Rydal Mount & Gardens

Rydal Mount, the last family home of William Wordsworth from 1813 until his death in 1850, now belongs to the direct descendants of the Poet and remains a lived-in family home. The dining room, part of the old Tudor cottage, with its original flagged floor and oak beams, contrasts pleasingly with the larger proportions of the drawing room and library, added in 1750. The house contains works of art, furniture, manuscripts and many of the Poet's books and personal possessions, reflecting his life here. Wordsworth was a keen landscape gardener and the four acre garden remains very much as he designed it, consisting of fell-side terraces, lawns, rock pools and a 9th century Norse mound. There are rare shrubs and, in season, the daffodils, bluebells and rhododendrons produce a spectacular display.