our courses
The Attingham Summer School
The Attingham Summer School 2027
26 June – 11 July
Since its foundation in 1952, THE ATTINGHAM SUMMER SCHOOL has enjoyed outstanding success and is highly regarded by museums, universities and historic preservation societies throughout the world for its careful selection of members, and sustained academic standards
The School has three main purposes:
To EXAMINE the architectural and social history of the historic house in Britain and its gardens and landscape setting.
To STUDY the contents of these buildings – their paintings, sculpture, furniture, ceramics, silver, textiles and other applied arts – as well as the planning, decorative treatment and use of the interiors.
To STIMULATE debate on problems relating to the conservation and presentation of the country house and its contents.
The 74th Attingham Summer School, a 16-day residential course directed by David Adshead and Tessa Wild, will visit country houses in Sussex, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Shropshire and Staffordshire. From West Dean, our first base, we will study, amongst other houses and gardens: Petworth House, where the patronage of great British artists such as Turner and Flaxman enrich its Baroque interiors; Parham, a fine Elizabethan house in an unrivalled setting; Standen, an Arts and Crafts reinterpretation of the country house and Broughton Castle, a moated and fortified manor house with a chapel first consecrated for Christian worship in 1331.
In the Midlands, a series of related houses will be examined: Hardwick Hall, unique amongst Elizabethan houses for its survival of late 16th-century decoration and contents; Bolsover Castle, a Jacobean masque setting frozen in stone; and Chatsworth, where the collections and gardens of the Cavendishes and Dukes of Devonshire span more than four centuries. Other highlights include Robert Adam’s crisp neo-Classical interiors and Fishing Pavilion at Kedleston Hall, and the superb state apartments created for the visit of William III in 1695, fine collections and landscaped gardens at Boughton House – ‘the English Versailles’.
Based near Shrewsbury, the final part of the course will explore the estates and collections of Shropshire and Staffordshire. Our itinerary will include the house after which the Attingham Trust is named and where the first Summer School was held in 1952: Attingham Park, renowned for its neo-classical interiors, early 19th-century Picture Gallery created by John Nash and Reptonian park. Alongside other private houses and collections, we will also visit Weston Park, built in 1671 for Lady Elizabeth Wilbraham and seat of the Earls of Bradford for successive generations. Here we will study Weston’s superb picture collection with works by John Michael Wright, Sir Peter Lely and Anthony van Dyck; the Temple of Diana by James Paine; and the Capability Brown landscape.
Course Director, The Attingham Summer School
Course Director, The Attingham Summer School
Course Coordinator (Interim)
Enrolment and Fees
NB. Much of the information below is applicable to non-US applicants only. US-based applicants for the Summer School must apply and enquire about scholarships through the course page on the American Friends of Attingham website.
The course fees will be published shortly. This amount includes accommodation, breakfast, lunch and most dinners. Tuition, admissions and travel by private coach during the course are also included. Accommodation throughout will be in single-occupancy rooms with en-suite facilities. The standard of the accommodation varies throughout the course. Not included is the costs of drinks, laundry, guide books and membership of the National Trust/Royal Oak Foundation, which is obligatory.
Applications
The deadline for applications is Friday 29 January 2027. All candidates will be notified by the middle of March 2027 if they have been awarded a place. Payment of fees in full will be due by Friday 30 April 2027, and should be made by bank transfer. Participants are strongly advised to insure against cancellation, as no refunds will be made following payment, unless the place can be filled by another suitable candidate. In such a case, an administrative fee of £200 will be made.
Before applying, please read our Terms and Conditions. If you have any access requirements or additional needs, please contact us to discuss how we can best support your participation in the course. Our goal is to ensure that every participant has a safe, enjoyable and rewarding experience, and we are always happy to answer any questions about accessibility and the practical requirements of the course.
Scholarships for applicants from countries other than the USA or Australia
Applicants who are unable to meet the fees are first encouraged to approach their institutions for full or partial financial assistance before applying for the course. Some scholarship funding through The Attingham Trust is available thanks to the generous support of various individuals and charitable foundations. Any candidate wishing to apply for a scholarship must complete the scholarship application at the bottom of the application form and provide details of his/her current salary. Anyone awarded full scholarship funding by either their institution, or The Attingham Trust, or a combination thereof, will be required to make a personal contribution of £200 to The Attingham Society Scholarship Fund.
Any queries can be directed to Lorna Gartside:
Scholarships for applicants from the USA
US Applicants seeking scholarship support should apply directly to the American Friends of Attingham using the specific scholarship form, available on the course page online at: AFA Scholarship Form.
Scholarships for applicants from Australia
Applicants from Australia seeking scholarship support should refer to the Copland Foundation website at www.coplandfoundation.com.au and submit their application by Saturday 28 November 2026.
Silver Society Scholarship
Applicants who are professionally or academically involved in the world of silver are eligible for the Silver Society Summer School Scholarship in memory of Timothy Arthur Kent. All such applications should be sent to The Attingham Trust, stating that this scholarship is being applied for. Applicants can be of any nationality but need to be resident in the UK. They do not need to be members of the Silver Society.