HASLEMERE’S 2017 Festival launched into three weeks of almost non-stop fun on Friday, May 12, – and will feature concerts, talks, walks, an opera premiere, a dog show, charity bike ride and classic car show.

The town museum is hosting a stream of “must see” events, and appropriately kicked off with a town-themed exhibition, on May 12.

The star exhibits in ‘The Rise and Fall of the English Switzerland’, are five paintings depicting one of the most shocking episodes in the history of Hindhead, later to become fashionable for the Alpine-like quality of its clean air.

The 1786 murder of an unknown sailor at Hindhead chilled the nation, and the paintings on show, dating from around 1876, were displayed at The Royal Huts Hotel. at Hindhead, and later at The King’s Arms and Royal Hotel, in Godalming.

Following the pub’s refurbishment in 2008 they were sold at auction and bought by a private purchaser, who donated them to the museum.

The exhibition, based on original research by local historian and museum volunteer Dr Marion Dell, follows the area’s ups-and-downs, from ‘English Switzerland’ and tranquil retreat for a select few, to becoming overrun with tourists, guest houses, tearooms and hotels.

Dr Dell is also giving a festival talk – ‘The Life of the Marshall Family’ – at the museum on May 25, focusing on the social whirl from 1889 to 1921, as vividly described in her unpublished journal by Mrs Marshall, who resided at what is now Hindhead Music Centre.

Welcoming the start of an action-packed few weeks, museum exhibitions manager Karen Noad, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the increasingly popular Haslemere Festival and are very much looking forward to hosting an exciting array of anniversary and topical talks throughout the festival.”

The Bumpy Triathlon, organised starts at Haslemere Leisure Centre, on Sunday, June 4.

• For full programme and to book tickets, see www. haslemerefestival.org.uk.