Stowe House launches 2026 lecture series as part of national Vanbrugh300 celebrations

Stowe House, Buckinghamshire, has announced an exciting new programme of lectures for 2026, forming part of its contribution to Vanbrugh300, a nationwide celebration marking 300 years since the death of architect Sir John Vanbrugh.

Supported by a major grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to the Georgian Group, Vanbrugh300 will see historic sites across the country explore the life and legacy of one of Britain’s most influential and imaginative designers. At Stowe, where Vanbrugh worked closely with Lord Cobham, the programme will offer visitors fresh ways to engage with the House and its landscape.

At the heart of Stowe’s plans is a new Sir John Vanbrugh Lecture Series, bringing leading historians, authors and academics to Buckinghamshire to share their insights across a series of evening talks.

Lecture Series Now Open

Bookings are now open for the Sir John Vanbrugh Lecture Series, with events running from May to October 2026. Each lecture explores a different aspect of Vanbrugh’s work and influence, from his role in shaping the Stowe landscape to his connections with the influential Kit-Cat Club.

2026 Lecture Programme

• 4 May – Richard Wheeler
  Vanbrugh’s Garden Legacy at Stowe
• 11 June – Ophelia Field and Rory Fraser
  “The most honest-hearted, real good men”: Sir John Vanbrugh and the Kit-Cat Club
• 17 September – Francis Terry
  Vanbrugh’s Alterations and Additions to Stowe House
• 15 October – Michael Bevington
  Sir John Vanbrugh and the Making of Stowe

All lectures begin at 6.00pm, with affordable tickets ranging from £0 to £3.50.

Spotlight Lecture: The Gothic Library at Stowe

Ahead of the main series, Stowe House will host a special standalone lecture on 23 April from Dr Ralph St Clair Wade, winner of the George Clarke Prize.

Drawing on extensive archival research, this talk reappraises the origins of the Gothic Library at Stowe, one of the earliest interiors of the Gothic Revival. It explores why Sir John Soane departed from the house’s classical style, and considers the influence of Mary, Marchioness of Buckingham, and her Catholic chaplain.

23 April, 6.00pm. Free event

More to Discover at Stowe in 2026

The lecture series forms part of a wider programme of activity at Stowe House throughout 2026. Visitors can also look forward to a new exhibition in the Marble Saloon exploring Vanbrugh’s life and work, alongside specialist tours, a summer family weekend and a garden trail highlighting his influence across the landscape.

Further details of these events will be announced in the coming months.

All images credited to Stowe House Preservation Trust