Venues
Barnett Hill
Barnett Hill is a beautiful Queen Anne-style property set in 26 acres of stunning gardens and woodlands just outside Guildford in Surrey.
Frequently used by universities and charitable organisations, passing trade is not accepted, giving Open participants space and privacy to maximise their learning. The beautiful dining rooms in the main house have their own individual style, creating a timeless world of elegance and serenity that makes Barnett Hill a very special venue.
Cumberland Lodge
Cumberland Lodge is an educational charity and a unique conference centre in the heart of the Great Park, Windsor. Its Patron is The Queen, who has granted sole occupancy of a beautiful seventeenth-century house for discussions aimed at the betterment of society.
As a venue, the Lodge plays host to universities and to many professional organisations including the National Health Service, the Inns of Court, learned societies, charities, government and non-government organisations and many higher education institutions. The Lodge also organises its own major conference programme that initiates fresh debate on issues of national and international significance.
Farnham Castle
Overlooking the picturesque town of Farnham and uniquely located in the 12th century Farnham Castle, one of the most important historical buildings in the South of England, Farnham Castle offers a stunning residential base for the Open programme.
For 800 years, the Bishops of Winchester used the Castle as a home and administrative centre. Powerful men from the Norman Conquest until the Tudors, the bishops often shaped English politics. Nine were Lord Chancellors. Most of the monarchs of England from King John to Queen Victoria visited or stayed at the castle.
Senate House
Senate House is situated in London’s Bloomsbury area, close to the British Museum and British Library in addition to the Colleges of the University of London.
Senate House has been an iconic presence on the capital’s skyline since 1936. More recently, a three-year, multi-million pound refurbishment programme has preserved its most distinctive and appealing features, offering a stunning setting for our non-residential events.
