The Horton Arts Centre

The HORTON Epsom A magnificent new destination for arts, heritage and events, created within an iconic and historically significant Grade II-listed chapel space. The Horton Arts Centre is an extraordinary arts and heritage destination with a vision to use creativity and social activities to enrich the community and generate opportunities. The sympathetic architectural conversion of The Horton enhances the stunning historic features of the building whilst delivering excellent contemporary facilities and welcoming spaces for performances, events, receptions, conferences, workshops or simply a coffee with friends. From the fanfare of its opening in 1901 to final closure in the 1990s, the former Horton Chapel’s role was to provide solace for people experiencing mental distress, as a place of worship, and from 1961 also as a pioneering music therapy centre. It was the chapel to Horton Hospital – one of five mental hospital that formed Epsom Hospital Cluster. Horton was also a war hospital during the first and second world wars and the chapel contains important memorials. Over the decades it has been visited by every generation of the royal family, along with famous musicians both as performers and patients. The charity Horton Chapel Arts & Heritage Society was set up in 2016 by Epsom residents determined to see Horton Chapel saved from dereliction (and from developers) and brought back to life as a valuable social and cultural asset for the whole community. Renovation work began on-site in 2018, funded primarily by a National Lottery Heritage Fund enterprise grant and ‘section 106’ funds contributed by developers of Epsom’s former psychiatric hospital sites. Other significant funders include Viridor Credits and the Architectural Heritage Fund. Restored original heritage features include decorative organ pipes, encaustic patterned tiled floor, high barrel-vaulted ceilings supported by Doric columns, rows of arched windows and a memorial torch that was erected 100 years ago, that has been re-connected to the power and lit for the first time in living memory.