On Thursday 5 February, The King and Queen took a tour of the Munnings Art Museum in Dedham, Essex.
The Museum is at Castle House, the former home of the East Anglian artist Sir Alfred Munnings (1878-1959) and is celebrating its 65th anniversary in 2026.
Munnings is most well-known for painting horses and The King and Queen viewed a selection of his most recognisable pictures including Ponies in the Ringland Hills, Norfolk (1911) and My Wife My Horse and Myself (1935) – a portrait of the artist and his wife at Castle House.
Their Majesties also looked at pencil studies, done at various racecourses on the backs of racecards, and letters and photographs from the museum’s large archive of personal aphemera. Charles Proudfoot, a long standing volunteer who talked to The King about some of the historic documents said that,
“The Visit has been a real honour.”
Following the tour of the pictures, Their Majesties viewed the newly restored Garden Room at Castle House, for which they later unveiled a commemorative plaque, and spoke with a number of artists involved in the museum’s activity programme. Museum Director Jenny Hand said,
“The museum is a special place for artists, we hope that coming here inspires both beginners and accomplished painters alike.”
Finally Their Majesties went into the former working studio of Sir Alfred Munnings, which still houses his brushes and easels, and met and chatted with fifty of the museum’s volunteer room stewards who greet visitors each year. Trustee of the museum, Hugo Parker later commented:
“Our volunteers are buzzing after the visit and it is so good to see.”
The Munnings Art Museum will reopen for the season on 1 April 2026: https://www.munningsmuseum.org.uk/
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