Kelmscott House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kelmscott House |
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| General information | |
| Location | London, England |
| Address | 26, Upper Mall |
| Completed | c. 1785 |
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| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 3 |
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Listed Building – Grade II*
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| Official name | Kelmscott House |
| Designated | 17 June 1954 |
| Reference no. | 1193040 |
Kelmscott House is a beautiful old brick mansion located at 26 Upper Mall in Hammersmith, London. It looks out over the River Thames. This building was constructed around 1785 and is a great example of Georgian architecture. It is also a Grade II* listed building, which means it's very important historically and architecturally.
From 1878 to 1896, Kelmscott House was the London home of William Morris. He was a famous English artist, writer, and textile designer. He was also a socialist, which means he believed in a society where everyone is equal and shares resources.
The house was first called The Retreat. William Morris later changed its name to Kelmscott House. He named it after a village in Oxfordshire called Kelmscott, where he also had a home called Kelmscott Manor since 1871.
Close to Kelmscott House, William Morris started his own printing business. It was called the Kelmscott Press. He began this "adventure in printing" at 16 Upper Mall in 1891.
Who Lived Here Before?
Kelmscott House has had several interesting owners over the years. The family of Sir Francis Ronalds once owned the property. In 1816, Sir Francis Ronalds built the first electric telegraph in the garden of the house. This was a very early way to send messages using electricity.
Later, from 1867, the house was known as The Retreat. It became the family home of George MacDonald. He was a poet, minister, and novelist. While living there, he wrote two of his most popular books for children. These were At the Back of the North Wind (published in 1871) and The Princess and the Goblin (published in 1873).
William Morris moved into Kelmscott House in October 1878. He lived there until he passed away in October 1896.
Kelmscott House Today
Today, Kelmscott House is still a private home. However, parts of the building are open to the public. The basement and the old coach house entrance are now the headquarters for the William Morris Society. This society helps people learn about William Morris and his work.
You can visit the William Morris Society's premises. They are open on Thursday and Saturday afternoons. The society sometimes takes part in events to honor William Morris's ideas. For example, they temporarily brought back a local group called the Socialist League (UK, 1885) to join a protest in London in 2011. They also showed their banner again in October 2012.
