Red House (exterior)

The sun was shining this weekend, so we took a trip to a couple of National Trust properties. First up, Red House in Bexleyheath.  

Commissioned by William Morris, Red House is a significant example of Art and Crafts architecture. Completed in 1860 the unique design rejected the conventional both Victorian industrialism and Georgian symmetry.  

For more photos, see under the jump:-

The front of the house isn't much to look at, the main feature is a hobbit-hole like door, the sides and back of the property are a lot more interesting, a real mismatch of windows and roofs.

By design none of the windows in house line up, as both the architect, Philip Webb and William Morris wanted to create something new, free from the tyranny of symmetry that dominated architecture at the time. I like how quirky the house looks.  

The house was off-grid for many years, so the well provided all the water for the household. 

There's just something really happy about daffodils.

The property sits in two acres of pleasant gardens. I could really imagine it as a family home, it's a lot more modest than some of the other National Trust properties, with only four bedrooms.

The garden is still a bit dead, but the blossom is out so it won't be long until it's in full bloom. I quite like visiting places when it's like this, less chance of been attacked by wasps, (I'm currently hiding from a GIANT wasp that's taken over my bathroom) and as the house as beehives in the gardens you may want to eat your picnic in the car.

Another thing you may want to be aware of when planning your visit is there is no on site parking, though it is easy enough to find somewhere in the residential area nearby. 

You can just visit the gardens, but I won't bother they're quite small and there wouldn't be enough room to play games etc. it's only worth going to if you go for a tour of the house as well.