BBC historian to lead talk at St Edmund’s Church

27th June, 2018

History enthusiasts can enjoy a talk from BBC One Antiques Roadshow’s Lars Tharp at St Edmund’s Church in Warkton next month.

Lars, who has been a regular on the hit show since 1986, will be in the county on Friday, 13th July, to talk about London Foundling Museum, of which he was the director.

An expert on William Hogarth, the historic Foundling Hospital’s founding governor, his session will aptly take place among monuments to the Montagu family of nearby Boughton House – former patrons of the hospital that took care of children at risk of abandonment in the 18th century.

Kicking off at 7:30pm, the ticketed talk will cover hospital founder Captain Coram’s efforts to persuade the great and the good of the Georgian era to part with their cash in order to protect some of the most vulnerable members of society. These efforts included recruiting world-renowned George Frideric Handel to write and perform music to raise funds for the cause.

Anne-Marie Sandos, Education Officer at Boughton House and the Montagu Monuments, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to learn about the rich history of the Foundling Hospital and Museum in the intimate setting of St Edmund’s Church, and we expect tickets to be snapped up quickly.

“We’re very much looking forward to welcoming Lars and introducing him to St Edmund’s and the Montagu Monuments.”

The Montagu Monuments at St Edmund’s Church commemorate four members Montagu family, with two of having been created by Louis Francois Roubiliac, famed for his monuments in Westminster Abbey and his busts of Hogarth and Handel.

Thanks to a recent £489,000 conservation project, each sculpture has been individually cleaned and restored.

Tickets for Lars Tharp’s talk are on sale now at www.eventbrite.co.uk from £12.50 and include light refreshments and a glass of wine for over 18s. Alternatively, contact Anne-marie Sandos on 07909254598 or asandos@buccleuch.com to find out more.