Rodmarton Manor, Gloucestershire, was the destination for Quantock Centre members on 20 October. They admired all that comprises this “homage to the Arts and Crafts Movement”.
A grey house on a grey day turns out to have a heart of gold
We arrived in pouring rain and didn't spend long looking at the house from the outside but my impression was of a long, curved, grey building, attractive but unrelated to any particular epoch. Inside, the golden wood of the floors and furniture were a contrast to the grey stone of the exterior.
The house was built and furnished in the early 20th century by Claud Biddolph as homage to the Arts and Crafts Movement which supported handcraftsmanship and deplored mechanised mass production. Wherever possible, at Rodmarton, local people and local materials were employed and it was a delight to examine closely the structure, decoration, fabrics and especially the furniture of each room. @ First we saw the chapel which is still used occasionally. The austere bare oak pews made me hope the sermons were brief. The three reception rooms opened from the hall, all faced south and were interconnecting. Wooden panelling gave them a feeling of warmth. They were full of beautiful tables, chairs, cabinets and chests of drawers, usually made of solid oak or walnut. I was a little surprised to see a piano decorated with small painted flowers.
Upstairs were several bedrooms, with attractive handmade furniture. There were some impressive wall hangings, several worked by the Rodmarton Women's Guild.
We ended our tour with welcome tea and cakes. In the room where these were served was the latest addition to the Biddulph family, an eight-week-old daughter fast asleep in an ancient coach-built pram. Does that count as Arts and Crafts?
Ruth Adams