The Bedroom
This was Dorothy’s room and you can see a portrait of her above the dressing table. Emery slept in the room above on the top floor, which was originally a servant’s room and now serves as the Trust’s offices.
Dorothy slept in a lovely Cotswold bed made by Sidney Barnsley which has now returned to the house on loan from the V&A, who eventually acquired it after she gave it away in the 1950s in lieu of architect's fees.
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The room features original Morris & Co. Daisy wallpaper, Sussex rush chairs and a Webb bookcase.
Look down and you will see the floor is covered in layers of rugs of all types which posed conservation problems. When the Trust first took care of the House, there were serious infestations in the textiles and they all had to be removed and treated. The silver lining to this story was that major discoveries were made during this time, including a Morris carpet with a very rare, possibly unique design.
Look out for
Crewel worked bedcover
This was made by May Morris for Mrs Walker when she was bedridden at the end of her life. It is a similar design to the one May and her mother Jane made for William Morris’s bed at Kelmscott Manor years earlier. The bed cover was used as the pall on Mrs Walker’s coffin in 1920, on Emery’s in 1933, Dorothy’s in 1963 and finally on Elizabeth de Haas’s in 1999.
Silk cushion
This silk cushion was designed by May Morris and embroidered by Dorothy Walker – it clearly illustrates their creativity and also their close relationship.
Sussex chairs and Rossetti armchair
These were part of a large collection featured in the Morris & Co catalogue. The Sussex chairs have rush seats, and black, ebonised wood, inspired by early 19th century prototypes. The Rossetti armchair has a distinctive curved back. See if you can match them to the catalogue pictured here.