Whitchurch & Goring Heath History Society

“IT stood upon a low hill, above a river, the river being the Thames at some 40 miles from London. A long, gabled front of red brick...”

This is how Henry James set the opening scene of his most successful novel, The Portrait of a Lady, published in 1881. Intriguingly, the history of the property he then described suggests that the house and grounds he wrote about were based on Hardwick House.

It is a question that Dr Bernard Richards of Oxford University will address when he speaks to the society on Thursday, March 21, on “Henry James and the country house with special reference to Hardwick House”.

The meeting will take place at Whitchurch village hall at 7.30pm, with coffee served from 7pm. Non-members are welcome to attend, at a cost of £3, to include coffee and biscuits.

The society meets on the third Thursday of most months for a talk by an invited speaker or for some other historical activity and we go on two outings in the summer. Why not join us? The subscription is just £12 a year.

Vicky Jordan