Wordsworth House and Garden

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. There is real food on the dining table and a fire burning in the kitchen grate.

There is a daily children’s trail, and down in the cellar, the household’s ghosts are waiting to tell their stories. The exhibition rooms house a changing programme of displays.

This year's exhibition, 'Wildlife Encounters: An Exhibition of British Wildlife Photographs and the Tales behind them' presents intimate stories of interactions with animals across the UK’s varied landscape, this curation of striking photographs, paintings and poetry lays bare the complexity of contemporary human-wildlife relations.

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. Souvenirs and second-hand books are available in our visitor welcome area.

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. The visitor offer in the back rooms (excluding the exhibition space) is hands-on to make you feel at home.

In the front rooms there are no ropes and barriers, but we ask you not to touch the objects.

Pre-booking is not needed, but timed tickets may operate on busy days.