Wordsworth House and Garden
Museum: William Wordsworth's childhood home
Step back in time and explore Wordsworth House and Garden in the Cumbrian town of Cockermouth. This immaculately preserved Georgian townhouse was the birthplace and childhood home of romantic poet William Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy.
Romantic poet William Wordsworth was born in this lovely Georgian townhouse, in the Cumbrian town of Cockermouth, over 250 years ago. Presented as it would have been when he lived here with his parents, siblings and the family servants.
Wordsworth House and Garden offers an unforgettable chance for all ages to experience life in the 1770s.
The house is peopled by friendly, knowledgeable guides who are always keen to stop for a chat. There is real food on the dining table and a fire burning in the kitchen grate.
There is a daily children’s trail, used book shop, and down in the cellar, the household’s ghosts are waiting to tell their stories.
In 2024 we have a special exhibition “Wildlife encounters: an exhibition of British wildlife photographs and the tales behind them” featuring John and Rosamund Macfarlane. In the downstairs discovery room, there is a permanent exhibition about William’s Lakeland legacy and his key role in the founding of the National Trust.
The beautiful riverside garden that gave William lifelong inspiration is packed with 18th-century varieties of vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers, and the River Derwent runs behind William’s beloved terrace walk.
