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Wordsworth's Rydal Mount Saved by Charity
18 Mar
Summary
- Rydal Mount, home of William Wordsworth, will remain open.
- The Wordsworth Trust has acquired the historic property.
- Visitor numbers fell, making operations unsustainable.
Rydal Mount and Gardens, the former residence of Romantic poet William Wordsworth, has been secured for the public by the Wordsworth Trust. The historic property, where Wordsworth lived for 37 years until his death in 1850, faced closure due to declining visitor numbers and rising operational costs. The house had been on the market for £2.5 million.
The Wordsworth Trust, which also cares for Dove Cottage and Wordsworth's manuscripts, has taken over the management of Rydal Mount. This move ensures that the site, where Wordsworth designed the gardens and wrote The Prelude, will continue to be a place of literary heritage and inspiration, as welcomed by the current poet laureate, Simon Armitage.
The acquisition offers an opportunity to share a more comprehensive story of William and Dorothy Wordsworth's lives. While maintenance work is carried out, the house and grounds will be temporarily closed to visitors. Funding for the Wordsworth Trust comes from organizations including Arts Council England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
