Staff were welcoming and informative, and of course the exterior was as lovely as ever. But having visited several times in the past (all previous visits over ten years ago) I was profoundly disappointed by the changes that have been made to the interior. So much of the warmth I have always associated with Kelmscott Manor has been lost. I was told by the guides that the changes were made in order to comply with requirements for securing Heritage Lottery funding (which required it to be restored to reflect more closely how it would actually have looked when Morris lived there). That is all well and good, but as a result of the removal of so many of Morris & Co.'s wonderful artefacts, the spirit of what Morris was trying to achieve has somehow been lost. It has been rendered spartan, and there is no sense of its having been a 'lived in' house now at all, for me. A classic case of 'in striving to do better, oft we mar what's well,' alas!

We visited on a Wednesday as part of a Tour Group. A quality Lunch was laid on in the Barn as part of our organised visit. The home made biscuits for morning coffee were divine. The house is owned by the Society of Antiquaries and benefitted from a lottery grant to restore the legacy of William Morris. The tour guides are very knowledgeable about WM, his family and the Arts and Crafts movement. The garden where he drew his inspiration is free to explore. Situated in a small village there is car park a short stroll away with a free mini bus for those who require assistance. The family grave is in the Church yard near the Car Park. Kelmscott is well worth a visit if you are interested in Morris and by association the Pre Raphaelites. Everyone on site was keen to share their enthusiasm and there was a gift shop where I happily bought a Tea Towel Gift…100% Linen and Made in the UK.

When we arrived, the lady explained it would be an hour before we could enter the house. Seemed a bit odd and like she was explaining we might be bored. She was right. Very underwhelming gardens and small tea facilities with such a large queue we couldn’t be bothered. We sat for 45 minutes just waiting for house entry. Although beautiful outside, the inside is sparse and the blinds were down so it was too dark to see anything anyway. Not at all the experience we were expecting. Very disappointed.

Beautiful Manor house set in a quiet rural location. Grounds have some lovely plants, and the house is 'ok'. If you go to the tearoom then be prepared to que up as there was only one drinks machine being operated by 3 people! Overall, it was a nice place, but I do not think it was worth the entrance fee.

I`m a huge Morris/Arts & Crafts/ Pre Raphs fan, so having been to his birthplace in Walthamstow, Kelmscott House in Hammersmith, and The Red House in Bexleyheath, this was a must. I can see why Morris chose Kelmscott Manor, it`s in a lovely setting, a short walk from the car park, which somehow adds to the experience. I had pre booked on-line and the pdf was scanned on arrival at my allotted time. I was not disappointed by the house and garden and the exhibits, and the guides were friendly and keen to share their knowledge. I would n`t have known where the Morris grave is for example ( in the churchyard by the carpark). I really enjoyed my visit.