Wiltshire Historic Buildings Trust’s first large public AGM since 2019 will be held on 11th September 2026 in Tisbury Methodist Hall, SP3 6HF, at 14:00. The AGM will include a talk by Prof. Tim Mowl on his new book:
‘All Around is Fairy Ground: Pleasure and the Regency Garden’ about the vivid, feminine-inflected pleasure gardens that defined Regency Britain’s outdoor culture.
Regency gardens dazzled with colour, invention and theatricality: trellises heavy with roses and jasmine, shrubberies designed for intrigue and lawns enlivened with pools, grottoes and fanciful ornaments. Yet behind this world of perfume and spectacle lay a striking social shift. In a domain long defined by men, women began to play an active role, influencing Humphry Repton and other designers to realize their visions of pleasure grounds. These gardens became stages for al fresco entertainments, displays of taste and private encounters alike. Tim’s talk will offer the first sustained account of ornamental gardening in Regency Britain, revealing a vivid, feminine-inflected landscape where horticulture, fashion and sociability intertwined – and where artistry still resonates two centuries later.
Copies of Prof. Mowl’s books ‘All Around is Fairy Ground’ (£35) and ‘A Most Brilliant Outsider: The Cultural Life of Basil Champneys’ (£20) will be available to purchase with cash on the day.
Following the talk will be visit to Gaston’s for those who have registered a place by email. This late 14th-century house was renovated in the 16th and 17th Centuries, and is not usually open to the public: the visit promises to be a fascinating end to the day. Please contact info@whbt.org.uk to register for a place on the Gaston’s visit.
Doors open 13:45 for prompt start at 14:00. Limited parking available at Hinton Hall, SP3 6NH (6min uphill walk to Methodist Hall). Alternatively, arrive at Tisbury Station for a 7min walk.