Watts Gallery and Memorial Chapel
An extraordinary small museum, the Watts Gallery was built in tiny Compton in 1904 by the late 19th-century artist George Frederic Watts (1817–1904) to display his work. His romantic, mystical paintings have been somewhat rediscovered in recent years, with his 1886 painting Hope being a favorite of Barack Obama. A marvelously higgledy-piggledy studio displays his sculptures, which are astonishing both for their size and their near-obsessive attention to detail, while nearby Limnerslease House gives an insight into the life and works of Watts and his wife, fellow artist Mary Seton Watts (1849–1938). Though virtually unknown as an artist both then and now, some critics contend that Mary's talent actually eclipsed her husband's—and if you follow the short, signposted walk to the Watts Memorial Chapel, you may become one of them. Designed by Mary, this tiny chapel is a masterpiece of art nouveau style, from the intricately carved redbrick exterior to the jaw-dropping Mucha-esque painted interior. You could easily spend half an hour trying to decode all the symbolism and allegory woven meticulously into the gilded walls. The museum, house, and chapel are located three miles west of Guildford.
