Launch of the new William Morris Collection, Kelmscott Manor

We were fortunate to visit Oxfordshire’s beautiful Kelmscott Manor recently for the launch of the new Morris & Co fabric, wallpaper and paint collection for 2023, which, sadly we cannot share with you just yet. However, spending a day at the Summer residence of the arts and crafts master himself certainly warranted a blog post of its own, to share some of the beautiful furnishings in the property and also some of the sources of inspiration in the gardens, from which his fabrics were created.

Kelmscott Manor, originally a working farm, was built around 1570, with a further wing being added in the 17th Century. William Morris acquired the property in 1871, forming a joint tenancy initially with the artist Dante Gabriel Rossetti. The relationship between the two creatives was fraught with conflict, as Rossetti was having an affair with Morris’s wife, Jane. It is no surprise, therefore, that many paintings of Jane are in existence, painted by Rossetti.

Today the house is furnished as faithfully as possible to how it was in Morris’s day, with fabric wall hangings that have been in place since the 1870s, and other artefacts that have been restored and placed in accordance with photos from the Morris archives. The house is quite dark, in order to preserve the fabrics and wallpapers. Below you can see the famous “Strawberry Thief”, one of Morris’s most famous prints. Little did I know that it was inspired by the view from the privy in the garden, as William sat in contemplation one day, observing birds amongst a patch of Alpine strawberries outside the door!

The famous Strawberry Thief print

The Manor has been closed for the past two years for a huge restoration project. In one of the talks we learnt about how the print below (Fruit - the original paper to hang in Jane Morris’s bedroom) has been meticulously colour matched and printed in multiple layers by hand, to create a faithful version of the original. Traditional block printer Dave Thornton was brought out of retirement, as the finest wallpaper printer Morris & Co could find, to recreate this spectacular representation of Morris’s original design.

Fruit by William Morris, hanging in Jane Morris’s bedroom

Curtains hanging in Jane Morris’s bedroom

The house is well worth a visit if you get a chance. Not only are there some amazing wallpapers and fabrics, but also lots of paintings, and furniture designed specifically for the family.

The surrounding gardens are beautiful, and it is clear to see where Morris gained inspiration. A large weeping willow tree, pear trees, rose bushes and of course the famous strawberries adorn the grounds and even now, inspiration is drawn from these for new Morris prints.