Marking 125 years of the Arts & Crafts House and the 25th anniversary of it opening to the public, a first-time exhibition dedicated to the house’s designer M H Baillie Scott will open in September.
The heritage house in the Lake District, with views across Lake Windermere, was designed as a holiday home in 1901 in Mackay Hugh Baillie Scott’s signature Art & Crafts style.
M H Baillie Scott: Architect & Designer will see a wide range of work by the renowned British architect and designer displayed together in the house that he designed 125 years ago.
Groups will be able to see his ideas, interiors, bespoke furniture and intricate designs on show as part of the exhibition which opens on 18th September and runs until 20th March 2027.
The exhibition offers a chance to see his vision in action, with individual pieces displayed in rooms as intended, rather than in traditional gallery spaces. Items will include a dresser and secretaire, both crafted in 1901, a stained glass window, and a delicately painted hessian frieze wall hanging.
The house itself is also on display, and key areas that showcase the architect’s style, such as the bay window overlooking Lake Windermere, will be highlighted.
Group visits at Blackwell
For the last 25 years, Blackwell - the Arts & Craft House has been open to public, hosting a rolling programme of contemporary craft exhibitions and housing works by design masters, including ceramics by Pilkingtons and Ruskin Pottery, metalwork by William Arthur Smith Benson, furniture by Morris and Co. and Baillie Scott himself.
Groups can tour the house and neighbouring Broad Leys, the private residence designed by renowned architect C.F.A. Voysey which is not normally open to the public, on the Arts & Crafts Houses Tour. Guides will provide insight into the craftsmanship, stories, and design details of these early 20th-century buildings. The tour ends with cream tea served at Blackwell’s Tea Room overlooking the lake.
Blackwell is run by Lakeland Arts, which also manages the nearby Windermere Jetty Museum and Abbot Hall. Reduced admission rates are offered to groups of 12 or more, and multi-attraction tickets are available. Entry to M H Baillie Scott: Architect & Designer will be included in standard group admission to Blackwell.
Find out more about group visits to Blackwell and other properties managed by Lakeland Arts here: lakelandarts.org.uk/visit/groups.
