Kelmscott Manor

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Overview

Dating from 1570, Kelmscott Manor was Arts & Crafts pioneer William Morris's country home from 1871. Built of local grey limestone, with mullioned windows and high pointed gables topped by ball finials, Morris loved the mellow old manor for its integrity and austerity, and for the harmony of the house within its setting, which he described as almost as if 'it had grown up out of the soil'. Throughout his life, working with great Pre-Raphaelite artists such as Edward Burne-Jones and Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Morris dedicated himself to a movement against what he saw as the vulgar tastes of his day, with its sentimentality and clutter. Kelmscott Manor perfectly evokes this movement, containing an outstanding collection of Morris’s works, including furniture, and textiles and personal possessions, as well as those of his Arts & Crafts associates.

Ratings & awards

Green Tourism Silver

Features

Opening Times
Opening Times: Open Apr–Oct, Wed & Sat 11–5

Facilities
Parking nearby
Cafe

Children

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Location

KELMSCOTT, GL7 3HJ

About the area

Located at the heart of England, Oxfordshire enjoys a rich heritage and varied scenery, with Oxford’s elegant streets a highlight for visitors. The landscape encompasses open chalk downland, picturesque rivers and attractive villages, while northwest of Oxfordshire is home to the sleepy backwaters of Abingdon, Wallingford, Wantage, Watlington and Witney that reveal how Oxfordshire’s old towns evolved over the centuries.