FPS Summer Outing 2025: Longleat House

On Monday, 30th June, the French Porcelain Society will have its Annual Summer Outing and we will visit Longleat House in Wiltshire. Longleat is an Elizabethan house which was completed in 1580 and is the seat of the Marquesses of Bath. Its parkland was landscaped by Capability Brown. Longleat was the first stately home in Britain to open to the public in 1949 and in 1966 it opened the first drive-through safari park outside of Africa, which today is home to 500 animals. The extraordinary collections at Longleat include paintings, furniture, tapestries, silver and of course porcelain — including large Meissen animals from Augustus the Strong’s porcelain menagerie and 123 pieces of the Sèvres service given in 1788 by Louis XVI to Tipu Sultan, Sultan of Mysore, as well as Asian porcelain and other English and continental ceramics. In addition to a private guided house tour, we will enjoy a porcelain handling session, lunch and free time to explore the house and gardens.

SCHEDULE:

10:30 – 10:45 – Arrival to Longleat

11:00 – 12:30 – Group A – House Tour / Group B – Porcelain Handling

12:30 – 13:45 – Lunch

13:45 – 15:15 – Group A – Porcelain Handling / Group B – House Tour

15:15 – 17:00 – Free time to explore house and gardens

PARTICIPATION:

Participation is limited to French Porcelain Society members in good standing who have paid their dues in 2025. In the case of Joint members, both members may of course attend; otherwise, guests are not permitted. Capacity is limited to 40 participants.

TRANSPORTATION:

Transportation will be the responsibility of participants. Longleat is easily reached by train and then a short taxi ride. We will communicate a suggested train schedule to confirmed participants so that we can travel together and share taxis.

COST:

£65 per person. £35 for members of the Emerging Scholars (under 35 y/o), for whom 10 spots will be reserved.

Get your tickets HERE