Add dimension to your stitchwork and create more texture in your crochet. Learn the secrets of blending colour whilst working with groups of stiches, clusters and spikes! Develop your skills…

Focusing on the two main schools of Chinese philosophy, Confucianism and Taoism, this course will explore their foundations, their key thinkers, including Lao Tzu and Zhuang Zhou, as well as…

A home is like a good book, it should tell the story of who you are and contain all of the things that you love. This course will guide you…

Come and learn the principles of how to carve letters in wood and go home with a roman numeral you have carved in oak or a single word sign. Stephen…

This sumptuously illustrated course will be a comprehensive exploration of the Tombs of the Nobles open to visitors on Luxor’s west bank. We will examine the design and decoration of…

Over a period of nearly six centuries Anglo-Saxon England grew to become one of the richest, best administered and culturally dynamic Kingdoms of Western Europe. The aim of the course…

Master the basics of crochet on this one-day workshop. Learn how to create a basic chain and simple crochet stitches. The day is very hands on and you will be…

Start your journey into the wonderful world of knitting. You will be guided through the basic techniques of cast on and cast off, the first knit and purl stitches and…

A relaxed and fun weekends experience of practice and theory to enable everyone to understand their camera and improve their photography skills.  Suitable for anyone with an interest in photography,…

Have you ever wondered exactly how (and when) a seemingly random mark on a piece of paper becomes something we recognise? How do the sublime brushstrokes of JMW Turner or…

This course will suit all abilities of bobbin lacemakers from those just starting through to advanced. It covers English laces and many from the continent including Belgium, Spain and Russia.…

Brightly coloured and decorated Books of Hours were popular in the Middle Ages and as a result, they are the most common type of surviving medieval illuminated manuscript. On this…

This course for intermediate students is designed to develop the skills of those who have followed the beginners’ introductory course and are ready to proceed to rebinding a hardback book…

This course for intermediate students is designed to develop the skills of those who have followed the beginners’ introductory course and would like to pursue the craft further. Students will…

Come and play with folded paper using the simple concertina (accordion) structure flowing into more complex dynamic and delightful pieces. We’ll use cut, stuck and sewn multi-layering to construct star…

Do you have some cloth bound books in need of attention? Our focus on this course will be the repair and conservation of cloth case books including dry cleaning, paper…

Taking inspiration from the gardens at Dillington, on this studio based course we will learn about drawing and colouring spring flowers of your choice, either in the popular and realistic…

Taking inspiration from the gardens at Dillington, on this studio based course we will learn about the precise and detailed art of botanical illustration. No experience of art or botany…

Caravaggio had a brief and violent life, but his wonderful pictures contrasting dark and shade still resonate with artists to this day. We look at nearly every picture that he…

There are two main styles in traditional Chinese brush painting techniques: freehand style and meticulous style. The meticulous style, in Chinese “Gongbi”, literally meaning “tidy”, Gongbi work is painted on…

This course is designed for those wishing to create still life art with a contemporary twist. It is not for those who wish to create exact replicas. This course will…

Love wool? Then you’ll love needle felting! Fibre artist Carla Taylor of The Mousehole Woolery will guide you step by step through the basic techniques of needle felting as well…

The pharaoh Hatshepsut’s memorial temple at Deir el-Bahri on Luxor’s west bank was her greatest monument. So much can be learnt about her reign, the ideology of Egyptian kingship and…

Explore archaeological evidence, architectural remains, and written sources to build up a picture of what it would have been like to live in the Ancient Egyptian town of Deir el-Medina,…

Day One: Diaghilev’s Women: Tamara Karsavina and Bronislava Nijinska. Wednesday 5th April 2023 Tamara Karsavina was beloved by all. A product of Russia’s Imperial Ballet, she danced with Nijinsky in…

Once again, we are thrilled that the members of the Coull Quartet have agreed to return to Dillington House to lead this extended weekend of coaching for pre-formed string quartets…

Walt Disney transformed the world of entertainment, charming young and old alike with his fantastical stories, whimsical characters and catchy tunes. In it’s centenary year, let’s celebrate Disney’s extraordinary musical…

Fibre artist Carla Taylor of The Mousehole Woolery will guide you step by step through the basic techniques of needle felting as well as sharing lots of tips and tricks…

From Da Vinci and Durer to Gehry and Gormley, creativity begins with drawing. As children, when we pick up a crayon and draw, we discover a liberating and potent way…

The archaeological site known today as the Ramesseum is one of Egypt’s most romantic of ruined temples: home to colossal fallen statuary, inspiration for Percy Bysshe Shelley’s sonnet ‘Ozymandias’. This…

This lovely pouch is put together using a collage of different fabrics, and then embellished with hand embroidery. A variety of stitches will be used, and could include sequins, small…

You can add very attractive surface decoration, texture and colour to books with simple techniques such as applying coloured leather onlays and sewn detail. From embroidered outlines to fully appliquéd…

The Bankes family have lived in Dorset at Corfe Castle and Kingston Lacy since the 17th century, actively participating in 350 years of eventful history. A 3-year project at the…

Learn about the traditional skill of Indian Block Printing with images of block printing around Jaipur, handling hand printed fabrics and hand carved blocks. You will print tissue paper, card…

The quintessentially English village of Avebury is home to one of the most extraordinary megalithic complexes on the planet. On this course we will delve into the long history of…

This course introduces students to the copper foil method of stained glass making. Often referred to as the Tiffany method, after Louis Comfort Tiffany. This method is used to make…

This course introduces students to the copper foil method of stained glass making. Often referred to as the Tiffany method, after Louis Comfort Tiffany. This method is used to make…

This session is perfect for any knitter who would like to improve the finishing aspects of their work. We will learn the importance of taking time to complete your projects.…

This session is perfect for any knitter who would like to improve the finishing aspects of their work. We will learn the importance of taking time to complete your projects.…

Elizabeth I was the most remarkable woman of a remarkable age.  Her reign was one of the great creative periods of English history – literature, music, art, architecture and overseas…

This course will take a journey through the English historical and cultural landscape,  covering a period of time from the 7th to the late 14th centuries. As signposts, it will…

On the surface overlockers seem very complicated machines, however understanding how they work will increase confidence in all aspects of using them.  This course is suitable for those who already…

If you have recently bought a sewing machine or have never really understood how to use all the stitches and feet that came with your sewing machine, then this is…

If you have recently bought a sewing machine or have never really understood how to use all the stitches and feet that came with your sewing machine, then this is…

This course will appeal to those with an interest in watercolours, abstract art, modernism, composition, expressive painting, landscape and urban art. ‘Give the paint a chance. Give the brush a…

This course will appeal to those with an interest in watercolours, abstract art, modernism, composition, expressive painting, landscape and urban art. ‘Give the paint a chance. Give the brush a…

During the nineteenth and early 20th centuries, there were great waves of migration from various parts of Europe to the ‘New World’ of America. Among those migrants were many talented…

This course is part of Dillington Discovery Summer week. The house of the Carline Family at 47 Downshire Hill in Hampstead was a mecca for artists between the wars. Richard,…

This course is part of Dillington Discovery Summer week. The house of the Carline Family at 47 Downshire Hill in Hampstead was a mecca for artists between the wars. Richard,…

This course is part of Dillington Discovery Summer week. The house of the Carline Family at 47 Downshire Hill in Hampstead was a mecca for artists between the wars. Richard,…

This course is part of Dillington Discovery Summer week. The house of the Carline Family at 47 Downshire Hill in Hampstead was a mecca for artists between the wars. Richard,…

This course is part of Dillington Discovery Summer week. The house of the Carline Family at 47 Downshire Hill in Hampstead was a mecca for artists between the wars. Richard,…

This course is part of Dillington Discovery Summer week. The house of the Carline Family at 47 Downshire Hill in Hampstead was a mecca for artists between the wars. Richard,…

After 28 years under the dedicated stewardship of Peter Rueffer, the Dillington Guitar Festival has gone from strength to strength.  We are pleased to announce that from 2021 the Eden…

Fibre artist Carla Taylor of The Mousehole Woolery will guide you step by step through the basic techniques of needle felting as well as sharing lots of tips and tricks…

Learn about the traditional skill of Indian Block Printing with images of block printing around Jaipur, handling hand printed fabrics and hand carved blocks. You will print tissue paper, card…

An introduction to a fascinating natural dye technique suitable for beginners. Indigo dye originates from the plant indigofera tinctoria and the dye is extracted from the plants leaves. In the…

The weekend starts with brief introductions of each participant and a favourite image. Ideal for someone with an interest in photography and who wishes to technically and visually improve their…

Classic lace knitting is a very traditional method of creating delicate and intricate work. During the day we will work up small samples of this technique, staring with the simplest…

Scatter cushions are used so much as decoration and for function in most peoples homes, used to bring an accent colour into a room, as a design feature, also practically…

Learn how to make your own Leather Backpack using beautiful Italian Vegetable Tanned Leather. After an introduction to Leather and its types and uses, you will begin by cutting out…

This course is part of Dillington Discovery Summer week. We frequently use a far greater variety of colours in our painting than is necessary.  As a result we lose not…

This is a fun and relaxed workshop learning this traditional print making technique in the form of lino printing. Create your own unique Lino blocks that you will take home…

This course is part of Dillington Discoveries Summer/Autumn week. This is a fun and relaxed workshop learning this traditional print making technique in the form of lino printing. Create your…

The stigma of the workhouse took a long time to die, many of these buildings were still being used by the NHS until recently. We will look at the origins…

This course is part of Dillington Discoveries Summer/Autumn week. Suitable for beginners Zara will support you at every stage to achieve your hand printed fabric that will be made into…

This course is suitable for anyone who has basic sewing skills, is keen on dressmaking and would like to learn the techniques to make a simple dress from a commercial…

This two day course will enable you to create your own stained glass panel using the traditional method of combining coloured glass with lead. Stained Glass is an ancient art…

This two day course will enable you to create your own stained glass panel using the traditional method of combining coloured glass with lead. Stained Glass is an ancient art…

Using the traditional method of combining coloured glass with lead, this one day workshop will enable you to create one colourful stained glass spectrum stick which can be hung in…

The Swiss-born artist, Angelika Kauffman was one of the most celebrated painters in Europe in the later 18th century. We will survey Kauffman’s career in detail from her peripatetic early…

A relaxed and fun day’s experience of practice and theory to enable everyone to understand their mobile camera phone and improve their photography skills, covering simple techniques for taking fantastic…

Master the fascinating technique of modular knitting. Working with limited stitches and simple shaping you can create intricate pieces of work. It is a relatively simple method of the craft…

Maybe we have all been guilty of scoffing that a modern work of art looks as though a child could have done it. Is that true? Is it fair? Is…

William Hogarth’s name is familiar to many of us. Even the adjective `Hogarthian` suggests an artistic theme that is rumbustious in its content but sophisticated in its style. This fully…

This is arguably one of Britain’s most famous pictures and it has become a cherished and popular treasure of The National Gallery’s collection. But how did Constable decide upon its…

This lecture will survey the life and work of one of Spain’s celebrated architects, the Catalan Antoni Gaudi. He is best known today for the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, though…

Lowry’s work is so familiar to many of us that we may overlook his remarkable productivity and talent when we see his deceptively simple matchstick men. This well-illustrated talk seeks…

Over a five hundred years the great medieval cathedrals of England were built.  In terms of resources called upon, space covered, design and craftsmanship employed, this period marks the greatest…

These illustrated lectures will consider the phenomenon of transportation in detail and will be built around the experiences of various individuals including the lecturer’s ancestor who was sent to Australia…

This course is part of Dillington Discoveries Summer/Autumn week. A relaxed fun day’s practical photography experience of the Architectural Photography. The day starts with brief introductions by each participant and…

A relaxed and fun day’s experience of practice and theory to enable everyone to understand their camera and improve their photography skills. The aim is to take photographs of local…

This course is part of Dillington Discoveries Summer/Autumn week. A relaxed and fun day’s experience of practice and theory to enable everyone to understand their camera and improve their photography…

This course is part of Dillington Discoveries Summer/Autumn week. A relaxed fun day’s practical photography experience of the intimate world of ‘Close Up & Macro’ photography. I will base the…

This course is part of Dillington Discoveries Winter/Spring week. A relaxed fun day’s practical photography experience of the Art of Portraiture Photography. The day starts with brief introductions by each…

Enjoy a day exploring dye sublimation using a heat press to create unique and exciting designs.  You will be carefully guided through the different stages by demonstrations and will begin…

Enjoy a day exploring dye sublimation using a heat press to create unique and exciting designs.  You will be carefully guided through the different stages by demonstrations and will begin…

A day exploring colour, images, design and patterns with the heat press.  You will prepare your own dye papers and use sublimation papers combined with textures, images and plant material…

This is a fun and relaxed workshop experimenting with a range of traditional relief printing techniques including monoprinting, block printing, collagraph and lino printing. On the day, you will be…

“The gravest immorality is to try to finish what isn’t well begun. But a picture that is well begun may be left off at any point.” Sir Matthew Smith (1879…

This is an ensemble course for upper intermediate level recorder players. We shall play as a conducted ensemble, exploring music in many different styles and from all periods of music…

For much of his lifetime, Richard Strauss (1864-1949) was best known as a star conductor. As his music became known, he was initially dubbed ‘Richard the Second’ because of his…

Roman blinds are a great way of dressing a window, giving a simple uncluttered look. This course will cover all the techniques and stitches required to make a lined and…

On this exciting two day needle felting workshop fibre artist Carla Taylor of The Mousehole Woolery will guide you step by step through the basic techniques of needle felting as…

This course will study three works of sensation fiction.  Sensation fiction took the literary world by storm generating pleasure and disquiet in equal measure. The course will consider Mary Elizabeth…

Singing with others is an exhilarating and liberating experience that everybody can enjoy. Singing for Larks workshops, run by Faith Watson, are based on the tradition of learning songs by…

During this course, you will learn the basics of textile screen printing using a stencil method. Inspiration for your hand cut paper stencil will come from exploring the beautiful grounds…

This course is part of Dillington Discoveries Summer week. Stumpwork is a three-dimensional embroidery technique which became very popular in the 16th and 17th centuries and was used on book…

The magnificent Coull Quartet offers a rare combination of maturity and freshness and we are delighted that once again they are returning to Dillington House. Programme details to follow. Concert…

This is a very inspirational day where you will work on pre knitted swatches, we will practice our embroidery stitches, add applique, embellish the surface in various ways including beads,…

From the beginning of our modern age navigators and their merchant backers baulked at the long detours required to round the great Capes of Good Hope and the Horn and…

This course is part of Dillington Discovery Summer week. The period for the 16th to the late-18th centuries was a time of huge change in English architecture. The rise of…

Kantha is a Bangladeshi word for rags. It is also the name given to a form of stitching used to make quilts and covers from the good parts of old…

In October 1853 the Russian invasion of a neighbouring country, on the pretext of protecting a threatened minority, prompted a military intervention by Western powers.  The war, which dragged on…

For this month’s Book Club, we will be discussing Animal Farm by George Orwell published by Wordsworth Classics. Includes coffee and lunch.

For this month’s Book Club, we will be discussing Connemara Mollie by Hilary Bradt – published by Bradt Travel Guides. Includes coffee and lunch.

For this month’s Book Club, we will be discussing Under the Net by Iris Murdoch published by Vintage Classics. Includes coffee and lunch.

The Guns of August written by Barbara Tuchmann was published in 1962 and read by President Jack Kennedy after the Bay of Pigs fiasco for which he accepted responsibility.  The…

Sickness, age and bad luck have always left members of the community vulnerable to poverty and hunger. Equally constant, however, over many centuries, have been the efforts of the national…

Who are the Windsor’s, is a question often asked. 1951 was the last full year of the reign of King George V1, 70 years ago. For many the present Queen…

A look at three Dorset towns from 1760 – 1930, how they developed in their different ways. Lyme became a seaside resort with fossil hunting becoming a popular hobby. Bridport,…

We are undoubtedly a nation of animal lovers and five centuries of our art reflect a passion for animals that artists from few other countries worldwide have ever bettered. Whether…

Focusing on all things ‘sea-sidey’ – fish, rockpools, beach huts, sand/water patterns, lobster pots, shells – whatever inspires. An opportunity to experiment with different techniques and media that work with…

Some watercolourists get stuck in a rut and produce perfectly competent paintings that lack freshness and originality. Why is this? A major cause is the “ too much syndrome “.…

The 1800s saw a massive exodus of people from the West Country going to the USA and Canada, for a better life. Who were those people who left these shores…

A day exploring natural fibres to create felted fabric and silk paper, in the morning we will work with merino tops which are soft and delicate to make a strong…

The session will look at DNA results from Ancestry and My Heritage. How can we use these results to help us in our family history research, break down some brick…

Join local Somerset artist Jo Sadler of ‘Forged n Willow’ to make a 3 foot wide flying willow bee. Jo will guide you through each step to create your sculpture…

Join local Somerset artist Jo Sadler of ‘Forged n Willow’ to make a 3 foot wide flying willow bee. Jo will guide you through each step to create your sculpture…

Join local Somerset artist Jo Sadler of ‘Forged n Willow’ to make a wonderful 2 foot high chicken or cockerel for your home or garden. Jo will guide you through…

Join local Somerset artist Jo Sadler of ‘Forged n Willow’ to make a 4 foot high willow deer with a basic metal frame. Jo will guide you through each step…

This course is part of Dillington Discoveries Summer/Autumn week. Join local Somerset artist Jo Sadler of ‘Forged n Willow’ to make a 4 foot high willow deer with a basic…

Join local Somerset artist Jo Sadler of ‘Forged n Willow’ to make a wonderful 3 foot high Willow Hare for your home or garden. Jo will guide you through each…

Join local Somerset artist Jo Sadler of ‘Forged n Willow’ to make a 4 foot long willow peacock for your home or garden. Jo will guide you through each step…

This course is part of Dillington Discoveries Summer/Autumn week. Join local Somerset artist Jo Sadler of ‘Forged n Willow’ to make a wonderful 2 foot high, 3 foot long willow…

This course will focus on some of the many women who worked as painters and sculptors in the 1400s and 1500s. These will include the portraitist, Levina Teerlinc, who came…

Many women found fame and a measure of fortune as artists in Europe in the 17th century including the Flemish painter, Michaelina Wautier, and Dutch woman, Judith Leyster. In the…

This course is an in-depth survey of women artists in many countries across Europe, who worked as painters and sculptors from the Middle Ages until the early 1800s. We will…