Art lives on but life is short

Back together again and out exploring

The entrance way

Can you find the wombat?

Secret views abound

My favourite room

From the back garden

New skills

Ladywell Lodge tea with William Morris placemats

Its bright and sunny, with a wicked wind blowing. We are on our way to visit William Morris’ house in Bexleyheath. 

William Morris moved out of London to the boondocks in 1860. His home was frequented by all the pre-Raphaelite painters like Dante Gabriel Rossetti and I have read many stories about their bohemian parties over the years. Wiliam’s designs are exquisite, I have always loved his bird prints the most.

We arrive just in time for a tour.  Our guide is Valerie and we can tell from the start that she is top notch and knows her history. William lived here at the start of his career when he started the William Morris company. He designed the building with his mate, the architect Phillip Webb after they has a few holidays to France to check out styles (as one does). We explore every nook and cranny of the house with Valerie, snapping away. Windows with garden views, seats to do tapestry in, doorways with mottos like art lives on but life is short and medieval touches everywhere, the turrets on the staircase are a work of art in themselves. Every inch of the house has thoughtful details that functional well, William’s motto was everything has to be useful and beautiful. He achieved that aim with Red House.

The national trust is restoring a lot of the murals that have been painted over with white by subsequent owners. We finally arrive at the mural I have been waiting for, the one with a wombat. As many of the artists who frequented the house where obsessed with wombats. Alas there is no wombat here, looks way more like a dog to me.

Now onto explore the garden and play a spot of croquet on the lush green lawn. Finally we pack our cameras away and head for home to finish the day with a traditional Ladywell Lodge tea.