The Horton Opens Gardens For Performances For The The First Time

The Horton, Epsom's unique arts venue, housed in the Grade II-listed building formerly Horton Chapel, will open its gardens for the first time this summer for a season of theatre, family events, and music beginning on 29 July.

Built in 1901, The Horton is the last surviving building of Epsom's unique ‘cluster' of five pioneering psychiatric hospitals, which covered 1,000 acres. Built for 10,000 patients from throughout London, they almost doubled the town's population. The hospital became the largest employer in Epsom, pioneered psychiatric treatments, and drew in staff from across the world.

From the fanfare of opening in 1901 to final closure in 1997, the chapel's role was to provide solace for people experiencing mental distress; as a place of worship and, from 1961, as a ground-breaking music therapy centre.

Following the introduction of ‘care in the community' policies, the hospitals closed in the 1990s, and the buildings were demolished to make way for new homes or converted into flats.  After standing empty and at risk for three decades, the former Horton Chapel reopened its doors in April 2022 as a new, vibrant, and inspiring cultural venue.

Now, after more than 30 years of being an inaccessible tangle of brambles and builders' rubble, the venue is looking forward with great excitement to the opening of The Horton Gardens this summer.

Grass on the event lawns has begun to shoot, paths have been created, the wildflowers are peeping through, and The Horton's dedicated team of volunteers has helped to plant trees and clear hundreds of metres of thorns and invasive plants.

From the dramatic spectacle of The Whale – an 18-metre inflatable creature hosting a theatre show inside its belly – to the acoustic harmonies of Geoff Robb's The Music of Trees, there's plenty of opportunity to make the most of Epsom's new green arts space.

The outdoor family season kicks off with Mrs Armitage on Wheels on 29th July, a 40-minute interactive, energetic show for children, celebrating the joy of getting outdoors. Also in the programme is aerial circus theatre on a giant spinning parasol – Everywhere's A Beach from Epsom company Hikapee, plus a pirate and mermaids' event, Message In A Bottle with dressing up, dance, juggling, and drama.

Maria Reeves, Director of The Horton, said, ‘We are so thrilled to finally be opening this exciting addition to our venue, and expanding our visitor experience.   The Horton's beautiful gardens form a stunning setting for our unique building, and we can't wait to welcome visitors either to take part in the season of outdoor events or simply sit on a bench and enjoy a coffee.  It's a space open to all.'