Visit the magnificent Southwell Minster this New Year

If you have ever been to Southwell Minster you will no doubt have been dazzled by its ornate design and rich heritage. In this article, the Minster's marketing officer Kathryn Anderson explains why the New Year is the perfect time to visit this landmark. Southwell Minster is a beautiful Cathedral and Minster church set in the delightful market town of Southwell. The Minster’s Norman Nave is one of the finest in Europe, while the beautiful stone carvings in the Chapter House - the ‘Leaves of Southwell’ - are world famous. The stunning images of fruit, flora and ‘green men’ feature in a book written by the late architectural historian Sir Nikolaus Pevsner. January is a good time to visit the Minster after the hectic period of Christmas. This month we will be hosting ‘Small Encounters’, an exhibition by Southwell artists, until 18th January. The show will include paintings, drawings and photography, demonstrating a rich variety of work by the group. All art works will be priced under £200. Later in the month, on 30th January, we will be welcoming the team from the BBC TV show Flog It! Hosted by Paul Martin you can come along to have up to three items valued by experts Caroline Hawley, Michael Baggott and Mark Stacey. Once valued, the owner and a team of experts decide whether an item should go forward for auction and if successful it will be included in a sale a few weeks later. We really want to see as many people as possible in the Minster so do come along – it should be a fascinating day and is bound to unearth some fabulous local treasures! From 31st January until 28th February, we will be displaying the work of another local artist, Jean Lamb. Her preview takes place on Friday 31st January at 7pm and all are welcome. Admission to the Minster and the Flog It! event are free although we welcome donations. For information on all our services, art exhibitions and concerts visit our website or call (01636) 812649. The Minster is open daily from 8am to 7pm.