June 25, 2019

The Horton, Epsom’s new creative hub

It's official, Horton Chapel has taken its first steps in becoming The Horton, as construction kicked off earlier this week.

If you haven’t heard the news, Horton Chapel is being converted into a brand new arts centre, hurrah! Even though we have to wait until 2020 to step inside this creative hub, we just know it’s going to be worth the wait.

Horton Chapel has long been a part of Epsom’s history; it was built way back in 1901 to accommodate hundreds of psychiatric patients, becoming the largest of its kind in the UK. Nowadays it’s more likely to be known as a local eyesore, but after a lengthy four years of planning, negotiations and fundraising, Horton Chapel Arts & Heritage finally got their hands on it. 

It’s their vision to highlight the Chapel’s heritage, whilst creating a new cultural entertainment centre at the heart of our town, which will be known as The Horton. It’s a place where people from Epsom – and beyond – can experience creativity through exhibitions, performances and screenings. They hope to make the arts more accessible and valuable to us locals, so they’ve definitely got our support! 

You’ll be pleased to know that earlier this week construction officially got underway with a turf-cutting ceremony. That’s right, The Mayor of Epsom & Ewell, John Beckett, was presented with his very own engraved silver spade, with which he dug the first patch of ground. Now we sit back and wait for the renovations to take place, all the while keeping you updated on what’s going on.  

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