The Arts & Crafts Movement in Great Britain 1850-1915 - Buildings

Rodmarton

darylb — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 20:50:23 +0000

RODMARTON MANOR, near Cirencester in Gloucestershire, is one of the largest Arts and Crafts County Houses and was one of the last to be built. It was designed by Ernest Barnsley and built in the traditional style in which everything was done by hand with local stone, local timber and local craftsmen. Machine production, including the use of the circular saw was not allowed, all timber being sawn in a sawpit. Adrian Tinniswood has asked whether or not the two men who slaved in the sawpit with a two handed saw, to cut the timber really appreciated the stance against the Machine Age adopted by Barnsley in his approach to constructing the house. See Reading.

Over the 20 years that it took to build the house many people were involved in building, woodwork, metalwork, needlework, painting, gardening, all done to a very high standard. Most of the furniture was made specially for the house, either in the Rodmarton workshops, or made by Sidney Barnsley, Edward Barnsley or Peter Waals. Some furniture was bought after the house was built but all pieces are directly or indirectly attributable to the original craftsmen or people who had connections with them such as Harry Davoll, Owen Scrubey, Oliver Morel.

The building was commended by C.R. Ashbee in 1914 as showing the English Arts and Crafts Movement at its best. For further information and visiting times please check the website below.

Rodmarton

The Red House

darylb — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 20:50:23 +0000

The Red House is perhaps the most famous Arts and Crafts House. It was designed by Philip Webb for William Morris in 1860 and built at Bexleyheath in Kent. The House is Gothic in flavour having pointed arches and steeply pitched roofs with an ornamental well and courtyard. The red tiles and red bricks with which it is constructed were carefully selected and arranged to give variation of colour and avoid the impression of mechanised uniformity. Stained glass and bulls eye glass are used in the windows and interior corridors.

The interior of the house was decorated with murals painted by Burne Jones and Rossetti. Much of the furniture and some of the glass and metalwork were designed by Webb. Morris also contributed, and installed the big white settle which he designed for Red Lion Square. Morris and his wife Janey worked together on wall hangings and embroidery in medieval themes and friends were frequently called upon to assist the decoration of walls and ceilings.

The Friends of the Redhouse website has more detailed description of the house and gardens and identifies interesting features which include The Gallery. It is interesting to note that at the end of the gallery is a glazed screen leading through to the entrance hall. Careful observers will see, scratched into the glass, the signatures of visitors from the early 1890s. These include Arthur Lazenby Liberty, May Morris, and Georgie Burne-Jones. Another noticeable feature is the large brick fireplace with, over the top of it, the motto Ars Longa, Vita Brevis translated either as Art is Long, Life is Short or The life so short, the craft so long to learn. Perhaps the use of mottos and inscriptions influenced Lasenby Liberty who clearly favoured the use of mottos in many designs for furniture and interiors produced by Liberty and Co. The house and contents has certainly been a source of inspiration to many people.

The house is privately owned currently but can be visited on set days by prior arrangement through the Friends of the Red House.

Friend's of The Red House Website

Standen

darylb — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 20:50:23 +0000

Standen House in Sussex was designed by Philip Webb in 1891. Described as his masterpiece, this house demonstrates Webb passion for traditional building and local materials. The interior of the house was decorated by Morris and Co with lighting by W.A.S.Benson, and furniture included pieces by Webb, George Jack as well as contemporary companies such as Heals and Maples.

Standen House is now preserved as a National Trust Building and is a showpiece of the Arts & Crafts Movement. It is decorated throughout with Morris carpets, fabrics and wallpapers, complemented by contemporary paintings, tapestries and furniture. The house retains many of its original electrical fittings.

To learn more about Standen and to check visiting times please visit the National Trust website.

National Trust Handbook description of Standen

Wightwick Manor

darylb — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 20:50:23 +0000

Built in 1887,Wightwick Manor, in Staffordshire was decorated by its owners, Theodore and Flora Manders using Morris and Co for many of the furnishings. Later additions to the building included the Great Parlour which was designed in the style of a Tudor Hall with screens, a minstrel gallery and exposed roof timbers. With Inglenook fireplaces, oak paneling and the frequent use of carved mottos the house must have been a source of inspiration for later Arts and Crafts Architects and designers.

The house today presents one of the most complete Morris interiors with decorations,light fittings, wall coverings, embroidery and upholstery by the firm which worked on the house, on an off for 40 years. The House also includes a collections of Pre Raphaelite art, Ceramics by William De Morgan, and hand knotted carpets by William Morris.

For further information and details of visiting times please check the National Trust website.

National Trust Handbook description of Wightwick

Charles Rennie Mackintosh Buildings

darylb — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 20:50:23 +0000

Hunterian Gallery

Glasgow School of Art

The Willow Tea rooms

The Hill House