Trace details in nature that inspired William Morris and the Arts & Crafts movement as we walk along the Thames River Path
Discover the charming gardens and collections at Kelmscott Manor, described by William Morris as 'the loveliest haunt of ancient peace'
View exquisite Pre-Raphaelite artwork at Buscot Park, the Ashmolean museum and Oxford colleges
“This tour coincides with the 150th anniversary of William Morris first seeing the old house at Kelmscott. I cannot think of a better time to visit, when the meadows are full of buttercups and the roses are starting to open”
– Tour Director Suzanne Fagence Cooper
We are delighted to introduce a brand new exploration of William Morris and the Arts & Crafts movement through a selection of Thames Path walks from Oxford to Kelmscott Manor. These routes will showcase the enduring beauty of the environment that directly influenced these artists. Each day we will balance a leisurely walk with visits to museums, churches and country houses, tracing key motifs and developing a deep appreciation of the natural features that were so vital to the work of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the Arts & Crafts movement of the late 19th century.
Our first journey on foot will begin at Port Meadow, the ancient grazing land located on the edge of Oxford. We will immerse ourselves in nature, walking at a gentle pace, extracting small details in foliage and observing wildlife as we walk. William Morris's daughter, May, remembered the artist and designer’s great affection for the landscape of 'The Stripling Thames' and observed how “Knee deep grows the flowered grass...the quivering of the warm air alive with butterflies”.
During our walks we will encounter medieval buildings and churches loved by Morris, like the Tithe barn at Great Coxwell. We also hope to enjoy a visit to Buscot Park, home to Edward Burne-Jones's 'Briar Rose' paintings, works by John William Waterhouse and other Pre-Raphaelite treasures.
We will spend time in Oxford, where William Morris studied and where he met his great friend Edward Burne-Jones and his wife, Jane Burden. Here we will visit the Ashmolean Museum, viewing the magnificent collection of Pre-Raphaelite work, as well as murals painted by Morris, Dante Gabriel Rossetti and their friends at the Oxford Union.
At the heart of the tour lies the magnificent Kelmscott Manor, Morris’s beloved country home, which he fondly described as 'Heaven on Earth'. It houses original furniture, ceramics, metalworks and needlework creations by Jane and May Morris. When exploring Kelmscott and its gardens, it will not be long before elements of Morris’s work come to life before our eyes. The trailing flowers and flowing water are reminiscent of his wallpaper and tile designs, and the sight of thrushes stealing fruit from the kitchen garden inspired his popular 'Strawberry Thief' pattern.
We will stay throughout at the four-star Courtyard by Marriott Oxford City Centre. With smart and modern interiors, our hotel enjoys a quiet location with a waterside setting, just a short walk from many of our visits.
Suzanne Fagence Cooper
Suzanne is a curator and historian whose specialisms include 19th and 20th century British art.
This tour will be led by Suzanne Fagence Cooper, MA, PhD, a curator and historian whose specialisms include 19th and 20th century British art. She is an Arts Society accredited lecturer and author of How We Might Live: At Home with Jane and William Morris (2022).
Listen below to Suzanne's episode about Jane and William Morris on the hit podcast Travels Through Time, sponsored by ACE Cultural Tours.
5
£1895
WATP-26
