Speaker’s Lunch and tour of historic Foresters Hall, Debenham
SOLD OUT - Waiting List in Operation.
Venue - The Debenham Lion and then at Foresters Hall
Cost - Friends £35, Guests £40
We are excited to be offering this unique opportunity to enjoy lunch at Debenham’s newest dining venue, The Lion, with a preview of Susan Owens’ latest book The Story of Drawing: An Alternative History of Art (published on 1 October) and then a tour of one of the most exceptional homes in East Anglia, Foresters Hall.
Before our lunch Susan will introduce us to the scope and themes of her new book: “Drawing is at the heart of human creativity. The most democratic form of art-making, it requires nothing more than a plain surface and a stub of pencil. It also offers great freedom: artists from Leonardo da Vinci to Maggi Hambling have used drawing as a vital part of the creative process, whether they are studying the visible world or conjuring up imaginative visions.”
Lunch choices are: Trio of English sausages, mash, seasonal vegetables, crispy onions, onion gravy; Lemon & caper stuffed plaice, sautéed new potatoes, courgette, leek, fennel, pearl onion, chive cream (gf); Miso glazed celeriac fondant, pearl barley risotto, wild mushrooms (ve). For desert: Sticky toffee pudding, toffee sauce, vanilla ice cream (v); Apple & blackberry crumble, homemade vanilla custard (v); Norfolk Dapple & Baron Bigod, celery, grapes, red onion chutney, artisanal crackers (gfo). Drinks are not included and can be purchased separately.
After lunch we will walk a couple of minutes up the road to Foresters Hall, built in 1905 as the meeting place of the Ancient Order of Foresters and a much-loved feature of Debenham. Since the 1980s when it became an antiques emporium (and the setting for the TV drama Lovejoy), the building has seen a number of changes of use but in 2020 Stephen Calloway and Susan Owens began the process of restoring and re-configuring it as an unusual home and magnificent setting for their extensive collections. These range from 17th-c. furniture and tapestries through to pieces by Victorian gothic revival and Aesthetic designers including Rossetti and William Morris. Stephen will introduce the Hall to us and lead us on a brief tour.
Please make your menu choice known when booking which is via contact@foim.org.uk. Email here to book, please add LION for reference. Numbers are limited and please note that this event is not suitable for those who have difficulty climbing stairs.
