In January 1965 'The Chiltern Antiques Group' met for the first time, at Chenies Manor.  In the following two years other societies with similar objectives were formed.  Following a visit to Windsor Castle, where the policeman at the gate said, "Are you the antique ladies?" the Group thought it was time to change its name!  It became the Chiltern Decorative & Fine Arts Society.
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In 1968 the societies formed an association of societies under the name of the National  Association of Decorative & Fine Arts Societies (NADFAS).  It retained that name for fifty years before re-branding itself as The Arts Society.
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We can do no better than reproduce the published history of 'The Chiltern Antiques Group' to see how the The Arts Society developed.