18th Century Comes Alive at Fairfax House
Exploring Lord Fairfax’s wine cellar, candlelight tours, meeting some of the characters who would have lived in Fairfax House and the first exhibition of costume are all on offer as part of the 2010 Fairfax House experience! Now in its 26th year, Fairfax House has created an exciting programme of events and activities allowing visitors - of all ages - to experience Georgian life in a variety of different ways.
This year there is a series of new special events, including a Mother’s Day Concert (14 Mar, 3.30pm, Fairfax House) with afternoon tea to follow; a Georgian Antiques & Wine Dinner (Fri 22 Oct, 7pm, Bedern Hall, York) with antiques expert, John Bly of the Antiques Roadshow and Conal Gregory, Master of Wine, who will join together to share their knowledge in an entertaining evening of wine and anecdotes and Fairfax House after Dark (Wed 27 and Fri 29 Oct, 7pm, Fairfax House) offering an unusual candlelit tour led by the Lord Fairfax and members of his household staff.
Food and drink feature heavily in this year’s programme. Drink connoisseurs will enjoy Explore Lord Fairfax’s Cellar where expert sommelier, Richard Goodacre, will take a look at the extensive wine cellars held by Lord Fairfax. Using archival evidence and modern day equivalents, each wine tasting session will explore three fascinating topics: Fortified Wines (Wed 3 Mar, 7pm, Fairfax House), Wines for a Georgian Cellar (Thurs 15 April, 7pm, Fairfax House) and Champagne and the English Gentleman (Tues 11 May, 7pm, Fairfax House).
Chocolate and ice cream are also on the menu with food historian Ivan Day. Death By Chocolate (Sat 18 Sept, 7pm, Fairfax House) offers the chance to sample and see how chocolate was originally made and an Ice Cream Feast! (Sun 19 Sept 3pm, Middlethorpe Hall, York) explores the art of ice cream making in the 18th and 19th centuries and some of the unusual flavours enjoyed by the Georgians including musk, parmesan cheese and burnt ice cream!
Back by popular demand is the Silver Screen Week (Sun 26 Sept to Sun 3 Oct, Fairfax House) showing some of the greatest romantic, comedy and dramatic classics from 1939 to 1945 including Casablanca, Meet Me In St Louis and Goodbye Mr Chips, plus there will be the opportunity to see the silent movie The General accompanied by a special score written and played by a York-based pianist.
There will also be events for the whole family with a special Children’s Day: Meet the Fairfax’s (Fri 6 Aug 12 noon and 3pm, Fairfax House) allowing young people to hear personal stories from costumed characters including Lord Fairfax, Anne and their servants about what is was like to live in a Georgian townhouse in the 18th century and Winter’s Tales (Sun 12 Dec, 11am and Sun 19 Dec 11am and 4pm, Fairfax House) - Christmas storytelling sessions where Molly the scullery maid takes visitors through the House, sharing festive stories and reading classic tales from Dickens and Wind in the Willows. She may even tell tales about secrets in the house!
This year’s lecture series is varied and will feature The English Walled Kitchen Garden (Sun 25 Apr, 2pm, Middlethorpe Hall, York) with Peter Thoday, presenter of the BBC series ‘The Victorian Garden’, who will be making a special visit to talk about the history of the English Kitchen Garden followed by a garden tour; Behind Closed Doors with Amanda Vickery (Thurs 18 Mar, 7pm, Fairfax House) will unlock the homes of Englishmen and women to provide a panoramic account of private lives in Georgian England; Clocks, Cogs & Wheels (Tues 25 May, 7pm and Tues 27 July, 7pm, Fairfax House) with horologist David Barker who will reveal the intricate details of the Noel Terry collection of clocks and disassemble and reassemble one to reveal its construction and interior workings a timepiece; English Furniture (Tues 8 June, 7pm, National Centre for Early Music, York) with furniture historian Adam Bowett who will take a closer look at some of the Noel Terry Collection; The Art of Sir Joshua Reynolds (Mon 5 July 7pm, National Centre for Early Music, York) featuring Professor Mark Hallett from the University of York who will take a closer look at the work of the famous Georgian artist, Sir Joshua Reynolds, focusing on his celebrated portraiture and the ways in which he displayed his works at the new exhibitions that proliferated in the last decades of the 18th century.
The exhibition programme opens with The Flowing Bowl (Sat 13 Feb - Sun 30 May) focusing on paintings and decorative objects, ranging from the early punch bowls and exquisite silver tankards made in York, to the English glass in the John Butler collection. This is followed by Dress to Impress (Fri 18 June - Sun 29 Aug) a special exhibition of costume looking at the fabulous clothing worn by members of 18th century polite society and exploring and revealing the exquisite fabrics and extravagant ornamentation used. The autumn exhibition is Reflections: Fairfax House through the eyes of Contemporary Artists (Fri 10 Sept - Fri 31 Dec) featuring the works of 12 nationally-renowned artists who will use the interior, exterior and architectural details of the House as their inspiration. This is a selling exhibition in partnership with Kentmere House Gallery in York. The popular Christmas exhibition - The Keeping of Christmas (Sat 27 Nov - Fri 31 Dec) returns giving visitors the chance to see the House decorated for a Georgian Christmas, plus there will be a special Christmas Twilight Tour (Fri 26 Nov, 7pm) led by York Civic Trust Director, Peter Brown who will talk about festivities in the Georgian era.
On the Christmas theme, also look out for the new Christmas Floral Decoration Workshops giving visitors opportunity to make their own Christmas wreaths (Tues 7 Dec, 1.30pm to 5pm, Friends’ Meeting House, York) and table decorations (Sat 11 Dec, 1.30pm to 5pm, Friends’ Meeting House, York).
The new Fairfax House Director, Hannah Phillip says that there is something for everyone in this year’s event programme: “Fairfax House is very much alive and we hope that visitors will enjoy sampling the 18th century in a variety of different ways. The wonderful setting of Fairfax House forms a perfect background to explore 18th century England and we are extremely fortunate to have attracted some excellent visiting speakers and demonstrators to allow us to offer such a rich and varied programme.”
In addition to the events programme, Fairfax House is open to the public from Saturday 13th February to Sunday 2nd January on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday from 11am - 4.30pm and Sunday 1.30pm - 4.30pm for self-guided tours. Fridays guided tours only at 11am and 2pm.
For more detailed information about any of the activities planned for 2010, please
visit Fairfax House website at www.fairfaxhouse.co.uk, email info@fairfaxhouse.co.uk or ring 01904 655543.
Ends
Press Contacts: Hannah Phillip Tel: 01904 655543
hannahphillip@yorkcivictrust.co.uk
Melanie Paris Tel: 01904 647408
hello@melanieparis.com
This year there is a series of new special events, including a Mother’s Day Concert (14 Mar, 3.30pm, Fairfax House) with afternoon tea to follow; a Georgian Antiques & Wine Dinner (Fri 22 Oct, 7pm, Bedern Hall, York) with antiques expert, John Bly of the Antiques Roadshow and Conal Gregory, Master of Wine, who will join together to share their knowledge in an entertaining evening of wine and anecdotes and Fairfax House after Dark (Wed 27 and Fri 29 Oct, 7pm, Fairfax House) offering an unusual candlelit tour led by the Lord Fairfax and members of his household staff.
Food and drink feature heavily in this year’s programme. Drink connoisseurs will enjoy Explore Lord Fairfax’s Cellar where expert sommelier, Richard Goodacre, will take a look at the extensive wine cellars held by Lord Fairfax. Using archival evidence and modern day equivalents, each wine tasting session will explore three fascinating topics: Fortified Wines (Wed 3 Mar, 7pm, Fairfax House), Wines for a Georgian Cellar (Thurs 15 April, 7pm, Fairfax House) and Champagne and the English Gentleman (Tues 11 May, 7pm, Fairfax House).
Chocolate and ice cream are also on the menu with food historian Ivan Day. Death By Chocolate (Sat 18 Sept, 7pm, Fairfax House) offers the chance to sample and see how chocolate was originally made and an Ice Cream Feast! (Sun 19 Sept 3pm, Middlethorpe Hall, York) explores the art of ice cream making in the 18th and 19th centuries and some of the unusual flavours enjoyed by the Georgians including musk, parmesan cheese and burnt ice cream!
Back by popular demand is the Silver Screen Week (Sun 26 Sept to Sun 3 Oct, Fairfax House) showing some of the greatest romantic, comedy and dramatic classics from 1939 to 1945 including Casablanca, Meet Me In St Louis and Goodbye Mr Chips, plus there will be the opportunity to see the silent movie The General accompanied by a special score written and played by a York-based pianist.
There will also be events for the whole family with a special Children’s Day: Meet the Fairfax’s (Fri 6 Aug 12 noon and 3pm, Fairfax House) allowing young people to hear personal stories from costumed characters including Lord Fairfax, Anne and their servants about what is was like to live in a Georgian townhouse in the 18th century and Winter’s Tales (Sun 12 Dec, 11am and Sun 19 Dec 11am and 4pm, Fairfax House) - Christmas storytelling sessions where Molly the scullery maid takes visitors through the House, sharing festive stories and reading classic tales from Dickens and Wind in the Willows. She may even tell tales about secrets in the house!
This year’s lecture series is varied and will feature The English Walled Kitchen Garden (Sun 25 Apr, 2pm, Middlethorpe Hall, York) with Peter Thoday, presenter of the BBC series ‘The Victorian Garden’, who will be making a special visit to talk about the history of the English Kitchen Garden followed by a garden tour; Behind Closed Doors with Amanda Vickery (Thurs 18 Mar, 7pm, Fairfax House) will unlock the homes of Englishmen and women to provide a panoramic account of private lives in Georgian England; Clocks, Cogs & Wheels (Tues 25 May, 7pm and Tues 27 July, 7pm, Fairfax House) with horologist David Barker who will reveal the intricate details of the Noel Terry collection of clocks and disassemble and reassemble one to reveal its construction and interior workings a timepiece; English Furniture (Tues 8 June, 7pm, National Centre for Early Music, York) with furniture historian Adam Bowett who will take a closer look at some of the Noel Terry Collection; The Art of Sir Joshua Reynolds (Mon 5 July 7pm, National Centre for Early Music, York) featuring Professor Mark Hallett from the University of York who will take a closer look at the work of the famous Georgian artist, Sir Joshua Reynolds, focusing on his celebrated portraiture and the ways in which he displayed his works at the new exhibitions that proliferated in the last decades of the 18th century.
The exhibition programme opens with The Flowing Bowl (Sat 13 Feb - Sun 30 May) focusing on paintings and decorative objects, ranging from the early punch bowls and exquisite silver tankards made in York, to the English glass in the John Butler collection. This is followed by Dress to Impress (Fri 18 June - Sun 29 Aug) a special exhibition of costume looking at the fabulous clothing worn by members of 18th century polite society and exploring and revealing the exquisite fabrics and extravagant ornamentation used. The autumn exhibition is Reflections: Fairfax House through the eyes of Contemporary Artists (Fri 10 Sept - Fri 31 Dec) featuring the works of 12 nationally-renowned artists who will use the interior, exterior and architectural details of the House as their inspiration. This is a selling exhibition in partnership with Kentmere House Gallery in York. The popular Christmas exhibition - The Keeping of Christmas (Sat 27 Nov - Fri 31 Dec) returns giving visitors the chance to see the House decorated for a Georgian Christmas, plus there will be a special Christmas Twilight Tour (Fri 26 Nov, 7pm) led by York Civic Trust Director, Peter Brown who will talk about festivities in the Georgian era.
On the Christmas theme, also look out for the new Christmas Floral Decoration Workshops giving visitors opportunity to make their own Christmas wreaths (Tues 7 Dec, 1.30pm to 5pm, Friends’ Meeting House, York) and table decorations (Sat 11 Dec, 1.30pm to 5pm, Friends’ Meeting House, York).
The new Fairfax House Director, Hannah Phillip says that there is something for everyone in this year’s event programme: “Fairfax House is very much alive and we hope that visitors will enjoy sampling the 18th century in a variety of different ways. The wonderful setting of Fairfax House forms a perfect background to explore 18th century England and we are extremely fortunate to have attracted some excellent visiting speakers and demonstrators to allow us to offer such a rich and varied programme.”
In addition to the events programme, Fairfax House is open to the public from Saturday 13th February to Sunday 2nd January on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday from 11am - 4.30pm and Sunday 1.30pm - 4.30pm for self-guided tours. Fridays guided tours only at 11am and 2pm.
For more detailed information about any of the activities planned for 2010, please
visit Fairfax House website at www.fairfaxhouse.co.uk, email info@fairfaxhouse.co.uk or ring 01904 655543.
Ends
Press Contacts: Hannah Phillip Tel: 01904 655543
hannahphillip@yorkcivictrust.co.uk
Melanie Paris Tel: 01904 647408
hello@melanieparis.com