Letters to the editor: Art gallery could bring Farnham’s Willmer House to life

Sometime in the near future the scaffolding will come down from Willmer House and it will be ready for a new phase in its life.

I believe there are plans for it to be a craft museum, but I have always thought the house is a failure as a museum for two main reasons.

The first is that it is too small. Willmer House, despite its quite grand exterior, is essentially a home, and the rooms are domestic in scale. There simply isn’t enough space to tell the story of Farnham’s craft history coherently, and there will be more glass cases and information boards.

But the second and more important reason is that the interior of the house itself is obliterated. We will have a craft museum but we will have lost the beautiful and significant interior of the house which is still in its largely original condition.

We have spent, quite rightly, very much money on restoring the outside while we hide the interior with floor to ceiling glass cases, wall boards and information displays, and the paraphernalia of a museum which completely destroys the original character of the rooms.

Many of the walls have been incorrectly painted, presumably to brighten things up, and the atmosphere in some rooms is now like a modern sitting room.

An alternative could be so much better. Willmer House should become an art gallery, with a collection of high quality modern art work, probably prints and small paintings. Carefully arranged paintings would complement the domestic ambience of the rooms.

This would do two things: allow the character of the house to emerge again, and provide a reason, if the art were good enough, for people to visit Farnham.

The source of such a collection could be loans from major museums and galleries, which all have large amounts of high quality work not on display.

This formula has worked very well at Pallant House in Chichester. In the old Pallant House there is a fine collection of art always on show, supplemented by a few good examples of appropriate furniture, and somehow the character of the house is still present.

Pallant House is very popular and widely known about, and many thousands of visitors each year visit the town expressly to visit the gallery.

On a smaller scale, high quality paintings and prints at Willmer House could become known about and attract visitors in a similar way. The old house could come to life again, and be as beautiful inside as it is outside.

Thank you to everyone for their support of the first Alton Archaeology Day at the Assembly Rooms on Saturday, April 25.

We had about 500 visitors who came and saw the wonderful Anglo-Saxon living history shared by Weorod and the displays of local archaeology by Liss Archaeology, Hampshire Field Club, Manni Kirchner and Dr Richard Whaley.

Thanks must also go to Dementia-Friendly Alton for the use of the venue and to the Farnham Young Archaeologists Club for coming ‘over the border’.

Contrary to Lester May’s letter dated April 23, the RAF no longer recognises the term “aces”, but I accept that RAF Regiment Gunners deserve the title.

The primary role of the regiment is to guard RAF facilities, but in my day they were mainly employed as bowser drivers and we did our own guarding.

On another note, I am sad to see Alton celebrating LBGTQ+ activities – the Bible states that man was put on Earth to procreate, how will LBGTQ+ achieve this?

Finally, it is good to see Farnborough backing Armed Forces Day – Petersfield will hold a similar event In June.

Former RAF air comms technician

As a deaf person in the UK, I know there’s still a long way to go until we can say we’re a truly equal society.

Common everyday activities like shopping, visiting the doctor or socialising can be full of challenges.

Things have improved in many ways over the years, but being deaf in a world made for hearing people can feel like being in an invisible box.

But with just a few simple changes, we can include everyone. In my line of work, as a model and actor, immense effort is required for every interaction, whether it’s lip-reading across a studio during a shoot or constantly asking people to repeat themselves.

For Deaf Awareness Week 2026, from May 4 to 10, I’ve teamed up with the RNID to show people how they can break through these invisible barriers for the 18 million adults in the UK who are deaf, or have hearing loss or tinnitus.

With a few simple changes and a little bit of patience, we can include everyone. Simple actions like getting someone’s attention, letting them see your lips when you’re speaking, and learning a few basic phrases in British Sign Language, can all remove the barriers instantly.

Sign up to the RNID’s It Does Matter campaign, to receive free deaf awareness communication tips and simple British Sign Language videos, at rnid.org.uk

Deaf actor, model and RNID ambassador

Every week the RSPCA’s Alton, Haslemere and Petersfield Branch takes in dogs, cats and other small animals that have been abandoned or neglected, or whose owners can no longer care for them.

We work tirelessly to support these animals and re-home them, but space is limited. Fostering provides animals with a safe, temporary home to recover, socialise and prepare for adoption.

We want compassionate people in Alton, Haslemere and Petersfield to consider fostering. Whether for a few weeks or longer, your support would be invaluable. Our charity provides guidance and supplies, and covers veterinary costs.

For more information, or to register your interest, email [email protected] or call 07500 441236.

Trustee, RSPCA Alton, Haslemere and Petersfield Branch