House, Gardens & Cafe Open Tuesday - Sunday 10.30 - 17.00

Exhibition: WOOD ENGRAVING PRINTS by Kate Dicker and her Master Class.

3rd July- 6th October 2024

An insight into the world of engraving on wood. This print medium produces fine and delicate marks which are created by the engraver to produce an end grain block ready for hand printing. The exhibition shows a variety of styles, and prints are for sale.

Image: Holy Vale. Wood engraving by Kate Dicker

    Gilbert Whites House

    Gilbert White was aged 7 or 8 when the White family moved from the Vicarage on Selborne’s Plestor, to this house, called ‘The Wakes’ (named after the Wake family who had lived here previously). At that time the property would have been no more than a ‘two up, two down’  but over the subsequent years lots of extensions and additions have been made, creating the long sizeable house you see today.

    The rooms have been restored following descriptions in White’s own correspondence and include a chair he used at Oriel College, Oxford (loaned from the College), items of contemporary furniture, family portraits and bed hangings embroidered for him by his aunts.

    On display is the original manuscript of his book, The Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne, which was purchased with generous help from English Heritage and others.

    Learn more