Celebrate William Wordsworth’s 250th birthday at his childhood home
More than 135 gardens and parks are now open through advance booking, as well as hundreds of coast and countryside places. A number of houses are also open in England and Northern Ireland. Read this article to find out what's open and what to expect from your visit.
Romantic poet William Wordsworth was born in this lovely Georgian townhouse, in the Cumbrian town of Cockermouth, 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, and on Wednesdays and Saturdays in term-time and throughout the school holidays, the maid-of-all-work is cooking in the kitchen – and always keen to stop for a chat.
There is real food on the dining table, a fire burning in the kitchen grate and a recipe William and his family might have eaten for you to taste. Ink and quill pens are ready in the clerk’s office, and if you play the piano, you might like to try the replica harpsichord.
The children’s bedroom is full of toys and dressing up clothes; 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. 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, along with family games and activities.
Free tea and coffee are served in the upstairs discovery room, where there is a display telling the story of Wordsworth House in the 20th century.
The beautiful riverside garden that gave William lifelong inspiration is packed with 18th-century varieties of vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers, and there is a mini flock of heritage chickens waiting to meet you in the small walled garden.
| Gift Aid | Standard | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | £9.70 | £8.80 |
| Child | £4.90 | £4.40 |
| Family | £24.30 | £22.00 |
| 1 adult, 2 children | £14.60 | £13.20 |
| Group out-of-hours | N/A | £11.00 |
|
Group Adult
Minimum group size 15
|
N/A | £8.20 |
|
Group Child
Minimum group size 15
|
N/A | £4.20 |
Most of our places run the Gift Aid on Entry scheme at their admission points.
Under this scheme, if you're not a member you have the choice of two entry tickets:
If the place runs Gift Aid on Entry, we'll offer you a clear choice between the Gift Aid Admission prices and the Standard Admission prices at the admission point. It's entirely up to you which ticket you choose.
Gift Aid Admission includes a 10 per cent or more voluntary donation. Gift Aid Admissions let us reclaim tax on the whole amount paid - an extra 25 per cent - potentially a very significant boost to our places' funds.
An extra £1 paid under the scheme can be worth over £3 to the National Trust as shown below:
| Gift Aid | Standard | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount paid by visitor | £11.00 | £10.00 |
| Tax refund from Government* | £2.75 | £0.00 |
| Total received by the National Trust | £13.75 | £10.00 |
*Gift Aid Admissions let us reclaim tax on the whole amount paid - an extra 25 per cent - potentially a very significant boost to our places' funds.
Last entry to house and garden 4pm. Timed tickets may operate on busy days.
