhall and the Guildhall Art Gallery. The present building dates from 1411 and is still in use today.

Visit Organiser: Liz Juniper

For the latest travel advice from Liz Juniper click here

Click here for booking form

Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson began transforming Sissinghurst Castle in the 1930s. Harold's architectural planning of the garden ‘rooms’, and the colourful, abundant planting in the gardens by Vita, reflect the romance and intimacy of her poems and writings. Not only will we see the famous White Garden, the Rose Garden should be at its peak. In addition, there are many other ‘rooms’ to visit including the orchard, the moat walk and the purple border as well as the library and tower.

Finchcocks has closed and we will now visit Pashley Manor Gardens in the afternoon.

'One of the finest gardens in England' Pashley Manor Gardens offers a blend of romantic landscaping, imaginative plantings and fine old trees, fountains, springs and large ponds. In June the gardens are fragrant with roses and lavender and provide the perfect setting for sculptures by many eminent and local artists.

Visits organiser Liz Juniper

Click Here for booking form

Lavant Valley DFAS members are invited to enjoy a private talk on the themes and content of this major exhibition of Piper's textile designs. Following the seated talk members will be free to enjoy the exhibition at their leisure. 

The exhibition marks the 50th anniversary of the installation of Piper’s celebrated Chichester Cathedral tapestry and is the first to focus on John Piper’s textile designs, exploring key motifs in the artist’s work such as historic architecture, abstract and religious imagery, as well as subjects explored in the final years of the artist’s life, such as foliate heads, sunflowers and the church at Long Sutton. Shown alongside related paintings and other studies the exhibition demonstrates how Piper’s designs were intricately connected with his wider work. It includes some newly traced and very rare textiles, including several from the Piper Estate which have never before been exhibited

Visit Organiser: Claire Power

John Piper (1903 - 1992) was one of the leading Modern British artists of the 20th century whose work was not only part of the artistic avant-garde in Britain, but also appealed to a wide public. Perhaps best known for his paintings of Britain’s romantic heritage including churches, country houses and the wartime ruins of Coventry Cathedral, in the post-war period Piper was also noted for his work as a skilled designer of theatre sets, stained glass windows and textiles.

During the 1930s Piper had worked in a purely abstract style, producing paintings, prints and collages inspired by Picasso and Braque that were in keeping with International Modernism. By the 1950s, Piper’s work was characterised by lyrical and picturesque imagery of architecture and the landscape, but through commissions to design fabrics and tapestries he reintroduced bold abstract imagery into his work, reflecting developments in international abstract art.

Piper’s distinctive use of materials and expressive mark-making was suited to the screen printing techniques involved in producing modern fabrics. By designing fabrics for companies such as Ascher Ltd, David Whitehead Ltd, and Arthur Sanderson and Sons Ltd, Piper contributed to a wider interest in painterly textiles in the 1950s and 60s, together with other artists such as Henry Moore, Eduardo Paolozzi, Kenneth Rowntree and Graham Sutherland. He was able to bring his characteristic imagery to the foreground of a burgeoning modern consumer culture, translating motifs from his paintings into repeat patterns for fabrics to adorn the contemporary interiors of post war homes.

Pivotal to the narrative of the exhibition is the commission for the High Altar of Chichester Cathedral, which was Piper’s first tapestry and forms an important example of modern religious art and church patronage.  It bridges the ideas and imagery Piper developed elsewhere in stained glass window designs and commercially printed fabrics, such as the textured collage techniques of his Brittany beachscapes. Many of the studies for this important example of religious art will be shown alongside examples and trial panels of the Foliate Head tapestries woven to Piper’s designs at West Dean Tapestry Studio near Chichester.

Piper’s commissions for the church also included ecclesiastical garments worn by clergy at Chichester Cathedral, Coventry Cathedal and St Paul’s Cathedral, featuring vibrant colours and abstract motifs, informed by his understanding of costume design for opera and his awareness of the work of Matisse at the Chapel at Vence in the early 1950s.

Through over 80 works, many loaned from public and private collections, this exhibition explores recurring key motifs in the artist’s work such as historic architecture, abstract and religious imagery, as well as subjects explored in the final years of his life, such as foliate heads, sunflowers and the church at Long Sutton. Showing textile designs alongside related paintings, collages and prints, as well as some of Piper’s home furniture and ceramics designs, the exhibition seeks to demonstrate how Piper’s designs helped push forward his artistic innovation in other media, whilst deepening our understanding of this versatile artist.

The exhibition will be accompanied by a new publication by Simon Martin, Artistic Director of Pallant House Gallery, with a contribution by Frances Spalding, author of the biography of John and Myfanwy Piper. Drawing on new research it will form the first comprehensive record of Piper’s textiles and tapestries, featuring works in public and private collections. 

BOOKING CLOSED

The visit takes place at Champs Hill from 2:30pm to 4:30pm

We are invited to view their wonderful  collection of paintings from the Newlyn School.  

 In addition we have been invited to stroll around the gardens and look at the sculptures, some of which have been especially commissioned for Champs Hill. Among the notable artists’ names are Philip Jackson, Peter Logan and Sandra Bell.

The suggested donation is £8 per person which includes tea and coffee.

Champs Hill address: 
Waltham Park Road, Coldwaltham, RH20 1LY

Click here for Map

Visits Organiser Liz Juniper 

Click here for Booking Form.  NOW FULLY BOOKED

After coffee at The Henley River and Rowing Museum members can choose to visit this fascinating museum, enjoy a riverside stroll by the Thames or perhaps visit the town centre which is just a few minutes' walk away. During our visit the River and Rowing Museum are hosting an exhibition of works by David Hockney. The Quince Tree Café at the museum is in a beautiful setting and is highly recommended for lunch. 

In the afternoon we travel the short distance to Grey's Court, a picturesque Tudor mansion set in the rolling Chiltern hills. The house exudes a welcoming atmosphere with a well-stocked kitchen and homely living rooms. The series of walled gardens is a colourful patchwork of interest set amid medieval ruins.

Visit Organiser Mary Whettem

9th March and 16th March City Walks now FULLY BOOKED

This walk takes in several of Wren's finest churches plus many other aspects of the City's 2000 years of history.

Travelling by train, we meet our NADFAS guide at St Paul’s Cathedral and visit a couple of Wren’s best churches before lunch, with the walk continuing in the afternoon. We go inside at least five of Wren’s best churches, including St Stephen Walbrook and St Mary Aldermary, see the steeples of a dozen others, visit some small churchyard gardens, hear stories of Roman emperors, medieval kings and queens and other great historical figures, and also visit sites with connections to Milton, Keats and Wordsworth, finishing with a superb view of the London skyline from a City rooftop. 

Visit organiser Liz Juniper

Click here for Booking Form

FULLY BOOKED

Sandham Memorial Chapel
Recently renovated, this modest red-brick building tucked away in a quiet corner of Hampshire houses an unexpected treasure – an epic series of large-scale murals, by the acclaimed war artist Sir Stanley Spencer.

Built to honour the 'forgotten dead' of the First World War, who were not remembered on any official memorials, the series was inspired by Spencer’s own experiences as a medical orderly and soldier on the Salonika front, and is peppered with personal and unexpected details. The paintings took six years to complete in all, and are considered by many to be the artist’s finest achievement, drawing such praise as 'Britain’s answer to the Sistine Chapel'.

 Bombay Sapphire Distillery    
Inspired by Anthea Streeter's May lecture on Thomas Heatherwick 'the new Leonardo da Vinci of design', we visit the Bombay Sapphire Distillery, where Thomas's vision has transformed an old mill and created extraordinary glasshouses, where the 10 botanical ingredients, required to give the unique taste of Bombay Sapphire, are grown. We will explore the Distillery, take in the crystal clear water and beautiful natural surroundings as we walk along the River Test and step back in time to uncover the fascinating history behind Laverstoke Mill in the Heritage Room.

The visit culminates in The Mill Bar, alongside the beautiful River Test, where we will receive a drink ‘on the house’.

Visit Organiser Anne Overton 

Click here for Booking Form

FULLY BOOKED 

The Backstage Tour will include an introduction to the colourful history of the theatre, an insight into the redevelopment of the Royal Opera House and a look at aspects of current productions. As the Royal Opera House is a fully working theatre, each tour is a unique experience, and may include opportunities to see The Royal Ballet in class, or the magnificent backstage technology in operation.

We will be split into two groups for the tour. There will be time either before or after your tour to explore the many places of interest in the area of Covent Garden and a list of possibilities will be provided by the visit organiser Josette Fox. 

Click here for a Booking Form

Lose yourself in this romantic moated manor house, described by David Starkey as 'one of the most beautiful and interesting of English country houses'. Built nearly 700 years ago, this house has seen many changes and been owned by medieval knights, courtiers to Henry VIII and high society Victorians. Highlights include the picturesque courtyard, Great Hall, crypt and Tudor painted ceiling. The house is surrounded by peaceful gardens with an orchard, water features, lakes and woodland walks.

All Saints’ Tudeley is the only church in the world to have all its twelve windows decorated by the great Russian artist Marc Chagall. These beautiful windows were commissioned by a Jewish father in commemoration of his drowned daughter.

FULLY BOOKED

click here to contact the organiser Alan Power

Arundells, in Salisbury's Cathedral Close, reflects Sir Edward Heath's time in public office and contains his collections of: paintings (including Wyllie, Singer Sargent, Piper, Churchill, Sickert, Augustus and Gwen John, John Nash, Lowry and many more); sailing and musical memorabilia; Oriental and European ceramics; cartoons; bronzes; Chinese and Japanese artworks; photographs and much more, just as they were when he lived there, along with access to the beautiful two acre garden. Sir Edward's study is open for the first time to the public this year.

Before the tour of Arundells there will be an opportunity to explore the historic city of Salisbury, take a tour of the cathedral (including the special Magna Carta exhibition) or walk in the famous Harnham Water Meadows. In the late afternoon we will be able to enjoy Choral Evensong in Salisbury Cathedral with the world-famous cathedral choir.

‘Mr Turner’ exhibition and house tour at Petworth House

17th-century Ham House sits on the banks of the River Thames in Richmond. It is the creation of the Duchess of Lauderdale and her husband, the Duke, who together transformed Ham into one of the grandest Stuart houses in England. Ham House is internationally recognised for its superb collection of paintings, furniture and textiles, largely acquired 400 years ago.

* Sherborne Castle and Gardens Visitors from all over the world come to see this outstanding collection of art and furniture and to admire Capability Brown's landscape. Sir Walter Raleigh built the ‘new’ castle in 1594 with large square-headed windows filled with diamond pane glass. Later he added hexagonal turrets to the four corners of his house, topped with heraldic beasts. The house was rendered from the outset, in the latest fashion. Sir John Digby added four wings giving the house its present H-shape. He copied the style adopted by Raleigh and added hexagonal turrets at the end of each wing, so the house looks all of one piece.

Chiswick House is among the most glorious examples of 18th century British architecture and makes a fascinating day out in West London. The third Earl of Burlington, who designed this noble Roman-style Palladian villa, drew inspiration from his ‘grand tours’ of Italy. The Gardens – birthplace of the English Landscape Movement – are open following a major restoration which has revealed the original vistas and repaired the statues and garden buildings.

* Royal Academy of Music Museum Our guided visit to the Royal Academy of Music is linked to our lecture on Stradevarius and will give us the opportunity of seeing some of the magnificent Rutson collection, including the Archinto viola, the Rutson violin and the Maurin violin, all by Stradivari, as well as instruments by the Amati family, Pressenda and other influential makers. In the piano exhibition we shall have demonstrated for us the technical development of the grand piano in England during the early 19th century, and our pianist guide will contrast it with the daintier, Viennese style.

* Bath Spa A city with a fascinating history from Roman times, beautiful buildings, museums and wonderful places to eat! Visit the magnificent Abbey, stroll around the Royal Crescent or the Pulteney Bridge park, visit the Jane Austen Museum, indulge in a spa treatment at the Roman Baths (or just visit them!). For those who wish, there is an optional one-hour guided walking tour.