1884 -1914, Farnham, Russell House, and the Abbot’s Grange, Broadway, England
Broadway, England was for the Millet’s one of the most important and productive places of their lives.
Before the Millet’s purchased Russell House, they first rented Farnham House, which is located right at the entrance to the Cotswold Village of Broadway, England. It was in the garden of this home that John Singer Sargent began possibly his most famous painting “Carnation Lily Lily Rose,” Then the following two years he worked on the painting in the garden of Russell House, where he painted at the same time each afternoon so he could capture the right light.
Farnham in the 1880’s
The main fireplace inside Farnham House, Broadway.
Description
For the decade following the Millet’s arrival in Broadway as Henry James the famous 19th Century author wrote, Lily and Frank Millet formed the center of an amazing group of artists, actors, writers and other luminaries that gravitated to Broadway each summer season. They painted, held costume parties, musical performances, readings and more. It has been suggested that Mark Twain a life long friend of Franks, wrote the first chapters of “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court” where he then read them at special readings in Russell House.
The front and Back of Russell House in the 1800’s and in 2019
Parties were important to all the friends who gathered in Russell House, and they had easy access to the 2,000 period costumes in Frank’s collection.
Behind Russell House, Lily kept a small lily pond, flower garden and a fruit orchard.
Frank had a long brick wall built, running along a gravel path to the Abbot’s Grange which was literally falling down when they moved in. Edwin Abbey, noted artist and friend, was an early partner in the acquisition of Russell House. It was Abbey that brought Sargent to Russell House. Subsequently, Sargent bought the home next to Russell House and Abbey painted one of his lovers paintings, “Mayday Morning,” on the path, in front of the wall.
The Abbot’s Grange was the oldest building in Broadway. Built in the 14th Century as a summer home for the Abbot of Pershore. When restored, the Grange building became the perfect place for Frank to paint many of his genre paintings and large murals.
The Grange today…
You can still play croquet on the back lawn, just like the Millets did at their parties.
Inside the Grange the large hall was big enough for Millet to paint his large mural commissions. This is “Entering the Harbor” for the ceiling of the Baltimore Customs House.
The old Tudor beams arch over the living room in the Grange today, which is a first class hotel.
Two of the rooms in the Grange, that show one of several fireplaces and the arched windows that show up in many of Millet’s paintings.
Walking back on the gravel path to Russell House from the Grange, a glimpse of the remaining portions of the brick wall, on one side of the path and last few fruit trees from the orchard grace the fields behind Russell House.
For those who wish to know more about Broadway and the Grange the following links will be very interesting:
AN ARTISTS’ COLONY IN BROADWAY, WORCESTERSHIRE: 1885-1889 https://transatlanticmodernbroadway.wordpress.com/
The Abbots Grange Manor House hotel: https://www.abbotsgrange.com/history