Latest Little Hall and Lavenham News
- The Gayer Anderson Gift of Indian Miniatures to Australia
In 1954 Thomas Gayer-Anderson gifted over two hundred items from the collection of Indian miniatures he had formed with his brother Robert, to the Commonwealth of Australia. Two years earlier he had presented part of the collection to the Victoria and Albert Museum. The brothers had both served at Gallipoli and befriended Australian soldiers and… Read more: The Gayer Anderson Gift of Indian Miniatures to Australia - History Day, Sunday 24th August, 11am to 4pm
Displays of the history of this fascinating Hall HouseWho lived in the building in the past? How are books bound? What is in the Gayer Anderson library? – Normal entry fees apply –Accompanied children under 16 Free –Free re-entry with a Lavenham Resident Card – - Our popular Artisan Market was back again
Little Hall opened its 2025 season at the end of March and is now in full swing. As with previous years we have a few special events, with our Artisan Market running from Friday 23rd to Monday 26th May between 11am and 4.30pm with free entry. There was a range of crafts including jewellery, metalswork,… Read more: Our popular Artisan Market was back again - Do you fancy volunteering?
Please come to a Volunteer Recruitment Morning Wednesday 5th February 2025 10.00 am to 12.00 noon Find out what roles are on offer and meet some of the present team. For more about volunteering see or email recruit@littlehall.org.uk - 2024-11 Christmas Artisan Market
You’ve missed our Christmas Market, A Selling Exhibition of Unique Handmade Crafts, which was held on Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th November 11am to 4pm. Here’s some of what you would have found. - Reginald Brill at Little Hall
In January 1930 Reginald Brill went to Cairo at the invitation of the Egyptian Government to paint in Cairo and mount an exhibition to sell his paintings. Since 1882, Egypt, then part of the Ottoman Empire, had been occupied by British forces with British officials seconded to Egypt’s army and civil service. Brill was introduced… Read more: Reginald Brill at Little Hall - Recording the past at Little Hall
Paintings, drawings maps and photographs often provide a valuable record of changes to buildings and landscapes. Reginald Brill’s picture ‘Mr Turner restoring the Barn’, in the dining room of Little Hall, records two of the Italian lead statues that were formerly on the garden terrace of the Hall. Brill’s viewpoint was on the first floor… Read more: Recording the past at Little Hall - Praying Child
As visitors to Little Hall leave the library, they see mounted on the chimney of the inner hall fireplace a semi-circular relief of a girl kneeling in prayer. This was rescued from a demolition site in London in 1917 by Major Robert Gayer-Anderson, who saw it by chance lying in three pieces on a pile… Read more: Praying Child - 2024 – 05 Artisan Market Came Again, Spring Bank Holiday
We’ve just had our Little Hall Artisan Market, a selling exhibition featuring ceramics, blacksmithing, woodturning, woollen rugs and throws, willow work and much more besides. This took place over the late Spring Bank Holiday weekend in May. Friday 24th May to Monday 27th May 2024 inclusive. There was Free Entry to the house and garden… Read more: 2024 – 05 Artisan Market Came Again, Spring Bank Holiday - Little Hall’s Window Glass, Old and New
The Gayer-Anderson twins moved into the Great House in 1923 but had to wait until 1931 when the tenants vacated no.20 in the North wing of Litle Hall before they could start to restore it. In 1934 the residents of no 23-24, Mrs and Mr Bye, died which left the rest of the property clear… Read more: Little Hall’s Window Glass, Old and New - The Changing Face of Little Hall
Since the Gayer-Anderson brothers arrived in Lavenham, Little Hall has been through a succession of changes, and especially in the face it presents to the Market Place. We can see how it looked in 1929 by clicking through to this aerial photo. However, it wasn’t coloured at this time. In 1956 Colonel Gayer Anderson wrote… Read more: The Changing Face of Little Hall - 70 Years Ago
What was happening at Little Hall nearly 70 years ago? Little Hall has appeared in film on a number of occasions over the years but this one is the earliest yet discovered. This newspaper cutting was recently unearthed which describes the making of a short film on Elizabethan Times. Thanks to the Radio Times archive… Read more: 70 Years Ago - 100 years ago – the first official party to enter Tutankhamun’s tomb
Major Gayer-Anderson was a member of the official party at the private opening of the tomb of Tutankhamun on 17th February 1923. At that time he was Oriental Secretary to the High Commissioner and had a personal invitation to the event from Lord Carnarvon’s daughter. As well as the Carnarvons and Howard Carter the party… Read more: 100 years ago – the first official party to enter Tutankhamun’s tomb - Is volunteering on your to-do list this year?
Step inside Little Hall to discover a house which mirrors the changing fortunes of Lavenham. Positioned in a prime location on the market place and built in the 14th century for wealthy clothiers its history can be traced from the starkness of the middle-ages to its “modernisation” at the height of the cloth industry’s prosperity… Read more: Is volunteering on your to-do list this year? - Little Hall Shop
There are several different collections which reflect some of the works in the house. The Panel Collection uses an image taken from the “room with eleven doors” and has been used on several items, for example tea towels, small bone china mugs, coasters, trivets, magnets and notelets. Bone China Mugs £9.00 Ceramic Coaster £6.00 Trivet… Read more: Little Hall Shop - Little Hall on Screen
The earliest film we’ve yet found was made in 1944 and can be seen at https://www.britishpathe.com/asset/197711/ . There’s shots of Little Hall near the beginning and briefly, towards the end. Little Hall has been a popular backdrop for films for over 50 years. Released in December 2020 was an adaptation by Pelham Elliott of Anthony… Read more: Little Hall on Screen