Gathering on the first day of rain since the drought was announced, a group of the Friends set out to visit two attractions in Surrey – the Watts Gallery and the National Trust Hatchlands Park. The outing was arranged by Dick Hewett and our minibus was driven by Rob Gower: our first stop, the Watts Gallery was built to display the works of the Victorian Arts and Crafts movement artist, George Frederick Watts. It contains a very large collection of his paintings and sculptures showing how his style evolved over his long artistic career. None of us will forget his huge sculpture of Tennyson!
We walked to the Watts’ house, Limnerslease House which was their peaceful retreat from their official London residence and where Mary Watts lived permanently after her husband’s death. Our visit ended with a stop at the Watts chapel, a unique Grade 1 listed Arts and Crafts masterpiece, designed by Mary Watts. A truly unique and beautiful building.
We then drove through the Surrey countryside to arrive at Hatchlands in time for lunch. Our guide explained that the house is still privately occupied and the main point of interest for visitors is the fantastic collection of historic keyboard instruments. Many of these were owned or played by famous composers such as Chopin, Beethoven and Elgar. Interestingly, they also had a Walker organ! There was plenty of time in which to enjoy the extensive grounds for which Hatchlands is renowned.