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The birthplace of William Wordsworth
Main St, Cockermouth, CA13 9RX -Tel: 01900 824805
Grid ref 89:NY118307
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ir Nikolaus Pevsner described in his book 'The Buildings of England -
Cumberland and Westmorland' Wordsworth House as 'quite a swagger house for such a town'.
It was built in 1745 for the then High Sheriff of Cumberland, Joshua Lucock. In 1761 Sir
James Lowther, son of Sir John Lowther who built Whitehaven and its port, bought the
property.
ohn Wordsworth, the poet's father, moved to Cockermouth as agent to Sir James
in 1764, and in 1766 married and moved into what is now known as Wordsworth House. Here
four sons and a daughter were born - Richard, William on 7 April 1770, Dorothy, John and
Christopher. Their mother died when William was eight, and he went to live with relations
in Penrith. His father died five years later.
he house was a private dwelling until the 1930's. In 1937 the Cockermouth
Library tried to raise the money to buy it, but then the local bus company bought it, with
the intention of demolishing it to build a bus station. This gained national press and
radio attention, and enough money was donated for the town to buy it back. Cockermouth
handed the house to the National Trust in 1938. On June 3rd 1939 it opened as a Wordsworth
memorial, becoming a grade 1 listed building. Until recently little was actually shown to
the public, but increasing interest has changed this.
. B. Bradbury, local historian, has published in his series of
booklets 'Cockermouth in Pictures' Number 4 - describing in drawing and text Wordsworth
House and its contents. This is available in the National Trust shop in the house, or in
the local craft and book shops, and the Tourist Information Centre.
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The Wordsworths at home - family drama in the garden |
he old kitchen and housekeeper's room provides an interesting location for the
popular restaurant where morning coffee, light lunches, afternoon tea and other
refreshments are available.
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