Further details of these and additional trips will be given via the Newsletter, the Website and the Noticeboard
Thursday 12th March
Leighton House
The Arab Hall, Leighton House © Leighton House. Image courtesy Dirk Lindner.
Leighton House is the former home and studio of the leading Victorian artist Frederic, Lord Leighton (1830 – 1896): painter, sculptor and public figure.
Leighton was one of the most famous British artists of the Victorian age. The recipient of many national and international awards and honours, he was well acquainted with members of the royal family and with most of the great artists, writers and politicians of the late Victorian era. His charm, handsome appearance, cosmopolitan background and generous nature allowed him to move in the highest social circles and forge friendships across the continent.
Leighton often travelled and on trips to Turkey in 1867, to Egypt in the following year and to Syria in 1873, he collected textiles, pottery and other objects that were later to be displayed in his house. However, the trip to Damascus in 1873 laid the foundations for the wonderful collection of tiles that line the walls of the Arab Hall extension.
The guided tour will include the spectacular Arab Hall.
Wednesday 15th April
Brighton Walking Tour – Wednesday 15 April 2026 11 am £8.50
Frances Farrer-Brown – ‘Linger in the Lanes and Pause by the Pavillion’
(Make your own way there.)
Tickets for sale on Tuesday 17 February; a booking form is on the website.
“Why are the Lanes so called? Who was Phoebe Kessell? Why did the Prince Regent take the waters? Why is the Black Lion pub so called? Join the walk and find out!”
We are lucky to have once again managed to get Frances on board for another walking tour. Better still, this tour links in with our lecture in July Regeneration of the British Seaside Resort. Those of you who have joined these walking tours in the past (‘Lewes’, ‘Midhurst’) will remember how Frances excels in pointing out details that bring the past to life. By choosing April we feel sure that we can avoid a heatwave, another feature that seems to be typical of Frances’ walk-abouts.
Thursday 14th May 2.30p.m.
Champs Hill, Coldwaltham – Newlyn exhibition
The Art of the Newlyn School 1880 – 1940
The Bowerman Charitable Trust is delighted to offer this preview of their Art of the Newlyn School travelling exhibition before it leaves for a two-year national tour. It features 40 of the best paintings from their extensive collection, including those by ‘father’ and ‘queen’ of
the Newlyn School: Stanhope and Elizabeth Forbes; Newlyn pioneer Walter Langley, and perhaps Britain’s best-loved 20th century woman artist Dame Laura Knight. And there are many others, not least a magnificent collection of Harold Harvey paintings as well as a
new acquisition of a Dod Procter portrait.
This is a self-drive visit
Wednesday 10th June
Manor, Buckinghamshire – BY COACH
Leaving by coach at 08.00 hrs from Tesco’s in Rustington.
Leaving Waddesdon Manor at 16.15 hrs.
Created in 1877-1883 by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild, the French inspired château was built for beauty, for a collection, and for entertaining, a summer abode to get away from the city.
Treasures: Over 300 remarkable objects, from glittering jewels to fine silver, dating from 100AD to the 20th Century.
Some of the most priced items in the collection:
– Musical elephant automaton (1774) – not to be missed!
– Meissen Nanny Goat with Suckling Kid (1732-34)
– Porca Miseria by Ingo Mayrer (2003) – an astonishing chandelier, made of broken porcelain and cutlery
– Chest of drawers (1778) – supplied to Madame Élisabeth (the youngest sister of Louis XVI) when, at the age of 14, she was granted her own suite of apartments at Versailles
Optional garden tour £8
Friday 10th July 2026 – SELF DRIVE
11.15 a.m. for 11.30 a.m.
£25
FARLEYS HOUSE & GALLERY
Farley Farm, Muddles Green,
Chiddingly, BN8 6HW
Tucked away in the Sussex countryside Farleys conjures up an extraordinary atmosphere that testifies to its position as a meeting place for some of the key personalities in 20th century art.
Lee Miller and Roland Penrose moved to the Sussex countryside to live at Farleys in 1949. For the 35 years that followed they filled their home with a collection of contemporary art treasures and were visited by some of the key personalities of twentieth century art.
Today Farleys is the base of the Lee Miller Archives and The Penrose Collection from which books, exhibitions and reproduction rights are privately managed by the family.
The ticket includes:
a guided tour of the House with entry to the Gallery and the Gardens.
This is a self-drive visit.
Meet at Farleys at 11.15 a.m. where we will be divided into smaller groups to tour the House from 11.30 a.m.
There is plenty of free parking, and a small cafe serving hot andcold drinks, soups, salads, savoury snacks and cakes.
Maximum number of tickets available: 28
Other visits:
Tuesday 22nd September: D-Day Exhibition Portsmouth, including the Overlord embroidery
October: Regency house, Hove
THE ARTS SOCIETY ARUN HOLIDAY
ALSACE AND THE BLACK FOREST
5-11 MAY 2026
Travel by train to Strasbourg with coach for excursions
to Obernai, Colmar and Freiburg.
Details on our website, book via travel editions.co.uk