Kelmscott Manor

Kelmscott Manor, a grade 1 listed Tudor farmhouse adjacent to the River Thames, was the summer home of William Morris from 1871 until his death in 1896. Morris loved the house as a work of true craftsmanship, totally unspoilt and unaltered, and in harmony with the village and the surrounding countryside.

William Morris considered it so natural in its setting as to be almost organic, it looked to him as if it had 'grown up out of the soil'; and with 'quaint garrets amongst great timbers of the roof where of old times the tillers and herdsmen slept'.

The house contains an outstanding collection of the possessions and work of Morris and his associates, including furniture, original textiles, carpets and ceramics.

The Manor is surrounded by beautiful gardens with barns, dovecote, a meadow and a stream. The garden was a constant source of inspiration to Morris and the images are reflected in his textile and wallpaper designs.

William Morris called the village of Kelmscott 'a heaven on earth'. His delight in its discovery can still be felt by the visitor today. The Manor is the most evocative of all the houses associated with William Morris.