Monday 16th January 2012

National Gallery

Leonardo: Painter at the Court of Milan

The visit to the exhibition will be preceded by an introductory lecture

Wednesday 18th April 2012

The Olympic Site and the Docklands Museum of London

Thursday 19th July 2012

Pallant House Gallery

Pallant House Gallery houses one of the best collections of 20th century art in the world and is housed in a grade I listed Queen Anne townhouse. The collection is founded on works left to the city of Chichester by Walter Hussy, a former Dean of the Cathedral. It includes works by Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore, John Piper and Paul Cezanne. Further donations included works by Ben Nicholson, Walter Sickert and Lucian Freud. The Gallery also has one of the world’s outstanding collections of 18th century Bow porcelain. As well as the permanent collection, the Gallery has special exhibitions throughout the year.  In July there will be an exhibition of Peter Blake’s work.

Chichester Cathedral

The Cathedral was founded in 1108. Although a typical medieval cathedral with fine Norman and Gothic architecture, it has two architectural features that are unique among England’s medieval cathedrals -a freestanding bell tower and double aisles. Inside the cathedral, there is an eclectic collection of treasures and artworks dated from the 12th to the 20th centuries. These include the 12th century carved reliefs of the Lazarus tablets, Tudor panel paintings and many ornate tombs including the 14th century Arundel tomb. A Roman mosaic can also be seen though a glass window in the nave.   Among the more modern works are tapestries by John Piper, a window by Marc Chagall, Graham Sutherland’s painting ‘Noli me tangere’ and a reredos for St John the Baptist Chapel by Patrick Procktor.

The window by Marc Chagall is on the right. It is based on the theme of Psalm 150 '...let everything that hath breath praise the Lord' (1978)

Thursday 18th October 2012

London Walk

The medieval village of Clerkenwell derives its name from The Clerk’s Well. In the Middle Ages, the London Parish clerks took services in Parish Churches and also performed annual mystery plays. The area was a hot spot for monastic foundations. A Carthusian Priory was founded in 1371 and, after the dissolution of the Monasteries, became a Tudor home until 1611 when Sir Thomas Sutton established a school and Sutton’s Hospital. This still exists as the Charterhouse, an almshouse for ‘gentlemen pensioners’ known as ‘Brothers’.

From the Crusades to St John’s Ambulance, St John’s Priory Gate Museum of tells the story of the Order of the Hospitaller Knights of St John. Founded in 1023, The Brothers both fought and nursed in the Holy Land and on their island fortresses of Rhodes and Malta. In addition to the Museum space, concealed within the Tudor building, is the Chapter House of the Order with some impressive paintings, and spanning the arch of St John’s Gate, is the Council Chamber with a high vaulted ceiling and windows set with Whitefriar’s glass.

In thanksgiving for his recovery from illness (with the help of St Bartholomew) Rahere, a courtier of Henry I, founded St Bartholomew’s Priory and Hospital in 1123. Both these foundations still exist. Parts of the monastic church survive as a Parish church, a continuous place of worship since 1123. There is a fine Norman nave with a pre-reformation font and a 13th Century coffin amongst many interesting funereal monuments. The 0riel window was installed in the 16th Century by Prior William so that he could spy on his monks. In more recent times the church has been the location for scenes in several films including Shakespeare in Love, Four Weddings and a Funeral, the Other Boleyn Girl and Sherlock Holmes.