The Romantic Homes of William Wordsworth

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Jun 22, 1999

William Wordsworth was one of England's most influential poets. His poetry is a tribute to nature and the simple things in life. He believed that imagination is vital to happiness and his poetry often reflected this notion. He became a poet laureate in 1842.

Born on April 7, 1770, he was the second of five children. When he was eight years old, his mother died and the children were split up and sent to live with relatives. Wordsworth's first poetry was published when he was 23 years old. Five years later, in 1798, he and fellow poet and lifelong friend Samuel Taylor Coleridge published Lyrical Ballads, a volume of poetry that is said to have launched the Romantic period of literature.

Three homes where poet William Wordsworth lived are open for public tours and hold great interest for the literary tourist.

Birthplace

Wordsworth House Main Street Cockermouth, CA13 9RX Telephone: 01900 824805

William Wordsworth lived in this beautiful two-story home for the first eight years of his life. Built in 1745 for the High Sheriff of Cumberland, the home remained a private residence until the late 1930s when it became property of the National Trust. In 1939 this house was dedicated as a memorial to the popular poet and opened for public tours. A gift shop and restaurant are open for the convenience of tourists. The home is open for tours from March through November.

To commemorate the 200th anniversary of the poet's birth, a bronze bust was constructed in the park across from the house.

Dove Cottage Grasmere, Cumbria LA22 9SH Telephone: 015394 35544

This stone and slate building was used as an inn for over 170 years before becoming the home of William Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy in 1799. Here Wordsworth wrote many of his poems and entertained colleagues such as Walter Scott, Charles and Mary Lamb, and Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

While living here, Wordsworth married and had three children. Providing residence for family and friends, by 1808, Dove Cottage had become too small and the Wordsworths moved to Allan Bank, a home that is now privately owned and not open for public tours.

Wordsworth was quite a gardener, enjoying the beauty of flowers and trees. The garden at Dove Cottage is a popular tourist site. In 1981 the cottage opened for public tours. A tea room and gift shop are open to the public. The Cottage and Museum are open daily (except for December 24-26, January 10, and February 6) from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Last guests are received at 5.00 p.m.