14th May 2025: Kelmscott Manor and Buscot Park

Kelmscott Manor dates from 1570 with a late 17th century wing, it is a grade 1 listed, and is on the National Heritage list for England. It became the country retreat of renowned writer, designer and activist of William Morris in 1874.

He and his family lived there until his death in 1896, and it became known as Morris’ ‘Heaven on Earth’. It served as a great inspiration for him and spawned numerous designs and writings. We will have a guided tour followed by lunch after which we will go by coach to Buscot Park.

Buscot Park is a late 18th century house built for a local landowner, Edward Townsend. The estate was purchased by Lord Farringdon in 1889 who greatly enlarged the house and commissioned Harold Pete to design the famous Italianate water garden.

He was a significant collector of Victorian and Old Master paintings by Rembrandt, Botticelli and pre-Raphaelite works including Sir Edward Burne-Jones series, ‘The Legend of the Briar Rose’. A talk explaining the collection, house and gardens has been arranged for us, after which we will be free to explore.

Ticket details and pricing information will be available soon.