Garsington Manor

Garsington Manor, in the village of Garsington, near Oxford, England, is a Tudor building, best known as the former home of Lady Ottoline Morrell.

Related Topics:
Garsington - Oxford, England - Tudor - Ottoline Morrell

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The manor house was built on land once owned by the son of the poet Geoffrey Chaucer, and at one time had the name "Chaucers". Lady Ottoline and her husband, Philip Morrell, bought the manor house in 1914, at which time it was in a state of disrepair, having been in use as a farmhouse. They completely restored it, creating landscaped Italian-style gardens, and it became a haven for their friends, including D.H. Lawrence, Siegfried Sassoon, Lytton Strachey, Aldous Huxley and Bertrand Russell. In 1916, they invited conscientious objectors, including Clive Bell and other bloomsberries, to come and work on the home farm for the duration of the war, so as to avoid prosecution. The Morrells moved out in 1928. Aldous Huxley spent time here before he wrote Crome Yellow.

Related Topics:
Manor house - Geoffrey Chaucer - Philip Morrell - 1914 - Garden - D.H. Lawrence - Siegfried Sassoon - Lytton Strachey - Aldous Huxley - Bertrand Russell - Conscientious objector - Clive Bell - Bloomsberries - 1928

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In 1982 Garsington Manor was bought by Leonard Ingrams, who at that time was a member of Barings, a long-established Merchant Bank, and who in 1989 founded Garsington Opera. The family has become well-known for organising this annual season of opera in the manor gardens, and also for letting the local Amateur Dramatics Society and The Church use the grounds.

Related Topics:
Leonard Ingrams - Barings - Merchant Bank - 1989 - Garsington Opera

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Leonard Ingrams died after a heart attack on 27 July 2005 at the age of 63. His surviving brother is Richard Ingrams, the founder of Private Eye. It is understood that Garsington Opera intends to continue.

Related Topics:
Leonard Ingrams - 27 July 2005 - Richard Ingrams - Private Eye - Garsington Opera

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