The Fry Art Gallery, which could be called the ‘Gallery in the Garden’, houses a unique collection of works brought together during the lifetime of many of the artists who were part of the artistic community which flourished in and around the nearby village of Great Bardfield before and after the second world war.

Edward Bawden was one of the first artists to move to Great Bardfield. He became a generous benefactor to the Gallery and there are over 150 of his works in the Collection, from which a substantial permanent display has been mounted. There is also substantial representation of his contemporary, Eric Ravilious.

Other artists gathered coincidentally in the area at that time included such well known names as Michael Rothenstein RA, Audrey Cruddas, John Aldridge RA, George Chapman, Michael Ayrton, Kenneth Rowntree, Bernard Cheese, Walter Hoyle, Sheila Robinson, Robert Colquhoun, Robert Macbryde and Marianne Straub.

The Fry Gallery exhibits examples of the work of these artists and designers, and demonstrates the continuing artistic tradition of north-west Essex by including a number of works of other artists who have local connections and made a significant contribution in their field to date including Isabel Lambert, John Bolam, Chloe Cheese and Tom Deakins.

                          GALLERY HISTORY

The Gallery was purpose designed and opened in 1856 to house the collection of Francis Gibson, a member of the local banking family that later founded Barclays Bank. Francis Gibson died in 1859 and the building passed by descent to the Fry family, who have leased it to The Fry Art Gallery Society. The Gallery also houses the L G Fry Collection, although these works are not usually on display. Lewis George Fry, RBA, RWA (1860-1933) was Francis Gibson's grandson and a landscape painter of repute.