Heritage Open Days

Heritage Open Days celebrates England’s fantastic architecture and culture by offering free access to properties that are usually closed to the public or normally charge for admission. Every year on four days in September, buildings of every age, style and function throw open their doors, ranging from castles to factories, town halls to tithe barns, parish churches to Buddhist temples. It is a once-a-year chance to discover hidden architectural treasures and enjoy a wide range of tours, events and activities which bring to life local history and culture.

Abbot Hall Art Gallery
FREE admission Friday 10 September
Walking tours looking at the life and work of George Romney through Abbot Hall’s wonderful collection of paintings by the artist. These will be given by Romney expert and biographer, David Cross, at 11.00am, 1.00pm and 3.00pm in the period rooms at Abbot Hall. Each tour will focus on a different aspect of Romney’s career, and places are limited to 18 people per tour.  Booking essential (first come, first served).

Blackwell, The Arts & Crafts House
FREE admission Friday 10 September
Free entry to House and Garden Terraces. Includes the William Morris exhibition, and Arts & Crafts displays.

Windermere Steamboat Museum
FREE admission Friday 10 September
Ice cream, cold drinks and snacks will be available for sale. Talks in the Conservation Workshop will be held at timed intervals throughout the day (limited numbers).

Museum of Lakeland Life & Industry
FREE admission Saturday 11 September
Free self guided tours all day. Victorian Toys workshops for the under 12’s (children should be accompanied by an adult.) Each limited to 10 places on a first come first served basis. At 11.00, 12.00, 13.00, 14.00, 15.00 and 16.00. Each workshop lasts 20 mins.

Daytime Events

Dr Kathy Haslam: The Morris Circle & George Howard, 9th Earl of Carlisle (1843-1911)
Thursday 23 & 30 September & 7 October, 2.30 - 3.15pm
This event is free with admission to the House.
George Howard was an intimate friend of Morris, Philip Webb and Edward Burne-Jones, who worked informally together on several commissions for him, including Naworth Castle and St Martin’s Church in Cumbria, and 1 Palace Green in London. George Howard was the subject of Dr Haslam’s doctoral thesis, and this illustrated talk will draw on her research, bringing these enthralling personalities to life with quotes from letters and diaries.

The Arts and Crafts in the Lake District
Walking Tour by Hugh Wright
Tuesday 2 November, 9.30 - 10.15am   SOLD OUT
‘Friends’ £5.00, Adults £8.00, includes entry to the house and Tea or Coffee in the Tea Room.
Hugh Wright has always been interested in furniture making and restoration and specialises in Arts & Crafts work. Trained at Loughborough under Edward Barnsley, since retiring as a teacher he has written on Stanley W. Davies and on Simpsons of Kendal.

Event Booking: Tel. 015394 46139
 

Christmas Concert

Sholto Kynoch and Gary Griffiths
9 December 2010, 6.30pm
'Friends' and Full-Time Students £20.00, Adults £24.00
Drinks will be served from 6.00pm, concert starts at 6.30pm with an introduction by Sholto Kynoch

Renowned pianist Sholto Kynoch, director of the Oxford Lieder Festival will be joined by emerging baritone, Gary Griffiths, who won the prestigious Guildhall Gold Medal in 2009. He has already been engaged for major roles with British Youth Opera and Grange Park and in 2010/11 will make his début with Welsh National Opera, singing Guglielmo in their production of Cosi fan Tutte.

At the height of his creative powers, Schubert wrote this cycle of 24 songs, loosely following a young man wandering in despair; his “Winter Journey”. When first played to a circle of friends, they were perplexed at its unremitting pessimism, but Schubert merely stated, “I like these songs more than all the others, and you will come to like them also”. How right his words were to prove! Winterreise has long been considered one of the great pinnacles of the song repertoire.

Event Booking: Tel. 015394 46139

Meet the Curator
Every Monday in November and December at 2.00pm
Blackwell’s Curator, Dr Kathy Haslam, will be available in the Main Hall, giving you the opportunity to ask her about aspects of The Arts & Crafts Movement, Blackwell and its collection.