The Red House
The Red House
Client: The National Trust
Services:
Brickwork
Lime Mortar
Maintenance
An important example of grand architecture, hailing from the Arts & Crafts period in the 19th Century, The National Trust required a specialist team to restore the condition and appearance of external walls of the Grade 1 residence, ensuring any new repairs and materials blended precisely with the original build. There were areas of considerable disrepair, with deeply recessed mortar joints, with spalled and decayed brickwork.
A large part of the project to source the correct brick and mortar. Working with the National Trust a brick sample was sent to a laboratory so replacement bricks could be sourced from the same clay. While the selected mortar was subjected to a disaggregation test to determine aggregate type and percentage of lime content.
A sample brick was taken so replacement bricks were sourced from the same clay
Project Gallery
About The Red House
The Red House Bexleyheath holds a significant place the Arts and Crafts movement, during the Victorian age. Designed by renowned British architect Philip Webb, in collaboration with his close friend William Morris, the founder of the Arts and Crafts movement. Built between 1859 and 1860 for Morris himself, it showcases an impressive blend of traditional craftsmanship and innovative design approaches for the period. The artist Edward Burne-Jones described it as ‘the beautifullest place on earth.’
The construction materials were drawn specifically from local sources, to create harmony with the natural surroundings of Kent. A distinct red brick façade, steep gables, intricate wooden details, and leaded windows hosting delicate stained-glass designs inspired by nature – each element of the Red House reflects an unwavering commitment to both aesthetic beauty and functional practicality.
Inside the Red House offers an equally captivating setting that draws on Morris’s vision of unity between artistry and daily life. Every room is adorned with handcrafted furnishings that bearing intricate attention to detail – from intricately carved cabinetry displaying floral motifs to textiles featuring timeless patterns designed by Morris himself, embroidered by Jane and Elizabeth Burden. The house boasts a healthy presence of original paintings by Edward Burne-Jones.
Now in the stewardship of the National Trust, the Red House and fine gardens are open to public view and continue to provide an unmatchable expression of Arts & Craft development.