Events
The Hay Wain
Open Air Theatre
Saturday 29 August 2026
The Hay Wain plays Saturday 29th August 2026, doors open 630pm for 730pm show
in the garden (if it rains, we move indoors), with seating provided, and a bar service
before the performance & during the interval. Neil D’Arcy Jones, Artistic Director
explains: “This highly acclaimed, atmospheric play with music has been described as
East Anglia’s very own Les Misérables, bringing to life the people that populate the
picture, lives defined not by simplicity and virtue, but by hardship, hope and
resilience. Turning the traditional, bucolic, chocolate box ideal of The Hay Wain on
its head, you’ll never look at the landscape in quite the same way again.” This show
is staged as part of Constable 250, celebrating the 250th anniversary of the birth of
John Constable, who would become one of the most important of all British painters.
Image courtesy of Kushag Patel inspired by the art of John Constable
{for the following theatre show The Phamtom of Friar Street, please follow the link on this website front page}
Come Into The Garden Maud – Joan Warburton (1920-1996)
The exhibition is finished, a selection of works will be be on display at The Garden Museum summer show
Thank you to everyone who came
Gardeners Question Time supporting Benton End: Our host is radio personality
and gardening writer Barbara Segall, broadcaster on Suffolk Sound and author of
Secret Gardens of East Anglia, Barbara will be questioning James Horner, Head
Gardener Benton End House and Gardens, Åsa Gregers-Warg, Head Gardener at
Beth Chatto’s Plant & Gardens, Frank Minns, Chair Hidden Gardens of Hadleigh.
Doors open 6.30pm for the start of Gardeners Question Time at 7pm. Purchase
tickets at £25 from www.ticketsource.co.uk (search for Hadleigh Old School). Your
generosity will support the revival of Benton End as a new centre of art and
horticulture. Questions for the panel should be submitted in advance of the event,
please email hadleigholdschool@mail.com
Join us after the panel for a complimentary glass of wine and a chance to hear about
our upcoming exhibition, Come Into The Garden Maud, celebrating the art of Joan
‘Maudie’ Warburton (1920-1996) a notable British artist and one of the longest
serving alumni of the East Anglian School of Painting and Drawing; her painting of a
flowering succulent is pictured here.
The exhibition will open at Easter: 10am to 4pm
Daily (Mon & Tues by appointment) from Good Friday to Sunday 19th April, tickets on
the door £7 entry fee including booklet.
Cat Among The Plants by Joan Warburton, to be shows at the upcoming exhibition COME INTO THE GARDEN MAUD
PAST ART : Drawn To Nature
Paintings by Janie Pirie
November 14th Preview at 6pm
Exhibition Continues Saturday 15th (10am-5pm) & Sunday 16th (11am-4pm)
Drawn To Nature showcases the work of professional botanical and wildlife artist Janie Pirie. Janie is known for her meticulously detailed and vibrant works created primarily with coloured pencils. Based on the Essex/Suffolk border, she has received multiple Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) gold medals and is a member of the Society of Botanical Artists. Janie occasionally also works in watercolour and is known for creating striking paintings with a delicate technique and rich colour intensity. Subject matter includes the produce grown in her own garden such as berries and onions, as well as floral compositions of Fuchsia and Hydrangea.
Art collectors are welcome to attend the preview at 6pm on Friday 14th November (please rsvp to hadleigholdschool@gmail.com) – please come early to avoid disappointment. The show continues across the November weekend with public opening on Saturday 15th (10am to 5pm) and Sunday 16th (11am to 4pm). This exhibition represents a return to the venue for Janie Pirie following on from her previously successful ‘A Gardener’s Paradise’ – this new show offers over 30 hitherto unseen pictures. Artwork is offered at a range of sizes: there are pieces that will make ideal Christmas presents or bring the beauty of nature into your home.
There will be an opportunity to meet the artist-in-residence across the weekend, as Janie Pirie creates new work – the specific picture may depend on what produce is in season – as we went to press it was gourds. Alternatively the live demonstration could be the artist undertaking a challenge such as capturing the shape of hen’s eggs. Janie has also recently completed a major composition including ‘Colin’ – to find out whom or what Colin is you will have to visit the art gallery in person!
Above image shows the Colour palette on painters pad alongside an Hydrengea
Image below from Janie’s previous show ‘A Gardeners Paradise’ at Hadleigh Old School
Coming in 2026
Come Into The Garden Maud – Joan Warburton (1920-1996)
Exhibition celebrating her life in art 30 years since passing
Co-curated by writer Lindsay Fulcher and Hadleigh Old School’s Ian Grutchfield. The show is called ‘Come Into The Garden Maud’ – after the quote that Arthur Lett-Haines once made to her when he nicknamed her Maudie (Lett shouted up to Joan who was looking out from a bedroom window at The Pound, his home with Cedric Morris). We are keen to shed light on the one of the longest serving alumni of the East Anglian School of Painting and Drawing, as well as a notable British female artist in her own right.
Past Production:
Past Performance:
Illuminating Alice – Presented by Hadleigh Productions
Friday 26th September at 7:30pm, a mad adventure in growing up, shrinking down and jumping stripy tights first through the Looking Glass of Gender..
The show was presented by Hadleigh Productions
Latest Images: The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From The Tree
In June 2025 Fine Art returned to Hadleigh Old School, when the venue stages ‘The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From The Tree’, an exhibition of original artwork by Elizabeth Alston and Jessica Peters. Spread across two gallery spaces, the show will feature a large range of paintings all in vivid colours including landscapes, nudes and still life, drawing on a range of cultures from East Anglia to Rajasthan.
Elizabeth Alston is a talented artist based in Suffolk, with a diverse background in the arts including teaching for five years and working as a photographic stylist. For 15 years. Lizzie participated in life drawing at the Royal Academy (RA), including drawing in the Life Room and practicing printmaking, contributing to her deep understanding of the human form. Her pictures have been featured in group exhibitions at the RA. Lizzie is the Chairman and organiser of BrushStroke, the activities of which include a biannual art exhibition in Sudbury. As a Trustee of Success After Stroke, she likes to use her artistic expertise to inspire stroke survivors. Lizzie’s preferred mediums include charcoal, oil, and acrylic, allowing her to capture the beauty of her subjects with both subtlety and intensity. Her extensive experience in life drawing is evident in the powerful yet delicate nature of her work.
Jessica Peters (accompanying photograph) explains her craft: “Although I’m an artist based in Suffolk, my oil and acrylic paintings are inspired by the colours and emotions I encounter in my travels. Each piece I create often incorporates elements from my own photography, or I collaborate closely with photographers whose vision aligns with my own. Through bold and expressive colour, I seek to capture warmth and intensity, inviting others to feel a part of each scene. I trained at the Charles Cecil Studios in Florence, where I specialised in charcoal, by adding layers of depth and texture to my work that still influence me today. This classical grounding shapes the way I approach each canvas.
The idiom in the exhibition title, ‘The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From the Tree’, refers to the similar qualities between a child (Jessica) and parent (Elizabeth); visitors will be able to judge for themselves the extent to which their artistic creations show a shared talent. For those who wish to explore the artistic process Sketchbooks and preliminary drawings will be on display. Special attention has been given to presentation, with some frames matching a dominant colour in the artwork, while others have been selected to compliment the palette. Framing credit to Red Dog Frames.
Entry to the gallery is free, opening times are Friday 13th (10am-4pm), Saturday 14th (10am to 5pm) and Sunday 15th June (11am to 4pm) at Hadleigh Old School 5 Bridge Street Hadleigh. Parking is available adjacent to the Iron Bridge, IP7 6BY.
The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From The Tree
Paintings by Elizabeth Alston and Jessica Peters
June 2025
Top 2 images by J. Peters, image immediately above and below E.Alston
Inspired By Benton End – Art Exhibition
11th – 13th April 2025
In autumn 2024, a group of artists, invited by Dominica Yannaghas and supported by the Benton End team, began visiting the historic Benton End, united by their admiration for Cedric Morris and Arthur Lett-Haines. They became the Inspired by Benton End artists.
The group—comprising Dominica Yannaghas, Talitha Hart, Lynne Campen, Annabel Ridley, Sarah Figlio, Judith Glover, Caroline Fish, and Rebecca Moss Guyver—has met monthly to “walk in the footsteps” of Morris and Lett-Haines at the site of the East Anglian School of Painting. There, they’ve drawn, painted, observed, and exchanged ideas inspired by the house, garden, and the artists’ legacy. This exhibition marks the beginning of their shared creative journey.
Working en plein air and studio painting, printmaking, ceramics, and collage, the Inspired by Benton End artists produce work that spans landscapes, still life, portraiture, and abstraction. Their varied approaches come together in the exhibition, offering a rich response to Benton End’s lasting influence.
The group includes established professionals, regularly exhibiting at Heart of Suffolk, Art Society shows, and Suffolk Open Studios, alongside emerging talent. All are based in the Stour and Brett Valleys of East Anglia.
Beyond their time at Benton End, the artists have engaged in critiques, informal sessions, and ongoing research into the lives and work of Morris and Lett-Haines. Each artist follows their own path of exploration, drawing inspiration from Benton End’s unique legacy.
The team at Benton End House and Gardens said “We are thrilled to collaborate with the Inspired By artists. It is a delight to see artists build friendships and soak up the creative atmosphere of such an inspiring place. Here’s to the future of Benton End.”
The public will have their first opportunity to experience the work at an exhibition at Hadleigh Old School, featuring paintings, ceramics, sketchbooks, and annotations that offer insight into their creative process and the essence of their collaboration and camaraderie at Benton End. A preview night will be held at 7pm Friday 11th of April, with the exhibition open to the public on Saturday 12th (10am to 5pm) and Sunday 13th (11am to 4pm).
The Garden At Benton End By Annabel Ridley
45cm x 45cm
Acrylic with Print on Canvas
Shadow of Benton End By Rebecca Moss Guyver
Birds By Lynne Campen
Past Productions
Janie Pirie – Lilac
Janie Pirie – Kingfisher
From our recent ‘Benton End’ Works on paper show including by Sir Cedric Morris
We have a range of artworks by artists who attended The East Anglian School of Painting and Drawing, at Benton End Hadleigh – former home to Sir Cedric Morris and his lifelong partner Arthur Lett-Haines. The are available for private viewing. Artists represented include:
Sir Cedric Morris
Arthur Lett-Haines
Lucy Harwood
Joan Warburton
Kathleen Hale
Maggi Hambling
Allan Walton
Elvic Steele
Pictured is an abstract composition by Lett.
