Britain has over 60,000 war memorials, each with their own sad and emotional story to tell. They also represent our largest collection of public art - more than 1,300 are listed.

We will explore the story of our war memorials, including such masterpieces as Sir Edwin Lutyens' Cenotaph and monumental Thiepval Gate and CS Jaggers' Royal Artillery memorial at Hyde Park Corner. Especially memorable is the work of the Commonwealth (Imperial) War Graves Commission and the new National Arboretum in Staffordshire. We will look too at the Scottish War Memorial in Edinburgh.

This lecture travels through the Christmas story from the Annunciation to the Flight into Egypt through the eyes of Italian artists.

There will be some well-known favourites alongside other works that are less familiar enabling us to take a fresh look at the artist’s approach to the narrative. The chosen works also open up other subjects such as the Medici family’s devotion to the Magi, the making of the spectacular floor of Siena Cathedral, a stolen Caravaggio and a rather unconventional breastfeeding position!

Discover the story of Edvard Munch, the artist whose lifelong struggle with his mental health can be found in the many works of art he has left behind. Discover why his work "The Scream" has become one of the world's most iconic and recognisable paintings.. 

Canon Chris Newlands is a retired Anglican priest, having ministered across England from Portsmouth to Durham, and from Essex to Lancashire. Before ordination, he worked for the British Council in Algeria, and after ordination was posted to Romania and Bulgaria as Embassy Chaplain and Envoy of the Anglican Communion to the Orthodox Churches of Eastern Europe. Chris is a guest lecturer on cruise ships where his lectures relate to the destinations in the Baltic, Black Sea, and Mediterranean regions.

TBA