Barn House became a showcase of the era’s finest makers, featuring everything from William De Morgan’s iconic tiled fireplaces to rich William Morris textiles and carpets, all chosen to celebrate artistry, craftsmanship, and character.

This exhibition at Tullie will celebrate the extraordinary collection the couple assembled: furniture, textiles, metalwork and ceramics, all commissioned to reflect their vision of a “total work of art”. Unusually, the collection has survived intact, preserved by their descendants for over a century. See photographs of the house and gardens (including a very ahead of the curve squash court) from Maud’s albums and imagine what life in an arts and crafts house might have been like.

This internationally significant collection is coming to Tullie to ensure that the aesthetics, craftsmanship, and ideals that shaped Barn Close can be experienced once more.

The exhibition is part of the ‘Barn Close 125: Reclaiming Carlisle’s Arts & Crafts Legacy’ project, which is generously supported by the Paul Mellon Centre, The Headley Trust and Idlewild Trust.

Pictured: Designed by William Morris – Bird – British, Merton Abbey, Surrey – The Metropolitan Museum of Art