Tabley House

13/06/2026

13/06/2026

We look forward to seeing you there! We shall be sharing Knutsford's history of artistic patronage and of course Tabley House Collections links with JMW Turner, the Leicester family of Tabley House and his stay in Knutsford. What an inspiration! Knutsford Guardian Knutsford Town Council

PAINT KNUTSFORD is back!!

🎨 Calling all artists! 🎨

Applications are now open for Paint Knutsford 2026!

Join us on Sunday 16th August for a unique day of creativity- celebrating the beauty, character and charm of Knutsford. Spend the day creating an original artwork inspired by the town’s architecture, landscapes and hidden gems, before showcasing your finished piece in a public exhibition. The event is open to both amateur and professional artists.

🖌️ Create your artwork in a single day
🏛️ Be inspired by Knutsford’s unique surroundings
🎨 Display your finished piece to the public
📅 Event Date: Sunday 16th August
⏰ Application Deadline: 17th July, registration costs £15

Find out more and apply here:

https://www.knutsfordtowncouncil.gov.uk/events/paint-knutsford

12/06/2026

Anthony Burton of the Gaskell Society offers an insight into the famed novelist's influential friendships.

Elizabeth Gaskell spent her childhood in Knutsford and even visited Tabley Old Hall. Growing up in the area very much inspired her early writings. Anthony Burton from the Gaskell Society will give a talk at the Tabley House Collection, within the state rooms in our gallery, which looks beyond just Knutsford and includes Sandlebridge and other areas of Cheshire that she encountered and where they also show up in her writings. The talk will highlight the breadth of her local ties including friendships with the Samuel Greg family of Bollington and Caroline Davenport of Capesthorne.

You can book your tickets by Calling Susan on 07721 067399 or by emailing [email protected]. Walk-in accepted, pay by cash or cheque on the door.

28/05/2026

Have you got an Art Pass? Good news! From 4th June 2026 the Tabley House Collection is now accepting The National Art Pass for a 50% discount on our admission price bringing an adult ticket down to only £4.50. Yey!

We are hoping that being part of the National Art Pass network helps us reach new audiences, appeal to families, puts us firmly on the art map and helps us share our events. We are a hidden gem but we want to share our wonderful University of Manchester country house collection with you, for less £!

If you haven’t yet joined, with an Art Pass you can benefit from free and half-priced entry into 100s of museums, galleries and country houses across the UK. Follow Art Fund to find out more.

09/05/2026

Celebrating the opening day of the Venice Biennale we share some of the extravagantly hand painted wood cuts of Venetian women from a seminal Trachtenbuch, Habits and Dresses of the People of Europe, Asia, and Africa by Hans Weigel the Elder, Nuremberg 1577.

Contemporary readers of early costume books from this period would have consumed these pages as curious study, exploring foreign cultures and reading as a kind of ethnographic comparison, in absence of travel. This book is early enough to be called a manuscript, loaded with rich icon-like figures and some plates most certainly lean away from strict documentation of customs and edge towards the fantastical exaggeration, in a way to entertain.

The term "sponsa veneta" refers to a Venetian woman, often depicted in historical and artistic contexts.

Founded in 1895, the Venice Biennale is the oldest and most prestigious biennial of contemporary visual art. The 2026 Venice Biennale, the event’s 61st edition, runs from today May 9th to November 22nd.

09/05/2026

Our next Tabley Talk in our gallery, ‘A Historical Heated Rivalry’ with Dr Jonathan Spangler dips into the French royal history of the late 1600s - The life and relationships of Philippe Duc d’Orleans.
All welcome! Tea and fancy cakes included, afterwards in the Portico. Bliss.

01/05/2026

Our next historical talk at the house, hosted by the Friends of Tabley:

30/04/2026

Springtime at Tabley includes blue bells, wisteria, freshly cut grass and longer days with the perfect view back at the house from the sundial.

18/04/2026

We are celebrating Tabley House over the centuries this with our rare and unique country house collection, owned by the University of Manchester and run by the Tabley House Collection Trust. Thank you to our partners for helping to support a true gem in historic arts patronage, with internationally recognised rare items in books and manuscripts, costume, easel paintings, WW2 archive and furniture. Not to mention the house and estate! Here is a selection of celebratory snaps to lure you in!

17/04/2026

BLOG: Masterpieces on Your Doorstep - Three of the World's Greatest Artists (right here in Cheshire!)

Step into a world of artistic brilliance, right here in Cheshire 🎨✨

From the dramatic landscapes of J. M. W. Turner to the timeless mastery of Rembrandt and the iconic cityscapes of Canaletto, some of the world’s greatest artists are closer than you think.

This spring, historic houses across the county are bringing these masterpieces to life, offering a rare chance to experience global art on your doorstep, no passport required!

Tabley House | Tatton Park | Dunham Massey National Trust