What do we know about the house in Morris's lifetime? The three storey Georgian villa with stable, kitchen gardens and pleasure ground comprising eight acres, was actually a step down for the family. They had been living in a much grander house in Woodford when Morris's father died, and to downsize his mother moved back to Walthamstow. But it would have been an idyllic place to grow up. The extensive gardens included a medieval moat, where Morris and his brothers would go fishing. The grand staircase with its deep window boxes was a favourite place to sit and read.

Little is known about the interior. Mrs Morris moved to Leyton when Morris was in his early twenties, before his interior design business was even established. Later Morris homes, such as the excellent Red House, Kelmscott Manor and Kelmscott House, are much better placed to show how his ideas on design influenced his home and vice versa. The Gallery's strength lies instead in offering a comprehensive overview of the artist's life, bringing together the wide range of his activities and interests.

Starting with his childhood in Walthamstow, the thematic displays explain his reasons for becoming an artist, and the story of 'the Firm'. Morris Marshall Faulkner and Co, which later became Morris & Co, produced wallpapers - such as the daisy design illustrated below - printed and woven textiles, tapestry, embroideries, carpets, tiles, stained glass and furniture. The displays explore the radical ideas behind the designs, as well as the extraordinary lengths Morris went to ensure the quality of his products. The collection enables us to trace his process; from working drawings, scaled cartoons, tools and printing blocks to the final products and the stories of those who bought them.

But there was more to Morris than design. In his own time he was best known as a poet and writer. He loved medieval literature and travelled to Iceland to visit the saga sites. Frustrated with the poor quality of mass produced goods, he set up his own printing press to make beautiful books. Always concerned with creating a better world, Morris 'crossed the river of fire' and became a radical socialist when he was nearly 50. He focused his tremendous energies on helping to create a free and fair world where all people are equal. He also fought for preservation of heritage and the environment.

Today the William Morris Gallery is the only public museum devoted to his work and its collection is internationally renowned. A busy exhibition, events and education programme explores how Morris's concerns and actions relate to issues society faces today. For more information on our programme and collections please visit our website.