Strawberry Hill House - What's New at 🍓 Hill

As summer moves into autumn we will see the colours in Strawberry's restored garden change, our programme of adult education begins, visitors will enjoy our new exhibition of stained glass and the team's thoughts turn to Christmas planning....

EVOLUTION OF THE ENGLISH GARDEN 1680-1790 29 Sep - 8 Dec 2016 at 11-1PM A ten week course taught by Michael Ann Mullen and Stephen Smith Horace Walpole was an outspoken critic of the formal garden and one of the most enthusiastic proponents of the new ‘natural’ style. Here at Strawberry Hill in 1771, he published his Essay on Modern Gardening, one of the most influential books on these changes in approach to gardening. This course covers the period when symmetry and the straight line began to give way to a less rigid framework and garden makers began to incorporate more natural elements seen later at Rousham and Stowe. For further information click here Furniture Study Day: ‘Uncouth and whimsical’: The eighteenth century antiquarian interior Thu 15 Sep 2016  at 9:30 - 4:30PM This study day will focus on the design and uses of antiquarian furniture at Strawberry Hill. Speakers will explore the house's place in the broader history of antiquarian interiors, and the afterlife of Walpole's collection. Speakers will include Adam Bowett, Sarah Medlam and Silvia Davoli. The day will include a tour of the house. Coffee, lunch and afternoon tea are all included in the ticket price. For further information including a full programme click here

We need your help! Will you help us define our Spirit of Place?   Strawberry Hill is working on identifying and strengthening our 'Spirit of Place', and the first step is finding out what the place means to you! Will you send us three words that you think best describe Strawberry Hill House and Gardens? What is Spirit of Place? "Spirit of place refers to the unique, distinctive and cherished aspects of a place; often those celebrated by artists and writers, but also those cherished in folk tales, festivals and celebrations." (definition borrowed from Wikipedia...) You can send your words to enquiry@strawberryhillhouse.org.uk. Or tweet @strawbhillhouse using the hashtag #SpiritOfPlace. We will keep you updated with the feedback we collate and our progress. Thank you! EXHIBITION OF STAINED GLASS Seven Ages of Man by Rachel Mulligan Rachel is a professional stained glass artist and her windows are incorporated into many buildings. The Seven Ages of Man is a series of stained glass panels that draw inspiration from the life of her father, Jim Mulligan born in Middlesbrough in 1936. His love of literature and culture brought him to London where he became an English teacher, writer, storyteller and actor, with a passion for Shakespeare. The panels reflect some of the themes of the last 80 years including the war, social conscience and technology. This beautiful exhibition compliments Horace Walpole's renowned collection of stained glass, much of which can still be found in the windows of Strawberry Hill house today. This exhibition is free to enter and open 10am until 5.30pm on weekends, Mondays, Tuesdays & Wednesdays.