Kelmscott Manor

This morning I went with a small group to visit Kelmscott Manor just outside Oxford (about 45 minutes into the countryside). "Kelmscott Manor is the country home of William Morris - poet, craftsman and socialist - from 1871 until his death in 1896. The house contains a collection of the possessions and works of Morris and his associates, including furniture, textiles, carpets and ceramics."

It was a very interesting place to visit although surprisingly crowded for a Wednesday morning in the middle of nowhere. I finally persuaded the property manager to allow our group to visit the house in a timely manner (we were on a deadline and there was a long queue). It was well worth the effort. I really enjoyed seeing all Morris' designs in the wallpaper and fabric wall hangings. There were also a number of tapestries made by Morris or members of his family. In addition to the pieces of Morris' craftsmanship, there were many paintings and drawings by his friends Edward Burne-Jones and Dante Gabriel Rossetti. The house itself was really quaint and comfortable.