The Hugh Shirreff Lecture

Hugh Shirreff was one of the first and best loved Friends of the Historic Houses Association. His knowledge and love of houses and gardens and the treasures within them was profound. He knew many owners and their families and was of the greatest help in the early days of the Friends and in planning and advising regional representatives.

Hugh had a wide ranging career, the last 30 years of which, before he retired, were as an announcer for the Western Region of the BBC. He lived in Wincanton but was often to be seen in all the regions, visiting HHA properties. Hugh gave a lecture to HHA Friends in March 1988 on the houses he loved best. He used his own slides and spoke without a note. Six weeks later, he died suddenly but peacefully at home on 15th April 1988 at the age of 81.

He bequeathed to the HHA some 4,500 photographic slides of the pictures he had taken of houses and gardens and 330 guide books. All these are now housed in the RIBA Library, where they have been of great help to writers, researchers and students.

Some of Hugh’s friends decided that one of the best ways to honour his memory would be to follow his lead by holding an annual lecture.

Past speakers and subjects:

1989 Commander Michael Saunders Watson - Rockingham, A Castle for all seasons.
1990 Elizabeth Banks - Historic Gardens
1991 Sir Reresby Sitwell Bt. - Renishaw and the Sitwells
1992 Lady Victoria Leatham - Discoveries at Burghley
1993 The Earl of Dalkeith - The Buccleuch Homes
1994 The Viscountess Cobham - Pleasure and Pain - the Saving of Hagley Hall
1995 James Hervey Bathurst - Eastnor, a Norman Revival revival
1996 Lord Somerleyton - Running hard to stand still
1997 The Countess of Sandwich - Mapperton: a manner of living
1998 The Hon Simon Howard - Castle Howard - the last 40 years
1999 The Countess of Mansfield & Mansfield - Scone Palace
2000 Robin and Richard Compton - Newby Hall
2001 Dr Timothy Mowl - Sudeley Castle
2002 Hugh Montgomery-Massingberd - Athelhampton
2003 Peter Gwynn-Jones, Garter Principal King of Arms – Arundel Castle
2004 Rosemary Baird, Curator of Goodwood – Syon House
2005 Bruce Bailey – Burghley House
2006 Jeremy Musson – Englefield House
2007 Carla Carlisle – Layer Marney Tower
2008 Nicholas Kingsley – Eastnor Castle
2009 Martin Lutyens – Blagdon Hall
2010 Dr Joseph Mordaunt-Crook and Lady Bland - Westonbirt
2011 Lord Waldegrave, Michael Snodin and Roger White - Strawberry Hill

Since 2000 the Lecture has been held in a Member property in the Regions and the speaker has not necessarily been the owner but a visiting lecturer specialising in a subject associated with the property.