Kelmscott Manor

Kelmscott Manor, home of Jane and William Morris and their two daughters, May and Jenny, from 1871 until 1896, is no ordinary house. It feels like a time capsule showcasing the best of Arts and Crafts designs. Beautifully crafted furniture like the castle-shaped oak table in the upstairs sitting room, hand-sewn tapestries covering the walls and the bed frames, hand-painted medieval-style chests and coffers, curtains and carpets in the unmistakable Morris design.

The original H-shaped farmhouse, built between 1580 and 1630, was extended in the 17th century. When Morris saw the manor he described it as ‘the loveliest haunt of ancient peace’.

The Green Room, the ground-floor sitting room, exemplifies Morris’s approach to interior design – a simple, uncluttered space bringing together an eclectic mix of period ceramics, paintings and furniture, together with a medieval-style ‘If I Can’ embroidered hanging.

On the first floor the hangings around the 17th-century carved four-poster bed were embroidered by May with a verse specially composed by Morris, revealing his deep affection for Kelmscott Manor, but also reminding us that his wife and the two daughters, who later took over Kelmscott, were skilled designers and seamstresses in their own right.

The fabric of the building needed preservation when the Society of Antiquities took it over in 1962, and the elm rafters in the attic were extensively repaired. Some of us were brave enough to climb the split staircase, specially designed by Peter Locke, to view the attic rooms where Jenny and May would have slept.

Despite a cold wind blowing through the branches, the flowered garden was flooded with suffused sunlight and was so peaceful that members of our party chose to eat the excellent lunch provided outside. All that could be heard was the cawing of the rooks nesting above our heads. This was an informative visit, thanks to the enthusiastic guides – and an enjoyable day out, thanks to Deanne.

by Beryl Sinclair