08 Oct William Morris

William Morris, born in London in 1834, was a popular poet and novelist, helping to establish the modern fantasy genre with works such as The Well at the World’s End (1896). These days he’s better known for his pioneering work in wallpaper and textile design and as founder of the Arts & Crafts movement. In 1859-60 Morris helped design and build Red House in Bexleyheath (15 miles southeast of London). His home for five years, it’s now an Arts & Crafts building of architectural and social significance (owned and managed by the National Trust).

In 1871 Morris rented Kelmscott Manor in the village of Kelmscott, Oxfordshire. Today it houses a collection of furniture, pictures and textiles, including many created by Morris himself. Following his death in 1896 at the age of 62, Morris was buried in St George’s Church Kelmscott. In addition to Red House and Kelmscott Manor, your next literary tour of England should also include a visit to the wonderful William Morris Gallery, housed in his childhood home in north London, displaying a splendid collection of Morris’s work.