Fry Art Gallery

Fry Art Gallery is a small, volunteer-run gallery on Castle Street in Saffron Walden, Essex, devoted to the artists who lived and worked in North West Essex in the twentieth century and later. It is an Accredited Museum under the Arts Council England scheme, and it is one of the best places in England to see work by the Great Bardfield Artists.

What is the Fry Art Gallery?

The gallery shows art by painters, printmakers and designers with a local connection. Its centrepiece is a comprehensive collection of the Great Bardfield group, whose members settled in the nearby village from the early 1930s. The collection covers the period up to the death of John Aldridge RA in 1983. Today it holds about 3,000 works by more than 40 artists with a North Essex link.

Which artists can you see?

Edward Bawden is the best-represented name, and the gallery owns many of his works. Eric Ravilious and John Aldridge are also part of the collection. Seeing them together in one place helps you understand how a loose circle of friends in a rural Essex village shaped British printmaking, illustration and design in the mid-twentieth century.

History of the building

The Victorian building dates from 1856. It was put up for Francis Gibson, a Quaker banker, as a gallery with two principal rooms. In 1985 the Fry Art Gallery Society, a charity, took it over in order to build the North West Essex Collection. The gallery opened to the public in 1987 and has been run largely by volunteers ever since.

How does a visit work?

The gallery is compact, so a visit usually takes under an hour, which makes it easy to combine with a walk around Saffron Walden's medieval centre. Exhibitions change, so the displays differ from season to season. The gallery is open seasonally rather than all year, generally from spring to late October, with shorter hours on some days and closure on Mondays. Check the official website for current dates and times before you travel.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Fry Art Gallery? At 19a Castle Street in Saffron Walden, Essex, CB10 1BD.

Who are the main artists in the collection? The Great Bardfield Artists, above all Edward Bawden, together with Eric Ravilious and John Aldridge.

Is the gallery open all year? No. It runs a seasonal programme, so confirm the opening period on the gallery's website.

How big is the collection? Around 3,000 works by over 40 artists connected with North Essex.

Is it a recognised museum? Yes, it holds Accredited Museum status from Arts Council England.