Skip to content

James Lye 120 Weekend: Celebrating a Wiltshire Plantsman – 24 & 25 April 2026

James Lye with Fuchsias scaled 1
James Lye – Victorian Plantsman from Market Lavington, Wiltshire

Honouring James Lye: 120 Years On

About the James Lye 120 Weekend

Market Lavington is hosting a special 120th‑anniversary weekend on Friday 24 and Saturday 25 April 2026, marking 120 years since the death of James Lye (1830–1906), the renowned Victorian fuchsia hybridist, head gardener at Clyffe Hall and one of Wiltshire’s most celebrated horticultural figures.

This celebrated Victorian hybridist earned renown for his upright fuchsia forms, refined presentation and a succession of award‑winning cultivars exhibited both locally and on the national stage. Far less widely recognised, however, are his parallel experiments with Pelargoniums and even Potatoes.

He was also deeply rooted in Market Lavington’s community. His legacy continues through the Market Lavington Museum, founded by Peggie Gye, a descendant of James Welch and Annie Earle, both of whom have fuchsias named after them. Her work ensured that the stories of James Lye and the village remain preserved for future generations.

As the museum notes, he remains “one of the more famous sons of Market Lavington”, and anyone exploring the world of fuchsias soon encounters his name.

To explore his life and achievements in greater depth, see our detailed webpages: James Lye.

Honouring James Lye: 120 Years On Weekend - Poster

Friday 24 April – Museum Miscellany Evening

At the Museums Annual Miscellany Evening, Kristopher Harper-Allison (National Plant Collection Holder of Fuchsias Introduced by James Lye) will be giving one of the talks over the evening on ‘James Lye of Market Lavington: His Life and Legacy’.

Saturday 25 April – Lavington & District Gardening Club, Talk

Saturday begins with a talk by Kristopher Harper-Allison titled ‘James Lye and the Victorian Fuchsia Story: A Village Gardener’s Rise to National Fame’.

Saturday 25 April – Museum Special Opening

To mark the anniversary, the Trustees of Market Lavington Museum have kindly agreed to open the museum for the afternoon, giving visitors the opportunity to explore its collections, including a special display drawn from the museum’s dedicated James Lye material. Highlights will include items connected to his horticultural achievements, such as his Royal Horticultural Society Banksian Medal from 1878.

  • Time: 1.30pm – 4.30pm
  • Location: Market Lavington Museum, The Old School Master’s House, Market Lavington, Wiltshire, SN10 4DT
  • Entry: Free, though we suggest visitors make a donation on the day or via the Just Giving Page.
  • More information about the Museum and it’s collections visit their website.
  • Explore the Museum through its virtual tour online.

Saturday 25 April – Wreath Laying at St Mary’s Churchyard

Kristopher Harper‑Allison will lay a wreath at James Lye’s graveside in St Mary’s Churchyard (with the exact time to be confirmed). This act of remembrance will honour his life, legacy and lasting contribution to Wiltshire’s horticultural heritage, with representatives from the Market Lavington Museum and the local Gardening Club hoping to be present to mark the occasion.

James Lye’s grave was rediscovered in 2016, following renewed research prompted by the museum’s acquisition of a grave location book and with some lateral thinking his grave was located. A summary of the find can be read on the the Market Lavington Museum Blog.

Saturday 25 April – Special Guided Tour of the Walled Garden at Clyffe Hall

The weekend concludes with a rare opportunity to step into the working world of one of Wiltshire’s most remarkable Victorian gardeners through a guided tour of the historic walled garden at Clyffe Hall, where James Lye served as head gardener for many years.

This special tour introduces visitors to the spaces in which James Lye once worked and explores how a Victorian walled garden operated, from its productive layout and glasshouse ranges to its heat‑retaining walls, working areas and relationship with the wider estate. Along the way, key points of interest will be highlighted to illustrate how such gardens supported year‑round cultivation, experimentation and estate self‑sufficiency.

A small charge of £5.00 applies for this tour, with all proceeds going to support the Market Lavington Museum.

  • Time: 3.30pm for a 4pm tour.
  • Location: Meeting at the Market Lavington Museum
  • Tickets via Ballot (see details below on how to enter),
  • Cost £5.00

How to Attend: Ballot for Tickets

As the walled garden is not normally open to the public and space is limited, places will be allocated via ballot. Those selected will be notified one week before the event.

Enter the garden visit ballot

Did You Know?

  • His fuchsias were so distinctive that they shaped Victorian exhibition standards.
  • Many of his Fuchsia cultivars remain highly prized by growers today.
  • The museum founder, Peggie Gye, was a descended of James Welch and Annie Earle, both of whom have fuchsias named after them by James Lye.
  • After being lost for decades, James Lye’s grave was finally rediscovered in 2016.
  • Market Lavington Museum holds a small collection of items relating to, or previously owned by James Lye.
  • James Lye’s hybridising flourished under the support of Hon. Louisa Hay of Clyffe Hall.

Help Us Discover More

Visitors are warmly encouraged to bring along to any events you may have relating to James Lye:

  • Family Memories
  • Photographs
  • Catalogues or Descriptive lists (we know James Lye issued descriptive lists)
  • Correspondence, letters or notes from James or relating to his Fuchias
  • Property Deeds or legal documents signed by or include James Lye
  • Exhibition Catalogues / Show Cards or Prize Cards

Even small fragments of information can help build a fuller picture of James Lye’s life and work. Previously unknown material has surfaced before, so your contribution however small could be the next link in discovering more about James Lye’s remarkable life and career.

Travelling to Market Lavington

Market Lavington is easily reached from Devizes, Trowbridge, Westbury, Salisbury, Pewsey and the wider Wiltshire area, making the weekend accessible for visitors across the county.

Connecting Wiltshire – Travel made simple

Join Us in Market Lavington This April

The Weekend offers a rare chance to explore the life of one of Wiltshire’s most skilled Victorian gardeners, through the places he lived, the plants he created and the community he shaped.

Tags: