The Wordsworth Trust brings art and literature alive for tens of thousands of people every year.
As well as Dove Cottage and the other historic buildings at Wordsworth Grasmere, we look after a unique, Designated collection of works by Wordsworth and the other writers and artists of the Romantic period. At the heart of this collection are the manuscripts that Wordsworth’s descendants gifted to the Wordsworth Trust so that they could remain here, where they were largely written and inspired.
This is one of the things that make Wordsworth Grasmere so special. It is very unusual to find the original works of such a major writer at the very place with which he or she is most associated.
The Wordsworth Trust has been keeping Wordsworth’s memory alive at Dove Cottage since it was created for this purpose in 1891.
We are still an independent charity, and our activities today include putting on exhibitions, talks and other events, introducing people to poetry, and leading activities in local communities. These activities are inspired by Wordsworth’s own wish, ‘to console the afflicted and make the happy happier’. They bring consolation and happiness to people of all ages, from pre-school age children to those in end-of-life care. Click here to see an example.
In 2026, the Wordsworth Trust acquired Rydal Mount, about two miles from Dove Cottage, where Wordsworth and his family lived from 1813. The purchase was made possible with the support of the Julia Rausing Trust and the Charlotte Aitken Trust. Read more.
The Wordsworth Trust is supported by Arts Council England, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Garfield Weston Foundation, Westmorland & Furness Council, Lancaster University and many other generous institutions and individuals.
We are an Accredited Museum. We are proud to be a member of the Cumbria Museum Consortium.
Find out more about how the Wordsworth Trust brings great literature alive by reading our Annual Review:
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