Compton is a village near Guildford, in a hollow of the Surrey Hills on the Pilgrims' Way. It is also home to one of the more unusual places in the county: Watts Gallery, Compton, on Down Lane (GU3 1DQ), the gallery, studios, grounds and chapel that George Frederic Watts and his wife Mary built into a working artists' village.
The Wattses and Compton
G.F. Watts (1817 to 1904) was widely considered the greatest painter of the Victorian age. He was the first living artist given a solo exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and his gift to the nation fed the founding collections of Tate Britain and the National Portrait Gallery. His second wife, Mary Seton Watts (1849 to 1938), was an artist and designer in her own right. They married in 1886.
In 1890 the couple moved to Compton, having stayed with friends in the village the year before while looking for a winter retreat from London. Their home and studios, Limnerslease, were designed by the Arts and Crafts architect Sir Ernest George and built in 1891. The name combines “limner” (artist) and “leasen” (to glean). Mary decorated walls and ceilings and ran clay-modelling classes in the drawing room.
Watts Gallery opened to the public on 1 April 1904, the first purpose-built gallery in the UK dedicated to a single professional artist. Watts died a few months later, and Mary made Limnerslease her permanent home and wrote his biography, The Annals. The building is Grade II* listed. It later fell into disrepair and was placed on the English Heritage “At Risk” register, before being rescued with Heritage Lottery Fund and donor support. The collection includes the permanent display England's Michelangelo, which runs into the next decade.
The Watts Chapel
A five to ten minute walk from the gallery stands the Watts Cemetery Chapel, a Grade I listed terracotta building designed by Mary Watts. More than 70 local people helped create it between 1895 and 1904, after Mary taught villagers to model terracotta in evening classes at Limnerslease. It is still a working chapel, and the Wattses gave it to the village.
The design blends Arts and Crafts and Celtic influences, and the interior is dark and richly decorated, with Art Nouveau touches. The graves of George and Mary are in the cemetery, which Historic England registers at Grade II*. The chapel is free to visit and open daily from 10am to 5pm, closing on 24, 25 and 26 December. Guides run a chapel tour on Fridays, arranged at the Visitor Centre.
Mary also founded the Compton Potters' Arts Guild, which sold pottery through retailers such as Liberty, and the story of the village pottery is well worth a look while you are here.
Tickets and prices
Adult admission is £18.00 booked online or £19.80 in person. Children aged 0 to 15 are free.
Tickets cover Watts Gallery and Limnerslease, all day, across the 18-acre site.
The grounds and gardens, the café, the shop, the Watts Contemporary Gallery and the chapel are free.
A National Art Pass gives 50% off, and Historic Houses members get free entry. Concessions include students, under-25s, and Museums Association and English Heritage members (bring ID).
Companions and carers go free. Parking is £3 all day.
On the first Wednesday of every month there is a “pay if and what you can” day.
Booking online saves 10% with no booking fee, and booking ahead is recommended. There is also a rail offer of 2-for-1 entry if you show a pair of train tickets with a voucher.
The tea shop
Watts Café is the tea shop, with counter service. Lunch is served from 11am to 3pm and last orders are at 4.45pm. The menu changes with the seasons: homemade soups, sandwiches and salads, cakes, cream teas with fresh scones, hot drinks and daily specials on a chalkboard. Tripadvisor lists vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options and a pretty outdoor area. If you would rather take a hot drink and a slice of cake into the house, the Canvas Room Café inside Limnerslease serves takeaway drinks and cakes, and dogs are welcome there.
When to go and how to get there
The Visitor Centre, shop and Watts Contemporary Gallery are typically open Tuesday to Sunday and bank holidays, 10am to 5pm, with last admission at 4.30pm. Limnerslease opens at 10.30am. Café days can vary, so check the website or ring 01483 810235 before setting out. If you only have a couple of hours, the gallery suggests arriving by 2pm and starting at Limnerslease after the Visitor Centre.
Exhibitions change, so see what is on before you book. Alongside the permanent display, the current programme includes The Art of Wallpaper: Morris & Co. and A New Paradise. Families can look to the October half-term programme, Monsters, magic & mischief, which runs from 21 October.
By bus, the 46 runs from Guildford Friary Bus Station (stand 5) to Compton, Watts Gallery, hourly from 9am to 6pm Monday to Saturday, taking about 10 minutes. No Sunday service is listed. Guildford, Farncombe and Godalming stations are all a short journey away, and the site sits on National Cycle Network Route 22. There is a short uphill walk to Limnerslease, and drop-off is available for visitors with access needs.
More from the gallery on getting here, ticket pricing and the chapel.
