THE Ledbury branch of the U3A visited the home of the Victorian writer, designer and socialist, William Morris, last week.

The trip, on Thursday May 5, was to Kelmscott Manor in Oxfordshire, where Morris lived from 1871 until his death in 1896.

A Ledbury U3A spokesman said: "Today it is owned by the Society of Antiquities of London. A group of nearly fifty members of the U3A took advantage of the opportunity to visit this delightful abode.

"It was a beautiful warm spring day, such a change after so much recent cold and rain."

The spokesman added: "After an introductory talk in a barn, refreshments were had outside under blossom-laden trees, followed by a tour of the house with helpful guides provided in the rooms which were filled with a variety of furniture, tapestries and embroideries, all worked by the Morris family.

"After lunch at the café, came an exploration of the gardens and a walk to the banks of the Thames close by. Some ventured a little further to the village and parish church."

The journey home was a ‘mystery’ tour, which included the Cotswold Discovery Centre located at the Old Prison in Northleach."