Events

SCPT – Illustrated talk by Professor William Whyte on the life and work of Sir George Gilbert Scott

4th July 2026, 10:30 - 12:00

Our friends at Surrey Churches Preservation Trust are inviting Surrey Hills Society members and friends to a special illustrated talk at St Barnabas Church, Ranmore, near Dorking

on Saturday 4 July 2026 (10.30am – 12 noon)

hosted jointly by the Surrey Churches Preservation Trust (SCPT) and St Barnabas Church, Ranmore.

The event will be led by Professor William Whyte of the University of Oxford, a leading authority on architectural history.

The talk will explore the life and work of Sir George Gilbert Scott (1811 -1878), one of the foremost architects of the Victorian Gothic Revival, whose legacy includes the Albert Memorial, the restoration of Westminster Abbey, and the Midland Grand Hotel at St Pancras.

Particular focus will be given to St Barnabas Church itself, designed by Scott and consecrated in 1859, a striking and ambitious building commissioned by George Cubitt for the Denbies estate.

Professor Whyte will place St Barnabas within the wider context of Victorian church building, examining both its distinctive design – faced in flint with an octagonal spire – and its place within 19th Century architectural and social history. The talk will also highlight the importance of conservation and careful documentation in preserving historic places of worship.

This joint event supports both the Surrey Churches Preservation Trust and St Barnabas Church, helping fund the ongoing care and preservation of Surreys historic churches and their communities.

Surrey Hills Society members and their guests are being offered the special ticket price of £8 with advance booking essential.  Free refreshments and parking are available.  All proceeds from the talk will support the Surrey Churches Preservation Trust.

For full details and to book tickets, please click here.

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