Events

£15 members/£18 non-members
Please note that the date of this talk has changed to the 29th September

George Saumarez Smith will discuss his new book, The Romance of Classicism: Designing the English Country House for Today. More details to follow.

The talk starts at 6.30pm, doors open from 6.15pm.

Georgian Group members are eligible for a discount on their ticket by entering GGMEMBER at the checkout.

Please read our Terms and Conditions before booking.

If tickets have sold out for this event, please email members@georgiangroup.org.uk to be added to the waiting list

Photo Credit: ADAM Architecture

£15 members/£18 non-members

Nicholas Boys-Smith, Founder & Chairman of Create Streets, and Hugh Petter, architect, urban designer, and director of ADAM Architecture, will discuss ‘place-making’ in modern Britain. Both champions of beauty, gentle density, and sustainability, the discussion will touch on new town planning, the revival of traditional urban forms, design codes that deliver variety and civic pride, and how to create places in which people want to live. Wine will be served following this panel discussion.

The talk starts at 6.30pm, doors open from 6.15pm.

Georgian Group members are eligible for a discount on their ticket by entering GGMEMBER at the checkout.

Please read our Terms and Conditions before booking.

If tickets have sold out for this event, please email members@georgiangroup.org.uk to be added to the waiting list

£5 members/£7 non-members

Please note this lecture will now take place online.

Georgian Britain was responsible for most of the inventions that brought about the Industrial Revolution. One of the earliest aspects was the transformation of the textile industry. In 1714, this was conducted entirely by hand spinners and weavers working in their homes. By 1837, the industry was run on fast and powerful machinery in vast mills, powered by steam, and served by a regimented workforce. Steven Brindle will look at how Georgian drive and ingenuity transformed the textile industry and changed the world.

The talk starts at 6.30pm.

Georgian Group members are eligible for a discount on their ticket by entering GGMEMBER at the checkout.

Please read our Terms and Conditions before booking.

If tickets have sold out for this event, please email members@georgiangroup.org.uk to be added to the waiting list

Photo Credit: Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings & English Heritage

Saturday 5th – Sunday 6th September

Follow William Gilpin’s picturesque tour of the Lower Wye Valley, along the border of England and South Wales, Georgian Group members will explore how eighteenth-century travellers experienced this dramatic landscape.

Beginning at Chepstow Castle at 9:30-10am, we will continue to Piercefield Park, where the ruined Georgian country house and designed walks frame celebrated views over the Wye Valley. We will lunch at Wyndcliffe Court, a privately-owned Arts & Crafts house built in 1922 high above the River Wye by Eric Francis and Henry Avray Tipping, before touring Tintern Abbey, one of the most admired picturesque ruins in Britain. The day will end in Monmouth. Along the way we will consider Gilpin’s ideas of the ‘picturesque’ in poetry, painting, and landscape design, and the popularity of Wye tourism in the Georgian period.

Members may wish extend the trip by staying in Chepstow on the night of Friday 4th and in Monmouth on the night of Saturday 5th: A visit to the private Clytha House (usually private) has been arranged for the morning of Sunday 6 September. (Attendees to secure their own accommodation).

£55 per person – includes a lunch at Wyndcliffe Court and entry to Tintern Abbey.

Organisers: Frederick Hervey-Bathurst (YG Chair) & Dr. Eleanor Stephenson (Research Curator at National Museum, Cardiff)

The event is organised by the Young Georgians but is open to members of all ages.

22nd August 5pm

You are invited to the third annual Young Georgians Ball, this year with more food, more drink, more music, and more entertainment!

It will begin with Regency dancing under the marquee in the Fitzroy Square garden, before we proceed inside for food and some other treats.

It has twice been sold out, so ensure you buy your tickets early!

Dress code: Georgian attire or Black Tie

Thursday 13 August, 6.30pm – 8.30pm, £15

Members are invited to join us in the Fitzroy Square private gardens (weather permitting) for our summer drinks. This is an opportunity for members to meet and socialise in a relaxed atmosphere.

This event is for Georgian Group members and prospective members

All day | £60

Members will be welcomed to Stepleton House near Blandford Forum. Highly commended at the 2025 Georgian Group Architectural Awards for extensive yet sensitive repair with thoughtful modernisation, members will be led through the house by the present owners.

Melbury House, near Evershot in Dorset, has been the seat of the Strangways family since the 1500s. Altered and extended in 1692 by Thomas Strangways (under the probable direction of John Watson of Glashampton), it is the home of the Hon. Charlotte Townshend.

Guided by the architectural historian Charles Hind, members will have the rare opportunity to visit these private houses.

The event is for Georgian Group members’ only. Please read our terms and conditions before booking. 

If tickets have sold out for this event, please email members@georgiangroup.org.uk to be added to the waiting list.

Photo Credit: Greenlys Photography

Join the Young Georgians and members of the After Hours Art Club for an exclusive evening at the fourth edition of the Treasure House Fair, held within the historic grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea. Founded by Thomas Woodham-Smith and Harry van der Hoorn, the fair has quickly become a highlight of London’s summer season, bringing together seventy of the world’s leading dealers in art, antiques, jewellery and design.

Our evening will begin with a private gathering and drinks reception on the terrace from 6:00–6:30pm, where we will hear an introduction to the Fair. We will then explore together and enjoy conversations before the Fair closes at 8pm. Please note, ticket-holders to this event will also have access to visit the fair at any time throughout the day from 11am and so are welcome to arrive and explore in advance of our 6pm drinks on the terrace. Ticket-holders will also be able to visit again on the final day of the fair, 30th June.

Join us for a special tour and handling session at Bonhams New Bond Street during Classics Week.

Twice a year, the London art world comes together for a celebration of traditional art, antiques, and collecting, with a series of prestigious sales taking place across the week. At Bonhams, Classics Week showcases an exceptional range of auctions, including Fine Clocks, 500 Years of European Ceramics, Fine Decorative Arts, Old Masters, and Antiquities.

From 2:00pm on Saturday 27 June, join our specialists for a guided tour of sales and discover the remarkable objects and stories behind them. This is a unique opportunity to explore the exhibitions up close and gain insight into the expertise that brings these collections to auction.

Free to attend, no cap on numbers.

£15 members/£18 non-members

Jeremy Musson, author of The Country Houses of Sir John Vanbrugh: From the Archives of Country Life, 2008, explores the nature of Vanbrugh’s great houses, shares his memories of his visits for his 2008 book, and reflects on Vanbrugh’s continuing reputation, and his continuing admiration for the inventive and compelling language of Vanbrugh’s letters on architecture.

The talk starts at 6.30pm, doors open from 6.15pm.

Georgian Group members are eligible for a discount on their ticket by entering GGMEMBER at the checkout.

Please read our Terms and Conditions before booking.

If tickets have sold out for this event, please email members@georgiangroup.org.uk to be added to the waiting list

Goddards, Surrey – Sunday 7 June 2026 (£30pp)

Join us for a relaxed summer visit to Goddards, the early Arts and Crafts house designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens with gardens by Gertrude Jekyll. Arrive from 11am for hot drinks, followed by a guided tour of the house and garden, buffet lunch, and the chance to play skittles in Lutyens’ purpose-designed skittle alley, Following lunch, Young Georgians may wish to spend the afternoon walking amongst the surrounding Surrey Hills or sketching the House and Garden (until 3pm please).

For those travelling from London, we recommend a train to Dorking followed by a short taxi ride. 

Advance booking required; places are limited.

(Photo credit – The Landmark Trust)

*This event is now sold out. To be added to the waiting list please email members@georgiangroup.org.uk*

For this second visit as part of the VANBRUGH300 celebrations in 2026, we shall visit Seaton Delaval Hall, Northumberland – one of architect Sir John Vanbrugh’s smaller country houses but
home to the larger-than-life Delaval family. The National Trust acquired the property in 2009 and has since made significant repairs to the Hall, which had fallen into disrepair following a serious fire in the 19th century. The tour will be led by the Collections and House Manager.

In the afternoon, we will travel to nearby Newcastle (approx. 25 min drive) for a walking tour of recent casework in the city, led by our Senior Conservation Adviser for the North, Thomas Whitfield.

The event is for Georgian Group members’ only. Please read our terms and conditions before booking. Members who are also members of the National Trust should use the discount code NTMEMBER at the checkout. Please remember to bring your NT card with you on the day. 

If tickets have sold out for this event, please email members@georgiangroup.org.uk to be added to the waiting list.

Image: Seaton Deleval Hall, National Trust

Rousham House & Gardens – Saturday 16 May 2026 (£30pp)

Join us for a special visit to Rousham, including a guided tour of the celebrated William Kent interiors (not normally open to the public). Visitors may arrive from 11am to explore the grounds, with the interior tour beginning at 12 noon, followed by free time to enjoy the magnificent William Kent gardens; please bring a picnic to enjoy in the landscape.

After the tour, you are welcome to linger in the gardens, explore the picturesque Cherwell Valley countryside, or visit nearby sites. Price includes the guided tour; advance booking required. For those travelling from London, we recommend a train to Paddington, then onward to Heyford, approximately a 15-minute walk from Rousham.

£15 members/£18 non-members

What, precisely, defines English, British, or Irish Palladianism? Architectural historian Steven Brindle explores the nature of Palladio’s impact in Britain through his Four Books, his architectural drawings, and his surviving buildings. Some historians have questioned whether a distinct British Palladian architecture ever truly existed. Brindle contends that it did—emerging as a unique 17th- and 18th-century phenomenon shaped by diverse sources and adapted to the tastes and needs of Britain and Ireland.

The talk starts at 6.30pm, doors open from 6.15pm.

Georgian Group members are eligible for a discount on their ticket by entering GGMEMBER at the checkout.

Please read our Terms and Conditions before booking.

If tickets have sold out for this event, please email members@georgiangroup.org.uk to be added to the waiting list

Leading architectural historian Dr Steven Brindle – an expert on the architecture of the British Museum – will speak to the Georgian Group about the history of the Museum, and the new proposals for two purpose-designed visitor pavilions within the Museum’s northern and southern forecourts, and extensive new informal landscaping.

The talk starts at 6.30pm.

Georgian Group members are eligible for a discount on their ticket by entering GGMEMBER at the checkout.

Please read our Terms and Conditions before booking.

If tickets have sold out for this event, please email members@georgiangroup.org.uk to be added to the waiting list

Image: Copyright Studio Weave

Thursday 30th of April, 6:30pm onwards. 6 Fitzroy Square, W1T 5DX London

Please join us for a social evening with Historic Houses Next Generation Group. This is a relaxed event at our club house, with the aim of bringing together likeminded young people who share an interest in the heritage sector. Wine provided.

The Next Generation group brings together those who will one day take on the responsibility of running and caring for a historic house or garden. It supports future custodians as they prepare for the challenges and opportunities of stewardship, helping them build the knowledge and confidence needed for this role.

https://www.historichouses.org/become-a-member/next-generation-membership/

Dress code: Smart casual

Tickets: £12 – first come first served

If tickets to this event have sold out, please contact members@georgiangroup.org.uk to be added to the waiting list

One of the largest and grandest houses of the 16th century, Burghley is the extraordinary legacy of William Cecil, Lord High Treasurer to Queen Elizabeth I. Generations of his family have lived here ever since, ensuring this great house and estate continue to thrive. The day will begin with an introduction by Jon Culverhouse, Curator of Burghley, followed by a tour of the state rooms with
one of Burghley’s expert guides. This visit follows the publication of a new Burghley House book written by architectural historian Dr John Martin Robinson and published by Rizzoli.

After lunch in the Orangery, and just a mile from Burghley, we will be guided on a walking tour through historic Stamford by Stamford resident Martin Williams FSA and architectural photographer Gary Curtis (@theoldbuilding on Instagram). Members will enjoy highlights of Stamford’s Georgian architectural past, seen also through the prism of a photographer’s eye.

The event is for Georgian Group members’ only. Please read our terms and conditions before booking. 

If tickets have sold out for this event, please email members@georgiangroup.org.uk to be added to the waiting list.

Image: Burghley House

Please note that this event is now sold out. If you would like to be added to the waiting list for tickets, please email members@georgiangroup.org.uk

Join us for this all-day visit to Monmouthshire, accompanied by Georgian Group trustee Edward Holland FSA. Our first stop will be Clytha Park, a Greek Doric-style house completed in 1828 by the architect Edward Haycock Sr. Considered one of the finest Neoclassical houses in Wales, the property is owned by the National Trust but remains a private home. This part of the tour will be led by the current occupier.

Clytha Castle, created for William Jones in 1790, was built as a memorial to a beloved spouse and a happy marriage. It was also intended as an ornament to be seen from his house, Clytha, and as a place from which to enjoy spectacular views over the surrounding countryside. The Castle has been carefully restored by the Landmark Trust and, since 1974, has been available to book as a holiday let. This part of the tour will be led by one of the team from the Landmark Trust.

In the afternoon, we will travel to Monmouth approx. a 20-minute drive away, where we will visit Cornwall House, the last privately occupied house in the main shopping street of the town, dating back to at least the 17th century. The red-brick garden façade is in the Queen Anne style, dating from 1752 when the house belonged to the Revd Henry Burgh, son of the Duke of Beaufort’s agent, John Burgh.

The event is for Georgian Group members’ only. Please read our terms and conditions before booking. 

Image: Clytha Castle, The Landmark Trust

£5 members/£7 non-members

Maria de Peverelli, Collections Manager and Curator, will explore the collections at Holkham Hall, mostly made during the Grand Tour. She will analyse the key collectors such as Thomas and Mary Coke – and describe how the collections at Holkham inspired an exhibition at the Mauritshuis, ‘The Grand Tour – Destination Italy’.

The talk starts at 6.30pm online.

Georgian Group members are eligible for a discount on their ticket by entering GGMEMBER at the checkout.

Please read our Terms and Conditions before booking.

If tickets have sold out for this event, please email members@georgiangroup.org.uk to be added to the waiting list

Image Credit: Holkham Hall/Watercolour World

£40, 11am

As part of our VANBRUGH300 celebrations in 2026, join us for a behind-the-scenes tour of Stowe House (one of the six partner houses), led by House Custodian Anna McEvoy. This tour goes beyond the usual visitor route and uncovers some of Stowe House’s most intriguing hidden spaces, including the Gothic Library designed by Sir John Soane, the elegant Japan Room, and a glimpse of newly uncovered 18th-century wall paintings. The tour will also include access to the roof (weather permitting). Vanbrugh worked at the house during the remodelling undertaken by Richard Temple, 1st Viscount Cobham. Stowe House is an architectural masterpiece, once home to one of the wealthiest and most politically influential families in Britain. Built to embody their ideals, the house still reflects these ambitions through its striking architecture, exquisite interiors and remarkable art. Today, the Stowe House Preservation Trust continues the work of conserving and restoring this extraordinary site, which has inspired artists, poets and thinkers for generations

The event is for Georgian Group members’ only. Please read our terms and conditions before booking. 

If tickets have sold out for this event, please email members@georgiangroup.org.uk to be added to the waiting list.

Image: Stowe House Preservation Trust

£5 members/£7 non-members

Following the publication of The London Private Banker (2025), historian Perry Gauci will investigate the social and cultural strategies of one of Georgian London’s most dynamic groups, the London private bankers. The growth of the sector was built on their public reputation, which was not only founded on their financial services but also on their private lives. In a profession dedicated to projecting continuity and stability, their domestic arrangements were often a mirror of their professional lives, where longevity and dynastic continuity were celebrated as reflections of inner commercial virtues.

The talk starts at 6.30pm online.

Georgian Group members are eligible for a discount on their ticket by entering GGMEMBER at the checkout.

Please read our Terms and Conditions before booking.

If tickets have sold out for this event, please email members@georgiangroup.org.uk to be added to the waiting list