Visits and study days Huntingdon DFAS
Oliver Cromwell
Huntingdon Decorative and Fine Arts Society

Past Visits

Members' Reports and Photos
Palmyra Mansions
See the photos taken during

Also see photos of our 25th Anniversary a.g.m. celebration and tea party and some more members' comments
We visit Normandy

More recent visits (with the latest at foot of page)

Visit to the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford on 24 February 2010

A full coach left St Ives just after 8.30 and reached Oxford in almost exactly 2 hours. We had coffee, fruit and shortbread at the Randolph Hotel, opposite the Ashmolean and were then free until 2.30 to visit the museum or do other things in Oxford. Some of us found the museum shop, full of interesting and tempting merchandise. A number of the party splashed out on lunch in the rooftop restaurant where there were fine views. The outside terrace does not open until Easter but looks as if it will be very popular in fine weather.

We met our guides at 2.30 and split into 3 parties. Each guide had some discretion as to what we saw and heard about and their individual interests were slightly reflected, but we all got an overview of what the museum contained. The new additions to the building by the architect Rick Mather are stunning and merge wonderfully with the old parts of the museum. Light is everywhere, often from above, and there are vistas through clever use of Perspex. The collection is magnificent. Some of our party were familiar with it but many had not been for years and for some of us it was a new experience. We saw the varied pieces the plant-hunters Tradescant, father and son, built up in their travels to exotic places in the seventeenth century. Their collection, left to Ashmole, formed the core of the original exhibit. Many later bequests and donations, some munificent, had enhanced the museum's possessions. There were curiosities, antiquities, textiles, ceramics, coins and pictures. One group saw the magnificent Indian carved doors Lawrence of Arabia found in Jeddah, brought back to England and used at the entrance to his swimming pool in Dorset.

It was only possible to see a fraction of what was there and, as with all great museums, repeated visits would be necessary to become familiar with the collection. We were all fascinated by something we saw and many will want to return.
Our return journey was uneventful and only slightly delayed by traffic. The most difficult moment was at the St Ivo car park, which was crammed and where our coach had difficulty maneouvering. Nevertheless we were able to debus feeling we had enjoyed a rewarding day.

Visit to Compton Verney, Warwickshire on 25 May 2010

40 members made the two-hour coach ride to Compton Verney on a pleasant day and enjoyed the restored Adam mansion and the grounds landscaped by Capability Brown. The house has been rescued by Sir Peter Moores of the Littlewoods family after it had fallen into serious disrepair after the War. It is now an art gallery, with several small permanent collections and a special changing exhibition which for us was of Francis Bacon. There was an opportunity to take a guided tour of the Bacon and members found this helpful and interesting.

The permanent collections include North European Renaissance (where there was another tour with a knowledgeable guide), Neapolitan Baroque Art, British Portraits, Chinese Bronze Age Art and two folk art collections. These gave members a lot to enjoy and time seemed short despite over five hours at the estate. Many nevertheless found time to visit the excellent shop and all admired the magnificent Adam room, now used for functions.

The return journey was straightforward and the day was voted a great success.

Elspeth Jervie

Visit to Houghton Hall, Norfolk on 30 September 2010

After our September lecture by Caroline Knight on Houghton and Holkham, two great Norfolk houses, there was a lot of interest in the trip to Houghton and a full coach left St Ivo at 8 am on Thursday 30 September.
The early start was necessary because we were to have a private tour which had to take place before the house opened to the public. In fact a straightforward journey meant we arrived ahead of time but the staff at Houghton rose to the occasion. We were divided into three groups for easier handling, each with a guide, and the tour was arranged so that the groups did not dog each others heels. All three guides got top marks from our members for knowledge, friendliness and information. Houghton was built for Robert Walpole by James Gibbs and Colen Campbell and decorated by William Kent and no expense was spared in the grand public rooms. We saw Walpole's study and library, not normally open to the public, and there (and in other private family rooms) there was no gilding and the ceilings were plain. As was so often the case, the kitchens (long gone) were a long way from the dining room, but ingeniously there was a free-standing fireplace and hidden behind it were cupboards where food could be kept warm. Everywhere were Walpole's initials, coat of arms and Ga
rter badge; he was not a self-effacing man.
The tour took over two hours and everybody learned a lot and saw many beautiful things. After that we had three hours to have lunch, see the 5-acre walled garden which still had much interest late in the year, walk in the park and see the modern sculpture collected by the present owner, the Marquis of Cholmondeley, or look at the outstanding model soldier collection put together by his father. We were exceptionally fortunate to have a sunny day in the midst of a very rainy period. Our journey back to St Ivo was easy and the visit was a resounding success.
Above: the remarkable 'Waterflame' fountain by Jeppe Hein, 2008.
Top left: looking back towards the service quarters.
Bottom left: the topiary and herbaceous border and the walled garden.
Text by Elspeth Jervie. Photos by Judith Christie.
Study Day at Hemingford Abbots Village Hall: 3rd November 2010
Alexandra Drysdale showed us how to pull pictures apart into colour, light, line, form, composition and subject matter. Everyone had a go!
Photos by Tony Barraclough



Visit to the New Hall College Art Collection: Painting by Women Artists. 16th February 2011

23 members of the Huntingdon DFAS branch met in Murray Edwards College, Cambridge, (formerly New Hall College) on a sunny February morning for a guided tour of the fantastic collection of paintings by 20th century women artists and sculptors. The austere white walls of the iconic 60s buildings provide a perfect backdrop to the rich variety of work displayed in the corridors, dining halls and libraries of the Chamberlain, Powell and Bon designed buildings.

In 1986 the College acquired the first work: Extase, by Mary Kelly. This inspired the second President, Dr Valerie Pearl, to suggest inviting female artists to lend an item of their work for display in an exhibition of art by women. 75 of the initial group of 100 artists approached agreed to lend or donate a piece of work to the college. The collection now encompasses some 400 works of art by over 270 artists; the largest collection of its kind in Europe! This treasure is open to public view daily from 10am until 6pm, with booked tours of the collection available at modest cost on direct enquiry to the Curator.

We were introduced to explanations behind some of the individual pieces, with moving personal stories described with sensitivity and sympathy by the current curator, Amanda Rigler, who plainly loves her work with the collection. She brought the pictures to life and added greatly to our appreciation of this previously little known gem of a collection in our area.

Pictures could only to be taken outside. A memorable half day out. Thoroughly recommended to others.

Jill Donnelly, Visits Secretary


Legal London Visit, 17th March 2011


49 members and friends enjoyed a splendid outing to the legal heart of London on a cold but dry day in March. The excellent guide demonstrated well informed knowledge with humour, and anecdotes which were much appreciated by the group. The tour included a walk through the Middle and Inner Temple courts and gardens, and the opportunity to admire and understand the barristers' training, which still requires the eating of dinners at one of the four Inns of court. Lunch was in preparation during our visit!

After our own excellent carvery lunch in a nearby inn, we visited the Courts of Justice, and viewed some of the courtroom dress and regalia, which our guide placed in historical context. Then on to the Temple church (famed site of the Da Vinci code story), and Lincoln’s Inn with Gilbert Scott’s buildings in Victorian splendour, including the delightful Grade 1 listed building of the gardener’s cottage.

The tour concluded with a coach trip through the city and past the Old Bailey, then past the Olympic site and home by 6pm. The day was deemed a great success and reasonably priced at £32.00 all inclusive cost to members. As a result of the enthusiasm and a full coach, the day showed a positive balance.

Jill Donnelly


Visit to Hardwick Hall, 15th June 2011

Considering the weather forecast we were very lucky with our trip to the home of Bess of Hardwick. We only had a few spots of rain which didn't interfere with our enjoyment at all. On arrival we were treated to an informative and humorous introduction to the history of the house, and then allowed free rein to visit inside. There were very helpful guides stationed at strategic points to answer our questions.
After visiting the house we were split into two groups and taken to see the Stableyard, where renovations to the range of buildings were in process, and to the Stonemason's Yard, to see where the stone for the renovations is being prepared and dressed.
Thanks to Jill for organising such an interesting and worthwhile outing.

Tony Levine. Photo by Jill Donnelly (on a sunnier day!)