Forthcoming Events and Visits

Monday 12 MAY 2008 VISIT TO APSLEY HOUSE and WELLINGTON ARCH, Hyde Park Corner

Members will enjoy a private guided tour of Apsley House and Wellington Arch. Apsley House was home of the first Duke of Wellington and is the last great aristocratic house in London. It has outstanding collections of paintings, furniture, silver and sculpture. The Wellington Arch offers glorious views ofver London. Meet at the entrance of Apsley House at 11.00 am. Nearest Underground: Hyde Park Corner Cost £15

FRIENDS' KENWOOD GARDEN TOURS Sunday 1 June and Sunday 5 October 2008 at 10.30 am

Spring and late summer tours of the Kenwood garden have been arranged for the Friends, to be led by the head gardener, Paul Jackson. The theme for June is "The emerging significance of Kenwood’s rhododendrons" and for October "Framing the View". The June walk will last for 1 hour 15 minutes and the October walk for 1 hour 30 minutes (boots are recommended for the latter). These walks are free of charge to the Friends of Kenwood but booking is required as places are limited. Meet at the front of the house (portico side) at 10.20 am for both tours.

EVENING GUIDED WALK IN THE HAMPSTEAD/HIGHGATE AREA Tuesday 17 June 2008 at 7pm

Am entertaining leisurely guided walk in the Hampstead/Highgate area will take place on the evening of Tuesday 17 June, to be led by Mr Peyton Skipwith, a former director of the Fine Art Society and resident of Hampstead (members will recall Mr Skipwith's talk last December entitled "Hampstead and Highgate 20th Century Art"). The walk will last for about an hour, ending around 8.00pm with a visit to a local hostelry. Meet in front of Fenton House, Hampstead Grove, at 6.45 pm. Cost &pund;5.00. Nearest underground station: Hampstead.

LEIGHTON HOUSE AND LINLEY SAMBOURNE HOUSE,HOLLAND PARK Monday 1 September 2008 at 11am

A visit to combine guided tours of the artist Frederic, Lord Leighton’s house and studio on the edge of Holland Park and of the Victorian townhouse, home of Edward Linley Sambourne, Punch cartoonist, illustrator and photographer. Leighton House was built from 1864 to designs by George Aitchison and was extended and embellished over the next 30 years.The house contains works by many of Leighton’s contemporaries as well as over 80 examples of paintings and sculptures by Leighton himself. Linley Sambourne House is a remarkably well preserved late Victorian house complete with almost all of its “aesthetic style” furniture and fittings intact. One property will be visited in the morning, the second in the afternoon, after a break for lunch. (There are many cafés and restaurants on Kensington High Street and there is a small, modern café in Holland Park.) Each house tour lasts for approximately one and a half hours and the day is expected to finish by 3.30pm. Meet at the entrance to Kensington High Street underground station at 10.45am.Cost £15.00. Please note that the houses are 5-10 minutes walk from the station. Leighton House Museum is arranged over two floors and Linley Sambourne House is on five floors with steep steps internally and externally.

Sunday 5 October KENWOOD GARDEN TOUR

GOVERNMENT ART COLLECTION, LONDON W1 Tuesday 9 December 2008 at 6pm

Another visit (and a lecture on Sunday 7 December) has been arranged to the Government Art Collection, based in Central London, following the very successful visit in September 2007 which was over-subscribed. The collection has been developed over the past 100 years and contains works by a wide range of artists which together show the vibrancy and variety of British artistic life and heritage from the 16th century to the present day. The tour will begin with a general introduction to the history and role of the GAC and a chance to see a selection of works from the collection, followed by an insight into the operational side of the organisation and the area where the works of art are stored awaiting selection by Ministers of State and Ambassadors. Priority will be given to members who were unsuccessful in securing a booking last time and who re-apply for the December visit. The tour will start at 6.30pm and last for about 1 hour: please join us for a glass of wine beforehand, from 6.00pm. Cost £10.00. GAC location maps will be sent with confirmation slips. Nearest underground station: Goodge Street.

Please note that trips are for members only.