Dove Cottage, Grasmere – What Joy Awaits You
“This plot of orchard-ground is ours”
Dove Cottage in Town End, Grasmere is the world-famous home of William and Dorothy Wordsworth.
It is situated four miles northwest of Ambleside just off the A591.
Step into the life of William Wordsworth, the famous Romantic poet, at Dove Cottage, his charming home.
Imagine Wordsworth, not wandering lonely as a cloud, but sharing laughter and love with his wife, sister, and three children within these ivy-covered walls.
The cottage itself is a window into their lives.
Thanks to letters and journals, curators have recreated scenes from their everyday moments between 1799 and 1808.
Look closely, and you might even spot details like discarded spectacles, adding a touch of intimacy to each room.
Your visit doesn’t have to be rushed. Generous time slots allow you to fully explore Wordsworth’s cherished garden, a source of inspiration for many of his poems.
And if you’re curious about his groundbreaking approach to poetry, head next door to the museum for a deeper dive.
William settled here in Dove Cottage with his sister in 1799; he was 29, she was just under two years younger.
They lived here in this charming cottage from December 1799 until May 1808.
Soon after William and Dorothy moved here, the poet, friend, and collaborator Samuel Taylor Coleridge moved to nearby Keswick.
In 1802, William married a childhood friend, Mary Hutchinson. Three of their five children were born in Dove Cottage.
The cottage has been open to the public since 1891 and is kept in good condition.
Visitors can see the tiny rooms of Wordsworth’s first Lakeland home.
Interestingly, it has only been known as Dove Cottage since the Wordsworth Trust bought it in 1891.
This tiny cottage is a perfect example of Lakeland twee, with slate roof tiles, latticed windows and roses climbing up the external walls.
Additionally, the museum displays manuscripts, works of art and other works of art owned by the poet.
During their time at this small cottage, other poet friends came to live nearby, including Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Robert Southey, who later became Poet Laureate.
Their Grasmere home and museum are now fully reopened.
After several months of closure as part of ‘Reimagining Wordsworth’, a project to mark the 250th anniversary of William Wordsworth’s birth Dove Cottage opened its doors once again.
If you are looking for a holiday cottage within easy reach of Grasmere Enquire here.
