January 27, 2026 Audley End House Pleased with Return of Restored PortraitThe 17th Century portrait of the artist Sir Peter Lely with his close friend, architect Hugh May is due to go back on display at Audley End House this year.…audley end houseportraitrestoredroyalSir Peter Lely
January 25, 2026 • posted in ArticlesReminiscences of a Country Auctioneer The profession of auctioneer is very old and well-respected. It can certainly be traced back to Roman times when, amongst other things, slaves were sold by auction.Read More
January 23, 2026 • posted in Recommended ReadingEdward Bawden & His Circle Edward Bawden’s (1903-1989) artistic career spanned more than sixty years. Read More
January 21, 2026 • posted in Recommended ReadingPreserving the peace: Saffron Walden Borough Police 1836-1857 Before reform, one or maybe two men would be designated for a year to fulfil the role of parish constable, and apart from expenses, it was an unpaid position.Read More
January 20, 2026 • posted in NewsGibson Library awarded grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund This generous award will enable the Society to raise the profile of the Library and give it a strong digital presenceRead More
January 19, 2026 • posted in NewsGibson Library Society Rachel Morris talks about her new book, The Year of the Wizard, a lyrical and highly atmospheric history of Renaissance magic.Read More
January 15, 2026 • posted in ArticlesChild Cruelty – Victorian Style: ‘An Awful Case’ The case of Margaret Rickett (or Ricketts) heard at the Saffron Walden County Bench in 1893 is both shocking and distressing but in the light of her background and upbringing it is perhaps unsurprising.Read More
January 10, 2026 • posted in ArticlesW.E. Nesfield and the Missing Archives Neither the rector nor the architect could have foreseen the consequences that were to follow once the Rev J.F.W. Bullock had asked William Eden Nesfield in 1867 to restore and enlarge his parish church at Radwinter.Read More
January 6, 2026 • posted in Recommended ReadingEast Anglian Church Porches The church porches of medieval England are among the most beautiful and glorious aspects of ecclesiastical architecture; but in comparison with its stained glass, for example, they have been relatively little studied. Read More
January 5, 2026 • posted in ArticlesGibson Boulders: a remarkable collection of Ice Age boulders in Saffron Walden At the junction of Gibson Gardens and Margaret Way in Saffron Walden is a mound of grass with a few trees. On closer inspection it becomes apparent that there are also a number of large boulders here, some lying on the surface and others poking through the grass.Read More