William Morris, ‘Kelmscott Manor and the Idea of the Beautiful House’ – Speaker: Dr John Maddison

The lecture explores Morris’s developing sensitivity to historic domestic architecture through his own homes, from the romantic Gothic medievalism of Red House to a profound understanding of the beauty and simplicity of traditional vernacular architecture at Kelmscott Manor in Oxfordshire.

Once his former friend Rossetti had given up both his relationship with Jane and the co-tenancy of Kelmscott, the house became a sanctuary – almost a spouse – for Morris, whose intermittent presence there inspired the next generation of Arts and Crafts practitioners to move to the Cotswolds.

The house and village are the culmination of the dream narrative in his utopian novel News from Nowhere. The surrounding countryside inspired some of his best-loved textile and wallpaper patterns.

This is a Norfolk Churches Trust Member only event, however you can join the Trust via our website: - https://norfolkchurchestrust.org.uk/membership/

You may also like the following events from Norfolk Churches Trust:

• Next Tuesday, 2nd December, 07:00 pm, Celebrate the Start of the Christmas Season with the Norfolk Churches Trust and Wolterton Hall in Norwich

Also check out other Arts events in Thetford.