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Thresholds, Light, Memory and Place: An Exhibition of New Paintings at East Riddlesden Hall
My first solo exhibition, Thresholds: Light, Memory and Place, opens at the National Trust’s East Riddlesden Hall near Keighley on 24 October 2026 and runs until 14 April 2027. It brings together new paintings of the Hall and its surrounding landscape, which aim to convey not simply how the place looks, but how it feels to spend time here.
By Matthew Eyles|Artist
Wed, Oct 14, 2026
I’m pleased to announce that my first solo exhibition, Thresholds: Light, Memory and Place, opens at the National Trust’s East Riddlesden Hall, near Keighley in West Yorkshire, on 24 October 2026.
The exhibition runs until 14 April 2027 and forms part of my year as Artist in Residence at the Hall, from April 2026 to April 2027.
Over the past six months, I have spent time walking, sketching and working at East Riddlesden Hall, returning to familiar views and noticing how they change with the light, weather and season. These visits have provided the starting point for a new body of paintings responding to the house and its landscape.
East Riddlesden Hall interests me because both the house and its grounds have survived within an increasingly urban setting. Together, they form a fragment of historic landscape shaped by centuries of use and change. The Hall sits closely within its surroundings, yet feels slightly apart from the world beyond.
Working primarily in acrylic ink and watercolour, I have explored the quieter thresholds within this setting: views through windows and doorways, the meeting of buildings and gardens, and the changing relationship between interior spaces and the landscape outside. In Thresholds, I also seek to draw out something less immediately visible: the accumulated history, stillness and character held within the building and its landscape.
My architectural background informs the structure and viewpoints of the paintings. Alongside this is an interest in atmosphere, memory and the emotional character of a place. Through these works, I hope to convey something of how it feels to spend time at the Hall, and to draw attention to details and qualities that might otherwise go unnoticed.
The opportunity to develop and show this work in a National Trust setting has particular significance for me, given my lifelong interest in historic houses. After more than six months of preparation, I’m looking forward to seeing the work brought together and welcoming visitors to the exhibition.
Meet the Maker
I will be at East Riddlesden Hall for three Meet the Maker days during the exhibition:
- Sunday 25 October 2026, 11am to 2pm
- Saturday 19 December 2026, 11am to 2pm
- Saturday 10 April 2027, 11am to 2pm
These will be informal opportunities to meet me, ask questions and talk about the paintings, the ideas behind them and how the work has developed. Further details about each day will follow nearer the time.
Visiting the exhibition
Thresholds: Light, Memory and Place
24 October 2026 to 14 April 2027
East Riddlesden Hall, National Trust
Bradford Road, Riddlesden, Keighley
West Yorkshire, BD20 5EL
The exhibition is in the Entrance Chamber, upstairs in the Hall, and is open during the Hall’s opening hours. Opening days and times vary through the autumn, winter and spring, so please check the National Trust website before travelling. The website also provides admission and accessibility information.
There is no additional charge to visit the exhibition; normal admission arrangements for the Hall apply.