The Red House was designed for William Morris by his architect friend Philip Webb in 1859. It is a seminal Arts and Crafts building and garden, the earliest expression of the group of ideas which came to transform garden design after 1880. Since the gardens produced under the influence of the Arts and Crafts style can be regarded as among the finest ever to have been made in England, this is a place of importance in the history of garden design. The house was lived in by Ted Hollamby for many years, including the time he was chief architect and planner to the London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC). He cared for the Red House garden and respected its arts and crafts aesthetic.
