See attached flyer for description

This was a most interesting visit to a fascinating site. Known as "The Cathedral of Sewage" the fine main building, part of Bazalgette's re-work of the London sewarage system, was accessed from the coach stop by a narrow-guage railway ride of a few hundred yards. Inside it are 4 of the largest beam engines in the world, of which one is in working order, one in restoration, and two left in original condition. The surroundings of the repainted beam of the working engine are enhanced by elaborate cast iron screens and staircases which have been meticulously painted in bright colours. 

The engine shed contains an exhibition of water and sewage treatment history, including a model of the new gigantic Thames main sewer, now nearing end of construction.

A recommended place to visit! More photographs of the stunning interior will soon be loaded into the gallery of this website.

This was a perfectly splendid and most enjoyable event held at the most pleasant venue of Gerrards Cross Golf Club. We were delighted to welcome as our guests the new Chair of The Arts Society, Hilary Kay (in the attached photograph), and long term Honorary member Earl Howe. Several members recognised Hilary from her appearances on the Antiques Roadshow, and she gave a charming speech congratulating us on our significant and generational anniversary. Other guests were the only remaining living Founder Member, Cherry Aston, and past Chairs of the society. Rachel Fay, daughter of Founder Patricia, gave an emotional address about her memories of her mother's activities in the early days of the then-termed "Chalfont Antiques Group" and this was followed by Cherry describing her memories. Chris Stanners also gave a cameo address.
Cherry was presented with an engraved crystal bowl, and the society is awaiting delivery and installation of a memorial bench in the centre's garden dedicated to the work of Patricia Fay.

The table decorations were superb, thanks to Heidi Clapp and Heather Hespe, assisted by Diana Farrell.  We also thank and congratulate Heather and Heidi on their organisation and managing of the lunch.

This well-subscribed visit proved to be an absolutely excellent event. Traffic jams around Old Amersham delayed us a little, but Wilton House offered, in their splendid cafe, such pleasant service and tasty offerings upon our arrival that frustrations were quickly forgotten. And that was before we embarked on the House tour!. This live residence of the Earl of Pembroke was totally stunning, with rooms full of fantastic art, from Greek and Roman statuary to paintings by Van Dyke, Raphael, Tintoretto, Canaletto, Rubens, Leley et al . A real wealth of content unmatched by any other house your scribe has visited. He can only advise you to visit the house at your earliest opportunity (open for non-group visits on 2 days a week, he believes).
Sated but not yet culturally exhausted, we then visited the colossally-spired Salisbury Cathedral, again with a very good guide who revealed to us some of the building's secrets (e.g. bent marble! pillars supporting the spire) and showed us one of the 4 remaining copies of the Magna Carta.

Those lucky enough to have been on this " Behind the Scenes and Concert" trip had a truly outstanding experience. Not only was the visit interesting, entertaining and informative but the lunch in the Nether Wallop restaurant on site was of a high quality. A tour round the site included backstage and the workshops. The icing on the cake was the performance of a dozen operatic extracts by 4 singers and an accompanist from the National Opera Studio, brought in especially for us by Lionel Anthony, at a private recital in the Eberts Theatre.
Many thanks to Lionel for suggesting and facilitating the visit and to Heather Hespe for the logistic arrangements.

THE TASC SUMMER VISIT

SEZINCOTE HOUSE  (2 charming Cotswold historic houses)

Sezincote House incorporates a 200-year-old Mogul Indian palace, set in a romantic landscape of temples, grottoes, waterfalls and canals, reminiscent of the Taj Mahal.

The cost of the day is £40.00 per person

• 9.30 am COACH LEAVES Old Amersham (Tesco bus stop)

On arrival at Sezincote, time for a quick coffee/tea

• 11.30am Divide into 2 groups for tour of the house
• 12.30pm Depart for local pub to have lunch.(not included in cost)
• 2.30pm Arrive at Stanway House and divide into 2 groups for tour.
• 4pm Depart for Amersham.

THURS, 4th JULY 2024

STANWAY HOUSE

Stanway House is an outstandingly beautiful example of a Jacobean manor house famous for its 300 feet single-jet fountain, the highest in Britain and the highest gravity fountain in the world.

Please fill in the form accessed via the button below and send, with your cheque (£40pp) payable to The Arts Society Chiltern, to: Heather Hespe, 25 Inkerman Drive, Hazlemere HP15 7JW (Tel: 01494 714268 mob 07769833747) OR pay by bank transfer to The Arts Society Chiltern: Sort code 30 90 18 Account no 24604960 Ref Sezincote Tour and email Heather Hespe to confirm your booking to:
visit.theartssoc.chiltern@gmail.com

WILLIAM MORRIS GALLERY & THE RED HOUSE   Wednesday 13th March 2024
Today we will visit The William Morris Gallery at Walthamstow and then proceed to The Red House, Bexleyheath. On arrival at the Gallery you can have coffee (included) at the café. We will then have a guided tour of the Gallery after which you can have lunch in the café at your own expense (or take your picnic lunch in the surrounding Park.) At 1.15 we will depart Walthamstow and proceed to The Red House where we will have a guided tour. We will return to Amersham around 5pm.
The cost of the day is £30.00 per person.
9.30 am COACH LEAVES Old Amersham (Tesco bus stop) On arrival, time for a quick coffee/tea 11am Divide into 2 groups for tour of the Gallery 12pm Have lunch in café and there will be time to walk in the Park for those who would like or browse the museum 1.15pm Depart for The Red House 2.pm Divide into 2 groups for tour of The Red House 3.30pm Depart for Amersham Please fill in the slip below together with your cheque (£30pp) made payable to The Arts Society Chiltern, or pay by bank transfer into our account:
The Arts Society Chiltern Sort Code 30-90-18 Account no 24604960 Reference: Morris Tour, and email Heather Hespe to confirm your booking to: sidsec.theartssoc.chiltern@gmail.com
William Morris Tour 13th March 2024
£30.00 pp (Cheque or bank transfer)
I wish to reserve………place(s) payment enclosed for £…….
Name……………………………..(Print) Mob No………… For use on day of visit.
For confirmation enclose a stamped addressed envelope or provide your email address (printed) If you are travelling alone, Emergency Only Contact Person/Tel No………. If you are a National Trust Member, please note this on your application and remember to bring your card with you on the Visit Day.
Confirm your booking to: sidsec.theartssoc.chiltern@gmail.com
Post cheque and slip to: Heather Hespe, 25 Inkerman Drive, Hazlemere HP15 7JW. (Tel: 01494 714268, mob 07769 833747)

Sadly this visit has had to be cancelled due to the death of Queen Elizabeth II and respect for the mourning period. It will be re-scheduled for next year.

THE ARTS SOCIETY CHILTERN

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 14TH 2022

WATTS GALLERY – ARTISTS VILLAGE

Enjoy a wonderful visit to the home, studios and gallery of the great Victorian artist George Watts and renowned designer Mary Watts, champions of Art for All.            Included is a light lunch in the Old Kiln of a sandwich platter with a variety of fillings and seasonal fruit with soft drinks.  There will be free time to explore on your own and visit the excellent shop! 

The cost for the day is £60.00 per person including lunch and tips.

9.30      COACH LEAVES Old Amersham (from the bus stop outside Tesco)

On arrival we will have a Welcome introduction and tea or coffee.  Dividing into small groups, we will have guided visits to Limnerslease (the Watts Arts & Crafts home), the beautiful and unique Chapel and we will tour the Village visiting the studios, and the art and sculpture galleries.  Comfortable shoes essential.

16.15     DEPART for home            17.15   Anticipated arrival in Amersham.

Please come and join us.  Just send the application form with your confirmation of bank transfer to: visits.theartssoc.chiltern@gmail.com, or post your cheque to Linda Liston, 12 Ellwood Rise, Chalfont St. Giles, Bucks. HP8 4SU 

Tel. 01494 875006               Mobile: 07765420683 on the Day of Visit Only)

At last we will be visiting this magnificent Art Deco Mansion, in a medieval palace setting, with guided tours of the house showing off the stunning interiors and furnishings reflecting the high fashion of the 1930s. There will also be a visit to the medieval Great Hall, the childhood home of Henry VIII. Audio visual tours of the outstanding period garden matching the Art Deco Mansion will also be available. Boasting a medieval bridge and a moat, this 19-acre garden is beautiful in every season.

VISIT ON 6th OCTOBER 2021 - Sign Up NOW!

EYTHROPE private walled garden including lunch –

A ‘season of mists and mellow fruitfulness’

 (John Keats, Ode To Autumn).

Come and enjoy the seasonal spectacle of oranges, reds, and golds and get planting ideas for your own home.

Our original notification included other dates which are no longer available – congratulations to those members who signed up promptly.  There are some limited spaces on 6th October after which the garden closes.    

As a reminder this is a private part of the Waddesdon Manor estate.  You will make your own way to the Waddesdon car park (free). There is then a special shuttle bus to EYTHROPE where you will meet your guide for a 90 minute tour. A light lunch at Waddesdon Manor and you can also enjoy complimentary access to the Waddesdon Manor gardens.

Reservations are being held so all YOU have to do is:

send your cheque, made payable to The Arts Society Chiltern, for £50 per person to 

The Visits Secretary, 12 Ellwood Rise, Chalfont St. Giles, HP8 4SU :Queries please call Linda Liston 01494 875006

This is a very limited offer extension for us so please do not wait - SIGN UP NOW. 

Guests are welcome when accompanying a member.

Lance Pierson is an actor who regularly leads guided walks around London. During these unsociable times he invites us to join him on a Virtual Tour following in the Bard’s footsteps and seeing the places where he lived, wrote and acted.
Although everyone knows Shakespeare came from Stratford-upon-Avon, he spent all of his famous working life in London. We will see the original site of the Globe Theatre and its sister the Blackfriars Theatre, two houses where he lived and the very spot where we believe Othello, King Lear and Macbeth were written. This virtual tour will also visit some monuments  modern London has erected in the Bard’s honour.
Half way through the tour and again at the end we will have the opportunity to ask questions but regrettably you must provide your own refreshments!
 

We are Delighted to Announce our Very First

Virtual Visit to

The Vinters Hall

Thursday 14th January 2021

Vintners’ Hall has been home to the Worshipful Company of Vintners since the 15th century and is the spiritual home of the international wine trade. Behind its doors on Upper Thames Street is an historic hall, which boasts a fine seventeenth-century staircase, a magnificent dining hall, and the Court Room - probably the oldest room in the City of London.

On this 45-minute virtual tour, led by Liveryman and London Blue Badge Guide Guy Fairbank, you’ll explore its historic rooms and see many of its wonderful treasures.  We will be able to visit areas not normally seen by members of the public and learn about the different work of the Company including their role in the annual ceremony of Swan Upping.  There will be an opportunity to ask questions of Guy at the end.

There is no charge for this Visit and you must provide your own coffee and cake but you can leave your umbrella in the cupboard. 

Do Join Us at 10.00 for 10.30 start on Thursday 14th January 2021

Zoom Log in details will be sent after Christmas.

Henry Spencer Moore (1898 - 1986) was one of the most important British artists of the twentieth century and arguably the most internationally celebrated sculptor of the period. He is renowned for his semi-abstract monumental bronzes, which can be seen all over the world.

Henry Moore House and Gardens, near Much Hadham, is where Henry Moore, created some of his greatest work. A visit offers us the chance to experience world-famous sculptures in a beautiful outdoor setting and tour the Moore family’s home and the beautiful gardens created by Irina Moore. 

Today we will view art in its many forms starting in the old and new Cathedrals combining contemporary religious art and architecture.  Fortified with a coffee and cookie we will divide into small groups for tours including the ruins, and (hopefully) the Blitz Experience.  The day will continue with a short talk and tour at the Herbert Art Gallery just across the road, where modern art meets old masters.

Full Details and how to book maybe found on this website under Our Society Documents

When fire broke out at Windsor Castle in 1992, it made headline news around the world. 20 years after the restoration of the State Apartments, we will learn more about this devastating event and the return to magnificence that followed.

We will hear the dramatic story of the battle to stop the flames and save irreplaceable works of art from the Royal Collection. The subsequent restoration project was one of the greatest in this country. Some interiors were rebuilt to new designs, while others were painstakingly returned to their original, historic appearance.

This special visit begins in the Castle’s Winchester Tower with refreshments and an expert talk, then the State Apartments and exhibition of wedding outfits of Duke and Duchess of Sussex

Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is a Hindu Temple in Neasden, London built entirely using traditional methods and materials. Completed in 1995, it was at the time the biggest Hindu Temple outside India. Its construction was ordered by Pramukh Swami, a 92-year-old Indian sadhu (holy man), and is made of 2,828 tonnes of Bulgarian limestone and 2,000 tonnes of Italian marble, which was first shipped to India to be carved by a team of 1,526 sculptors. The temple cost £12 million to build.

The mandir was built and funded entirely by the Hindu community. The entire project spanned five years although the Mandir construction itself was completed in two-and-a-half years

Clarence House is the official residence of the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall. The house is only open to the public during August each year.

The arrival of "Captain Ridley's Shooting Party" at a mansion in Buckinghamshire in late August 1938 was to set the scene for one of the most remarkable stories of World War Two. The group were not friends on a country weekend but members of MI6 looking for a location for intelligence activity by GC&CS whose mission would be to crack the Nazi codes and ciphers.  The most famous of the cipher systems to be brocken at Bletchley Park would be Enigma.

A morning at the Community Centre, followed by afternoon visit to Ascott House and Garden

This exciting and interesting exhibition is the first ever showing of ancient treasures recovered from the sea bed.

The Ashmolean Museum in Oxford can proudly boast that it is the world's first purpose-built public museum. Today's visitors encounter a collection of art and archaeology of extraordinary breadth displayed in a building transformed since its redevelopment in 2009.  The Society will have a lecture giving an overview of the museum and then there will beguided tours.

Canterbury Cathedral and Godinton House.

We will have a tour of the Cathedral, for which no explanation seems necessary, with their special guides, in several groups. This will be followed by free time to explore the Cathedral, visit the town and/or have lunch. 

In the afternoon we will drive to Godinton House. This is a delightful Jacobean House incorporating a medieval hall and ornate carvings. Godinton is a comfortable, much loved home, where each room reflects the tastes of those that have lived there over the centuries. The tour unravels 600 years of history and displays an excellent collection of furniture, art, porcelain and curios. Outside there are twelve acres of tranquil gardens, surrounded by ancient parkland. We will have tea and cake in the atmospheric former billiard room.

Overall cost £43
This includes entry to the Cathedral and separate cost for the guide, which amounts to a combined cost of £15.50.
Entry to Godinton House £9.00.
Afternoon tea at Godinton £4 00.
Coach and drivers tip £14.50.
Total £43.00

Download the PDF booking form - CHILTERN Society trip to Canterbury - from the Documents tab on the About Us page.

PEACOCKS AND POMEGRANATES

VISIT TO THE ROYAL SCHOOL OF NEEDLEWORK – HAMPTON COURT on TUESDAY 17th MAY 2016

The Peacocks and Pomegranates collection includes more than 2,000 pieces of embroidery dating from around the sixth century, a Coptic piece, to the modern day. A presentation will show some of the RSN’s amazing treasures from the 19th century Japanese hanging, to 20th century religious works; and from Indian metal thread embroidered objects sent to Queen Victoria, to pieces owned by Queen Mary.

Because we are privileged to examine some of this work the maximum number we can take is 24 so booking is on a first-come basis, with priority given to those who have attended the lectures.

The coach will depart from outside the car park in Old Amersham at 9.15 a.m. and will leave Hampton Court at approx. 3.00 p.m.

Cost – the fee for the day will be £31.00 

Music for a Celebration

On 13 May 2015, we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the founding of our Society with a lunch to be held at Blenheim Palace. It is hoped we shall be joined by Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester, the Patron of NADFAS.

Celebrating our 50th anniversary of the founding Society with a lunch at Blenheim Palace. To be held in the Orangery where the members of the society are organising a display of the activities of the Society over the past 50 years. After lunch, Desmond Shawe-Taylor, the Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures will give a talk entitled "The Royal Collection Enhancing our Appreciation"

Many CDFAS members will remember Louise, archaeologist extraordinaire and formerly British Museum curator, who delighted her audience with accounts of her significant archaeological discoveries. Louise recently headed the British excavation in northern Ethiopia with a discovery that many suggest links with legend and fable. ‘Where Sheba dug her golden riches is one of the great stories of the Old Testament.’ Sean Kingsley, archaeologist and author of God’s Gold.

The Chairman’s Outing usually reflects a particular interest of the Chairman in the Fine Arts and Decorative field. Ever since the success of Sarah Lenton’s address on ‘Opera, Melting Pot of Culture’, members are aware of the contribution that the ‘fine arts’ make to the enjoyment of music, particularly opera. To celebrate our Golden Jubilee Year I want to invite you to Glyndebourne, East Sussex, which for over 80 years has been the centre of opera excellence. In the world of opera, Glyndebourne is unique. It is renowned for its world-class performances that reach audiences across the globe. The booking form can be downloaded from the Documents section on the About Us page of this website.

The Study Day will continue with a visit by coach to the Fry Gallery leaving Amersham at 9.15am and a sandwich lunch has been organised at the Eight Bells Pub to be paid individually on the day.

Autumn Outing to the Royal Hospital Chelsea and The Chelsea Physic Garden leaving Amersham by coach at 8.30am and leaving London at 4 o’clock for the return journey. There will be a guided tour at the Royal Hospital given by a Chelsea Pensioner telling us about his life living at the hospital. The afternoon visit to the Physic Garden which is the oldest botanic garden in London will start with an explanatory tour. There will be an opportunity for visiting the café for a cup of tea.