1500 ceramic flowers, painted by the public, to be unveiled in Epsom on World Mental Health Day (10 October 2023).
War heroes, a Titanic survivor, and a muse for Picasso are among those to be commemorated at The Horton, a former chapel, forgotten residents of Europe’s largest cluster of psychiatric hospitals
Supported by funding from Historic England, a Friends of Horton Cemetery year long project. ‘Friends of Horton Cemetery’ has run dozens of art-therapy workshops at which ordinary members of the public, of all ages and backgrounds, talked about mental health and disability while painting flowers.
Join us from 13:00 – 15:00 for a Ceremony of Commemoration at the Cemetery site (KT19 8QG). The event starts beside the Horton Cemetery itself. Assembly beginning from 12.30.
A piper will lead a procession on foot from the Cemetery to the grounds of the former Horton Chapel that is now the Horton Arts Centre. Indoors from 2.00pm there will be short speeches, performances and an innovative photo-art exhibition of former patients of the Epsom cluster of psychiatric hospitals. he largest concentration of such hospitals in Europe. Then the Memorial Garden will be opened.
The public are invited to attend and support our campaign for recognition of the Horton Cemetery in which 9000 patients were buried. Attendance is free. Parking is available at Hook Road Arena and at The Horton Arts Centre.
If you intend to come please tell us by completing this simple RSVP form online.
Today we will seek to bring recognition and dignity to the forgotten.
To RSVP or for further information please contact: Dr Alana Harris, admin@hortoncemetery.org.
outofsight.hortoncemetery.org; Twitter: @Horton_Cemetery; Instagram: outofsightepsom