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What’s On in Wordsworth Country October 2017 – March 2018

DOVE COTTAGE • WORDSWORTH MUSEUM • JERWOOD CENTRE www.wordsworth.org.uk

WELCOME TO WORDSWORTH COUNTRY We invite you to join us for events and activities at Dove Cottage (and beyond) over the autumn and winter of 2017 – 18. You don’t need any knowledge of Wordsworth or literature to enjoy any of these events; please come along if you simply fancy trying something new. We welcome everyone, especially our friends and neighbours in Grasmere and Cumbria, to two new event series to brighten the long winter evenings: round the table chats with me on what is inside the Jerwood Centre (a lot of manuscripts, books and pictures!) and an evening reading group with local poet Polly Atkin to enjoy poems in Dove Cottage. Plus, Grasmere History Group hold their monthly get-togethers in the Reading Room – fascinating talks and discussions on local history open to all.

We are very pleased to see the return of three favourite daytime events: literature classes on Wordsworth’s greatest poem, The Prelude, in the company of our President Pamela Woof; Saturday talks on topics ranging from trees to needlework to the lives of remarkable people in the Wordsworth family circle; and Dove Cottage Tuesdays where you can enjoy a lively talk, tea and toast by the fire in Dove Cottage. Look out too for a great variety of events for families, from storytime for tiny tots to twilight explorations of Dove Cottage to art and craft afternoons themed on the poetry and landscape of the seasons, we really think there is something for all interests. And, of course, we welcome everyone to celebrate Christmas and the anniversary of the Wordsworths’ arrival at Dove Cottage on 20 December 1799, not least because without them, there would be none of the above to enjoy! We look forward to seeing you, familiar friends and new. Jeff Cowton, Curator

The Wordsworth Trust

www.wordsworth.org.uk

The Wordsworth Trust

EXHIBITIONS This season we have three fantastic exhibitions for you to discover, including two that are part of the Women in Cumbria project. All exhibitions will be held at The Wordsworth Museum and are free with admission. A Celebration of Watercolours 1 September – 23 December This exhibition will celebrate 30 months of collecting watercolours with the generous assistance of the W.W. Spooner Charitable Trust. It will include some treasures of the Wordsworth Trust’s art collection, including works by celebrated artists such as Joseph Farington, William Gilpin, John Laporte and William Green. It will also highlight artists you may not have heard of, but who equally present the beautiful and intricate details of the landscape in their work. The centrepiece will be ‘Ouse Bridge’ (1725), an impressive example of the work of Mathias Read (1669 – 1747), one of the earliest native-born artists to depict the British landscape and often described as ‘the father of Cumbrian painting’. We are thrilled to bring these wonderful artworks together for the first time.

Women’s Lives Through Letters 1 February – 19 March With 200 years between us, how far can we truly get to know the women of the Wordsworth Circle? This exhibition will explore the lives of these remarkable women through their letters. We’ll discover intimate details about their homes, families and living in a literary world, as well as shared experience of the human condition: gossip and humour, illness and grief, and friendship and love. This exhibition is part of the Women in Cumbria project organised in partnership with other Cumbrian museums.

Needlework Exhibition 23 March – 23 April ‘A very Harp in all but size!’ So wrote Wordsworth, inspired by the sight of a beautiful needle case in the shape of a harp made by Edith Southey, daughter of his friend and fellow poet Robert Southey. For this new exhibition the Crewel Work Company will create new needlework pieces in response to the case and Dorothy Wordsworth’s post-bag. You will be able to learn more about historic embroidery and see these wonderful artefacts in a new light, alongside the modern responses. This exhibition is part of the Women in Cumbria project organised in partnership with other Cumbrian museums.

www.wordsworth.org.uk

LITERATURE CLASSES As one who hangs down-bending from the side Of a slow-moving boat upon the breast Of a still water… - The Prelude 1805, IV, 247 – 61

Further Readings in The Prelude 1805 4 October, 1 & 29 November, 13 December, 17 January, 14 February, 14 March & 11 April With this comparison Wordsworth suggests the long and slow probing into his own past that is the subject of this poem. His imagined boat is moving, albeit slowly, and the person hanging over the side and down-bending is often ‘perplexed, and cannot part / The shadow from the substance’. Nor can the poet, musing on memory, claim absolute certainty about either experience or its significance. Peering through water requires a steady eye; peering at one’s own growth through the thoughts and feelings of the past requires a scrupulously honest eye and a mind that tries to understand. This autobiographical poem simmered in Wordsworth’s head over years. It is not a deliberate and chronological orderly account. Times past and present mingle, and the result is a slow build-up of the reader’s knowledge of the writer’s mind. 6

The Wordsworth Trust

You can enter the poem anywhere, no matter whether you have attended these classes before or miss one here or there — the same mind with the same complex expressiveness, often moving and musical, will be at the self-imposed and utterly original task of patiently down-bending from the side of that slowmoving boat upon the breast of the still water of time. We meet between 2.15 and 4.00pm on eight occasions in the coming months. Some texts will be provided; discussion of the poem begins with the comparison in Book IV quoted above. There will be a cup of tea afterwards. Jerwood Centre, £10 per session or £70 for eight

DOVE COTTAGE TUESDAYS ‘I have attended several events this year and enjoyed them all, especially the marvellous little meetings around the fire in Dove Cottage. I shall always remember one on a dark, wet February day, by candlelight and firelight, and the buttered toast made the day! More please.’ 5, 12 & 19 December & 6, 20 & 27 February We are very privileged to be able to use the houseplace of Dove Cottage as the Wordsworth family did — as a place to share a cup of tea and slices of toast together, accompanied by lively conversation and an opportunity to learn something new. There are 12 Dove Cottage Tuesday talks this winter, six in December and six in February, and each discussion will be led by Wordsworth Trust staff and friends on a topic of their choice.

We will hear about landscapes and letters, poems and parodies, Georgian society and social reform, and about museums in the 21st century. The refreshments are included in the cost of the ticket; the toast will be made over the fire in the kitchen during the talk. Each talk lasts for approximately an hour, 11.00am – 12.00pm or 2.00pm – 3.00pm. Please see the Diary section for details of each one. Tickets are priced at £7. Booking in advance is essential as the maximum capacity is 12.

www.wordsworth.org.uk

REGULAR MEETINGS

Our regular meetings are a fantastic way to discover more about Wordsworth and the area that inspired him. From poetry to local history thereâ€™s something for everyone to enjoy. Grasmere History Group 3 October, 7 November, 1 December, 6 January, 6 February & 6 March Grasmere History Group is a group of local people who meet monthly to discuss matters of local history. It is a very friendly, informal gathering at which we share our interests and ask questions of others who might know the answers we seek. We have a wide range of interests and in recent years we have produced exhibitions about Grasmere in the First World War and the early years of tourism in the Lake District. New members from near or far are very welcome and we are always looking to meet more people with fascinating stories to tell about Grasmere and the Lake District. We meet on the first Tuesday of each month in the Jerwood Centre at 7.30pm. A speaker or discussion topic is usually arranged in advance; for more information about a specific date please get in touch with us. In January, we have a special Saturday afternoon event to share our research and discoveries from 2017 and enjoy a cup of tea together instead of a Tuesday evening meeting. Jerwood Centre, free

The Wordsworth Trust

Discover Poetry 5 October, 2 November, 7 December, 1 February & 1 March Do you find the idea of reading poetry off-putting? Would you like to read more but don’t know where to start? Do you like reading poetry, but never find the time? Would you like to talk about poetry with a friendly, open group? Join us by the fireside in Dove Cottage for our monthly poetry reading group, and keep the dark and cold at bay with warm thoughts, lively chat, and a good cup of tea. Each month we’ll read and talk about poems picked to reflect the changing seasons, taking us from autumn into midwinter, and back out into the spring together. These relaxed, informal sessions will be led by Grasmere poet Polly Atkin, who will share with you a selection of contemporary and classic poems chosen to pique the interest of both seasoned poetry lovers and those new to reading or talking about a poem. In our Poetry Reading Group there are no right and wrong answers, or ways to think. We will be learning from each other as much as from the poems. Each month three poems will be available ahead of time so that you can spend as much (or as little) time with them as you like: take them for a walk or out for dinner; chew them over by your own fireside. Each month will also feature a wildcard poem, chosen to reflect current events, which will be given out on the day.

Hot drinks will be provided. No prior poetry reading experience or knowledge necessary. Dove Cottage, free. Advance bookings preferred; drop-ins welcome if there is space available. Meet the Curator 11 October, 8 November, 14 February & 14 March If you have ever wondered what is inside the Jerwood Centre, or thought it would be nice to spend a little time with our Curator chatting about his work and looking at fascinating artefacts, now is your chance. This winter, we will be hosting a brand new series of evening gatherings where you can meet Jeff, see precious items from our collection that are not currently on display to the public and share your interests with us. It may surprise you to know that as well as an incredible collection of rare books, the Jerwood Centre also holds thousands of paintings, a working antique printing press and hundreds of irreplaceable poetic manuscripts. These items give us a theme for each of the four sessions: books, pictures, prints and manuscripts. These sessions will be informal, friendly get-togethers – everyone is very welcome to drop in. No prior knowledge is needed or expected. Jerwood Centre, free

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FAMILIES Our Education team will be very busy again this winter leading family-friendly events and activities at Dove Cottage and across Cumbria. There are two types of regular event: Rucksack of Rhymes In Rucksack of Rhymes we explore a short poem by Wordsworth, and a theme such as nature or wildlife, with a rucksack full of toys and games for children aged 6 months to 5 years to play with. We sing songs and rhymes and tell stories for 30 minutes, then play for another 30 minutes. Art Activity Afternoons These creative sessions are themed around the seasons and feature a mix of hands-on craft activities and storytelling while children learn about the Lake District, life in Dove Cottage and poetry. They are suitable for children aged 3+ with their families. Plus regular trips to Brockhole, the Lake District National Park Visitor Centre, and local libraries. All family events are free with admission to Dove Cottage and the Wordsworth Museum. Every event is led by our enthusiastic, experienced Education team. For full information about individual sessions please see the main diary. In the Frosty Season Thursday 15 February

The Wordsworth Trust

OUT & ABOUT IN CUMBRIA

In addition to all the events we hold at Dove Cottage, we have a dedicated Community Outreach team offering activities and workshops across Cumbria.

Talks, Visits and Pop-up Poetry If you belong to a community group or society that would welcome a talk about the Wordsworths, or an event coming up which could do with a splash of poetry, we’d be delighted to join you.

What are Words Worth? Our small, friendly reading groups for people living with dementia, their friends and families, and anyone who enjoys poetry, tea, cake and conversation. The groups meet regularly in cafés and community halls around the county.

We also visit day centres, sheltered housing and retirement homes — wherever there are people who enjoy listening to, talking about or writing poetry. We can also arrange for groups to come and visit us at Dove Cottage.

Why not join us in Keswick, on the Solway and the Northern Fells, or in Windermere or Kendal? In the Moment These regular sessions combine art and literature in innovative and engaging ways for people living with memory problems and their families and friends. Local artists help and support the group in creating beautiful artwork in a fun, relaxing setting. The wonderful work produced has been displayed at museums, libraries and events around Cumbria.

Wordsworth Goes West Come along for an evening of poetry, conversation and maybe even some live music as Wordsworth takes to the road. Bring along your favourite poems to share or simply enjoy hearing others read aloud. You’re also welcome to read your own poems. It is very friendly, good fun and not a bit scary! Please check our website for dates and locations. To find out more contact Susan Allen at enquiries@wordsworth.org.uk or 015394 35544.

www.wordsworth.org.uk

DIARY

Discover Poetry Thursday 5 October

OCTOBER

Discover Poetry Thursday 5 October, 7.30pm – 9.00pm

Grasmere History Group Tuesday 3 October, 7.30pm – 9.00pm

An evening reading group led by Polly Atkin

An evening meeting exploring our local history

The first meeting of a new monthly poetry reading group, with poems chosen to reflect the changing seasons.

Keith Coates will talk about life in the valley when he was young, including the people he remembers from that time.

Please see Regular Meetings, page 8 for full information.

Dove Cottage, free

Jerwood Centre, free

Artists on Art Saturday 7 October, 2.00pm – 4.30pm

Further readings in The Prelude 1805 Wednesday 4 October, 2.15pm – 4.00pm

An afternoon with Alex Jakob-Whitworth and Alison Critchlow

A literature class with Pamela Woof

Take a closer look at the paintings on display in the current watercolour exhibition in the company of painters Alex Jakob-Whitworth and Alison Critchlow.

The first of eight sessions looking in detail at Wordsworth’s greatest work. Please see Literature Classes, page 6 for full information. Jerwood Centre, £10 per session or £70 for the series

They will offer their own perspectives on the pictures in the exhibition, discussing the techniques and materials used, as well as considering the broader themes and significance of the collection.

The Wordsworth Trust | Diary: October 2017

This will be followed by an open conversation about their own creative process which they will illustrate with some examples of their own work.

This is the third of three workshops this year (April, July & October); there is no need to have attended previous sessions as the exercises change with the seasons.

This afternoon session brings an informal look at the tradition of landscape painting, where it started and how it looks today. There will be ample opportunity for questions and conversation.

Jerwood Centre, donation

Wordsworth Museum, £5

An Introduction to Collecting Books Saturday 14 October, 3.00pm – 4.00pm A talk with the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association

We are very pleased to be working with the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association Meet the Curator again this year for the second Grasmere Wednesday 11 October, 7.30pm – 9.00pm Book Fair. The book fair will take place An evening with Jeff Cowton in Grasmere Village Hall on Friday 13 and The first opportunity to spend an evening Saturday 14 October with a wide variety of rare and antiquarian books, maps chatting with our Curator about our and manuscripts for sale by association collection and your interests. The theme members from around the country. of this session is books. Please see Regular Meetings, page 8 for full information. Jerwood Centre, free Mindfulness in Wordsworth’s Landscape Saturday 14 October, 10.00am – 1.00pm A workshop led by Steve Johnson ‘A meditation rose in me that night upon the lonely mountain when the scene had passed away, and it appeared to me the perfect image of a mighty mind’, wrote Wordsworth in The Prelude. We will be reflecting on Wordsworth’s approach to mindfulness and contemplation and developing our own in a workshop with Steve Johnson, a local mindfulness teacher.

We will be hosting a special Saturday afternoon talk with Roger Treglown, Vice President of the Association, on the important things to know and look for when collecting books. Whether you already have a collection of your own or you’re looking to get started, come along to hear all about it from an expert and ask his advice. Our Curator Jeff Cowton will also be on hand to show a few treasures of the Wordsworth Trust’s collection of Romantic books. Jerwood Centre, £5

Pamela Woof

Using mindfulness practices including meditation, mindful movement, sense awareness and connection to nature you will learn to engage more fully with your surroundings and develop skills that can improve your well-being and help with the demands of everyday life. www.wordsworth.org.uk

Wordsworth Wednesday at Brockhole Wednesday 25 October, 10.30am – 1.00pm Half term fun for all the family at the Lake District Visitor Centre Rucksack of Rhymes 10.30am – 11.30am Join us for an hour of singing, stories, crafts and play for tiny tots on the theme of autumn. Family Fun with Dove Cottage and the Wordsworth Museum 11.30am – 1.00pm Explore the life and work of poet William Wordsworth through handling objects, craft activities and dressing up. Learn about the landscape and animals of the Lake District and what life was like for people here 200 years ago in this fun, interactive workshop. Please see Families, page 10 for full information. Brockhole, free with admission Rucksack of Rhymes Thursday 26 October, 11.00am – 12.00pm An afternoon of family fun Join us for an hour of singing, stories, crafts and play for tiny tots on the theme of winter. Activities for children aged 0 – 5 years.

We will dress up in Georgian clothes, create some Halloween crafts and enjoy some hot chocolate and Grasmere Gingerbread before we explore Dove Cottage at night and listen to some spooky stories about local people and places. For children age 3+ Dove Cottage, free with admission Walking with Wordsworth’s Trees Saturday 28 October, 11.00am – 12.00pm A walk and talk with Gary Primrose ‘In these fair vales hath many a tree at Wordsworth’s suit been spared’, wrote William Wordsworth in 1830, a line which clearly shows his passion for the preservation of the landscape and of trees especially. Gary Primrose, a Lake District-based landscape gardener and historian, will be taking a walk around Dove Cottage and Town End, looking at the trees here today and their links to Wordsworth’s poetry, and his interest in using trees in his gardens and the landscape. A fascinating tour for anyone with a love of trees and the stories they tell — you’ll even have the opportunity to try identifying some trees for yourself. Jerwood Centre, £5

Please see Families, page 10 for full information. Family Room, free with admission Twilight Tales in Dove Cottage Thursday 26 October, 4.00pm – 5.30pm An evening of spooky family fun Join us at dusk to find out what it was like to live in Dove Cottage over 200 years ago and hear some terrifying twilight tales. Twilight Tales in Dove Cottage Thursday 26 October

The Wordsworth Trust | Diary: October – November 2017

Byron and Wordsworth: Art and Nature Tuesday 31 October

Walking with Wordsworth’s Trees Saturday 28 October

Byron and Wordsworth: Art and Nature Tuesday 31 October, 6.00pm – 7.00pm

NOVEMBER

The Annual Wordsworth London Lecture with Sir Drummond Bone

Further readings in The Prelude 1805 Wednesday 1 November, 2.15pm – 4.00pm

An opportunity to meet our new Chairman! Professor Sir Drummond Bone is an acknowledged expert on both Byron and Wordsworth, and President of the Scottish Byron Society. He is currently Master of Balliol College, Oxford and Chairman of the Arts and Humanities Research Council. He is also a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Liverpool, and in 2016 he was appointed a Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University. Sir Drummond takes up the position of Chairman of the Wordsworth Trust in November 2017. Chancellor’s Hall, Senate House, Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HU, free

A literature class with Pamela Woof The second of eight sessions looking in detail at Wordsworth’s greatest work. Please see Literature Classes, page 6 for full information. Jerwood Centre, £10 per session or £70 for the series Discover Poetry Thursday 2 November, 7.30pm – 9.00pm An evening reading group led by Polly Atkin The November meeting of a monthly poetry reading group, with poems chosen to reflect the changing seasons. Please see Regular Meetings, page 8 for full information. Dove Cottage, free

www.wordsworth.org.uk

Grasmere History Group Tuesday 7 November, 7.30pm – 9.00pm An evening meeting exploring our local history The November meeting of our local history group. Please see Regular Meetings, page 8 for full information. Jerwood Centre, free Meet the Curator Wednesday 8 November, 7.30pm – 9.00pm An evening with Jeff Cowton An opportunity to spend an evening chatting with our Curator about our collection and your interests. The theme of this session is pictures. Please see Regular Meetings, page 8 for full information.

William, Dorothy, Jane and John: Choosing and Planting the Marshall’s Estates in the English Lakes Saturday 18 November, 3.00pm – 4.00pm A talk by Derek Denman Between 1810 and 1845, John Marshall of Leeds, the pre-eminent flax-spinner, purchased extensive estates in iconic locations. Marshall was married to Jane Pollard, a close friend of Dorothy Wordsworth, and William was closely involved in the choices and in the principles of planting wood. Derek Denman, who researched the responses of landowners to the cultural creation of the English Lakes for his PhD, explains this most unlikely relationship, and identifies the now-famous estates which were purchased and protected. Jerwood Centre, £5

Jerwood Centre, free

Polly Atkin

The Wordsworth Trust | Diary: October – November 2017

Further readings in The Prelude 1805 Wednesday 29 November, 2.15pm – 4.00pm A literature class with Pamela Woof The third of eight sessions looking in detail at Wordsworth’s greatest work. Please see Literature Classes, page 6 for full information. Jerwood Centre, £10 per session or £70 for the series

Wordsworth and Environmental Change Tuesday 5 December, 2.00pm – 3.00pm A Dove Cottage Tuesday talk by Sally Toon In many ways Wordsworth’s poetry can be seen as a great celebration of the natural world but also as a detailed exploration of man’s relationship with nature and the importance of protecting the landscapes around us. Sally, Education Trainee, will discuss Wordsworth’s views concerning the environment alongside the development of the National Park movement before highlighting the major issues being faced by the natural landscapes of the Lake District today, from climate change to tourism, and what is being done to manage them. Dove Cottage, £7

DECEMBER

Grasmere History Group Tuesday 5 December, 7.30pm – 9.00pm

Wordsworth and Reform Tuesday 5 December, 11.00am – 12.00pm

An evening meeting exploring our local history

A Dove Cottage Tuesday talk by Katherine Robson

The December meeting of our local history group.

William Wordsworth witnessed major social, economic and political changes in Britain and overseas during his lifetime. However, he had mixed feelings about the attempts at reform taking place around him and, as he got older, his views on politics and society significantly changed.

Please see Regular Meetings, page 8 for full information.

Katherine, Collections Trainee, will explore Wordsworth’s views on three key issues of his day: political reform, the Industrial Revolution and the abolition of slavery. How did these views influence his writings? How did he contribute to the reform literature of the 18th and 19th centuries?

Jerwood Centre, free Discover Poetry Thursday 7 December, 7.30pm – 9.00pm An evening reading group led by Polly Atkin The December meeting of a monthly poetry reading group, with poems chosen to reflect the changing seasons. Please see Regular Meetings, page 8 for full information. Dove Cottage, free

Dove Cottage, £7 www.wordsworth.org.uk

Wordsworth and the Modernists Tuesday 12 December, 2.00pm – 3.00pm A Dove Cottage Tuesday talk by Rebecca Hearfield In the preface to Lyrical Ballads, Wordsworth writes that the volume was published as ‘an experiment’, which saw a conscious departure from the established literary rules of the time. This talk by Rebecca, Outreach Trainee, will explore the impact of this ‘experiment’ on the development of modern writing and the enduring need writers have felt to challenge the status quo and ‘Make it New!’, as 20th-century poet Ezra Pound proclaimed it necessary to do. The Art of Commonplacing: Tracing the Self Through Commonplace Books Tuesday 12 December, 11.00am – 12.00pm A Dove Cottage Tuesday talk by Sophie Verbeke Commonplace books, which we might call scrapbooks today, are a place to record interesting and inspiring information, memories and materials. The Wordsworths’ commonplace books are scattered with lines from beloved poems and novels, travel narratives, sermons, newspaper cuttings, letters from friends and even recipes. Sophie, Outreach Trainee, will show how these documents give us an insight into two extraordinary individuals and their interests, and reveal a lot about the writing that nurtured William and Dorothy as readers and authors. Dove Cottage, £7

Dove Cottage, £7 Further readings in The Prelude 1805 Wednesday 13 December, 2.15pm – 4.00pm A literature class with Pamela Woof The fourth of eight sessions looking in detail at Wordsworth’s greatest work. Please see Literature Classes, page 6 for full information. Jerwood Centre, £10 per session or £70 for the series ‘We all drank tea… Such piles of toast! tea and coffee!’ Tuesday 19 December, 11.00am – 12.00pm A Dove Cottage Tuesday talk by Poppy Garrett The dawn of the 19th century saw the popularisation of tea and coffee in Britain. Both the tea-table and the coffee-house were considered subversive spaces — places where women could gossip freely and men could discuss radical politics or trade lewd jokes.

The Wordsworth Trust | Diary: December 207

The commodities themselves were likewise regarded with apprehension as rumours abounded about the proposed health ‘benefits’ — could coffee actually prevent you from catching the plague? Poppy, Collections Trainee, will consider the impact of the newly popular drinks and share some of these wild rumours. Dove Cottage, £7 The Immortal Dinner: The Arts and Social Networking in Regency England Tuesday 19 December, 2.00pm – 3.00pm A Dove Cottage Tuesday talk by Dean Hines ‘I never passed a more delightful day, and I am convinced that nothing in Boswell is equal to what came out of these Poets,’ So wrote the eccentric history painter Benjamin Robert Haydon in his journal 28 December 1817. He had just hosted a gathering to introduce the aspiring Keats to Wordsworth, an evening of dining, debate and much drinking. Haydon’s words offer a modern audience a first-hand insight into the Regency world of social networking. Dean, Retail Supervisor, will discuss how such informal gatherings were a vital opportunity for writers and artists, and explore the event in the larger context of artistic gatherings of the era. Dove Cottage, £7 Residents’ Afternoon Wednesday 20 December, 2.30pm – 5.00pm An anniversary celebration

they could have had little idea that it was a moment that would be marked and celebrated every year by generations of Grasmere people. On this special afternoon we invite all of our Grasmere neighbours to join us in Dove Cottage for mulled wine, mince pies and carols by candlelight to continue this festive tradition. Dove Cottage, free A Georgian Christmas Wednesday 20th December, 2.00pm – 4.00pm An afternoon of family fun Join us this Christmas week to explore what Christmas was like in Dove Cottage over 200 years ago. Find out how the Wordsworths celebrated the day, what they ate for their Christmas dinner and how they might have decorated their house. We will then make some traditional Christmas decorations of our own to take home. For families of all ages. Foyle Room, free with admission Rucksack of Rhymes Thursday 21 December, 11.00am – 12.00pm An afternoon of family fun Join us for an hour of singing, stories, crafts and play for tiny tots on the theme of winter. Activities for children aged 0 – 5 years. Please see Families, page 10 for full information. Family Room, free with admission

When William and Dorothy first arrived at Dove Cottage late on a dark winter’s afternoon on 20 December 1799,

www.wordsworth.org.uk

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

Grasmere History Group Saturday 6 January, 2.00pm – 4.00pm

Discover Poetry Thursday 1 February, 7.30pm – 9.00pm

An afternoon with our local history group

An evening reading group led by Polly Atkin

It has become an annual tradition to spend the first Saturday afternoon of the year with Grasmere History Group, reviewing and celebrating the research and discoveries made by the group in the previous year.

The February meeting of a monthly poetry reading group, with poems chosen to reflect the changing seasons.

There will be a series of short talks by group members followed by an informal discussion of ideas for the forthcoming year over tea and coffee. Jerwood Centre, free Further readings in The Prelude 1805 Wednesday 17 January, 2.15pm – 4.00pm A literature class with Pamela Woof The fifth of eight sessions looking in detail at Wordsworth’s greatest work. Please see Literature Classes, page 6 for full information. Jerwood Centre, £10 per session or £70 for the series

Please see Regular Meetings, page 8 for full information. Dove Cottage, free Women’s Lives Through Letters Tuesday 6 February, 11.00am – 12.00pm A Dove Cottage Tuesday talk by Melissa Mitchell ‘I entreat you to write to me very, very soon’, so wrote a teenage Dorothy Wordsworth to her dearest friend, Jane Pollard, in 1787. Living with her cold grandparents and separated from her brothers, Dorothy found comfort in writing, and receiving, letters. In the letters that have survived, we have a deep, profound and often moving window into her world. So too can we discover the lives of other women — Dora Wordsworth and Sara Coleridge are but two.

Wordsworth Wednesday at Brockhole Wednesday 14 February

The Wordsworth Trust | Diary: January – February 2018

Join Melissa, Assistant Curator, to explore intimate details about the lives of these women through their letters: gossip and humour, illness and grief, and friendship and love. Dove Cottage, £7 The Lives of Jane Austen and Dorothy Wordsworth: A Tale of Sense and Sensibility? Tuesday 6 February, 2.00pm – 3.00pm A Dove Cottage Tuesday talk by Marian Veevers Jane Austen and Dorothy Wordsworth were born just four years apart, in the 1770s, in a world torn between heady revolutionary ideas and fierce conservatism, and both were influenced by the Romantic ideals of William Wordsworth and his friends. In this talk Marian, author and Dove Cottage guide, will consider the two women within the frame of Austen’s novel Sense and Sensibility. Do Jane and Dorothy embody the qualities of the heroines? And how did their different characters affect the lives they led? Dove Cottage, £7 Grasmere History Group Tuesday 6 February, 7.30pm – 9.00pm An evening exploring our local history The February meeting of our local history group. Please see Regular Meetings, page 8 for full information. Jerwood Centre, free

Rucksack of Rhymes Wednesday 14 February

Wordsworth Wednesday at Brockhole Wednesday 14 February, 10.30am – 1.00pm Half term fun for all the family at the Lake District Visitor Centre Rucksack of Rhymes 10.30am – 11.30am Join us for an hour of singing, stories, crafts and play for tiny tots on the theme of winter. Valentine Fun with Dove Cottage and the Wordsworth Museum 11.30am – 1.00pm Explore the life and work of William Wordsworth through handling objects, Valentine–themed craft activities and Georgian dressing up. Learn about the love letters between William and his wife Mary as well as William’s love for Grasmere and the natural world. Please see Families, page 10 for full information. Brockhole, free with admission www.wordsworth.org.uk

In the Frosty Season Thursday 15 February

Further readings in The Prelude 1805 Wednesday 14 February, 2.15pm – 4.00pm A literature class with Pamela Woof The sixth of eight sessions looking in detail at Wordsworth’s greatest work. Please see Literature Classes, page 6 for full information. Jerwood Centre, £10 per session or £70 for the series Meet the Curator Wednesday 14 February, 7.30pm – 9.00pm An evening with Jeff Cowton An opportunity to spend an evening chatting with our Curator about our collection and your interests. The theme of this session is prints. Please see Regular Meetings, page 8 for full information.

In the Frosty Season Thursday 15 February, 2.00pm – 4.00pm An afternoon of family fun From ice skating ‘in the frosty season’ to keeping cosy by the firesides and listening ‘to the flapping of the flame’ in Dove Cottage, winter presented the Wordsworth family with great opportunities for fun and creativity. However, the harsh, cold conditions of the season also caused hardships and struggles for many. Come and learn what winter was like in Wordsworth’s time and explore the poetry he wrote inspired by it before having a go at some fire- and ice-themed crafts, including making icicles, weaving and creating winter collages. Activities for children aged 3+. Foyle Room, free with admission

Jerwood Centre, free 22

The Wordsworth Trust | Diary: February 2018

Remarkable Lives Saturday 17 February, 2.30pm – 4.30pm

Wordsworth’s Times: Read All About It Tuesday 20 February, 11.00am – 12.00pm

A talk by Kay Adkins, Harriette Lloyd, Joanna Taylor and Marion Watts

A Dove Cottage Tuesday talk by Hazel Clarke

The lives and writings of William Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy are so incredible that it can be easy to overlook the remarkable lives of the friends and family around them.

The walls of Dove Cottage’s ‘newspaper room’, covered with newspaper from the early 1800s, are a treasure trove of information from the world beyond Grasmere.

Fortunately, with the use of the manuscripts and documents in the Wordsworth Trust’s collection, this is now changing.

National news stories bring to life the issues of the day, while a range of personal adverts provide a unique window into day-to-day life.

Today we will hear from four researchers who have been discovering more about the lives of four remarkable people in the Wordsworth circle: Grasmere resident Kay Adkins will tell us more about William’s wife Mary Wordsworth; Harriette Lloyd, a Patron of the Wordsworth Trust, will talk about the poet Charles Lloyd; Joanna Taylor, Research Associate at Lancaster University, will discuss the relationship between Coleridge’s son Hartley and Wordsworth; and Marion Watts about Wordsworth’s son-in-law Edward Quillinan.

Questions arise as we read the words on the walls: why did someone attempt to kill the king? Who won the lottery? Was Chloe the lost spaniel ever found? Hazel, Senior Guide, will show us round the newspaper room and build up a picture of the times in which the Wordsworths lived. Dove Cottage, £7

Jerwood Centre, £5

Remarkable Lives Saturday 17 February

Wordsworth’s Times: Read All About It Tuesday 20 February

www.wordsworth.org.uk

The Romantics in Parody: ‘An everyday story of towering genius’ Tuesday 20 February, 2.00pm – 3.00pm A Dove Cottage Tuesday talk by Catherine Kay The above quotation is the subtitle of the 1980s BBC radio programme The Wordsmiths at Gorsemere featuring, alongside William and Dorothy Wordsmith, characters such as Samuel Taylor Cholericke, Lord Biro and Percy Jelley. Join Catherine, Education Officer, as she looks at this and other parodies of the Romantic poets, ranging from the affectionate and gently irreverent to the, perhaps, outrageous and even downright malicious. Dove Cottage, £7 Wordsworth and Coleridge: The Radical Years Revisited Saturday 24 February, 11.00am – 12.00pm The 2017 Jonathan Wordsworth Memorial Lecture by Nicholas Roe Professor Nicholas Roe will revisit Wordsworth’s and Coleridge’s ‘radical years’, the period 1789 – 1798, updating and reflecting upon his book Wordsworth and Coleridge: The Radical Years first published in 1988 and republished this year by Oxford University Press in a new 30th anniversary edition. Jerwood Centre, £5 (free to Wordsworth Winter School members)

Professor Nicholas Roe

Bewick Through a Camera Lens: Digitising Museum Collections Tuesday 27 February

Bewick Through a Camera Lens: Digitising Museum Collections Tuesday 27 February, 11.00am – 12.00pm A Dove Cottage Tuesday talk with Jaclyn Bradley Within the Wordsworth Trust collection are over 800 documents belonging to the natural history author and pioneer of woodblock engraving, Thomas Bewick. The letters span more than 50 years, giving us an incredible insight into Bewick’s life and 18th- and 19th-century England. In 2017 the Trust embarked on an important digitisation project to capture the detail of these documents and preserve them for the future. Jaclyn, Assistant to the Curator, has taken thousands of images of the collection; join her to discover more about the life of Thomas Bewick and the future of museums in digitising their collections. Dove Cottage, £7

The Wordsworth Trust | Diary: December 207

Wordsworth for the 21st Century Tuesday 27 February, 2.00pm – 3.00pm A Dove Cottage Tuesday talk by Tom Langridge Wordsworth wrote his most powerful and defining works at Dove Cottage at the turn of the 19th century, during a time of great social and political turmoil. His poems from this period explore many issues that are as important in today’s world as they were in his lifetime, from the plight of the poor and the individual’s role in the community to the power of memory and our changing relationship with nature. Tom, Engagement Officer, will explore the positive impact that encounters with William’s and his sister Dorothy’s writings can have on our lives today and discuss what it means to reimagine the Wordsworths for different 21stcentury audiences. Jerwood Centre, £7

MARCH Discover Poetry Thursday 1 March, 7.30pm – 9.00pm An evening reading group led by Polly Atkin The March meeting of a monthly poetry reading group, with poems chosen to reflect the changing seasons. Please see Regular Meetings, page 8 for full information. Dove Cottage, free Grasmere History Group Tuesday 6 March, 7.30pm – 9.00pm An evening exploring our local history The March meeting of our local history group. Please see Regular Meetings, page 8 for full information. Jerwood Centre, free Further readings in The Prelude 1805 Wednesday 14 March, 2.15pm – 4.00pm A literature class with Pamela Woof The seventh of eight sessions looking in detail at Wordsworth’s greatest work. Please see Literature Classes, page 6 for full information. Jerwood Centre, £10 per session or £70 for the series www.wordsworth.org.uk

‘A very Harp in all but size!’ Saturday 24 March

Meet the Curator Wednesday 14 March, 7.30pm – 9.00pm An evening with Jeff Cowton An opportunity to spend an evening chatting with our Curator about our collection and your interests. The theme of this session is manuscripts. Please see Regular Meetings, page 8 for full information. Jerwood Centre, free ‘A very Harp in all but size!’ Saturday 24 March, 3.00pm – 4.00pm A talk by Phillipa Turnbull To celebrate the opening of a new exhibition of needlework from our collection, including Dorothy Wordsworth’s post-bag and a tiny harpshaped needlecase by Edith Southey, we will hear all about the inspiration for the display from its curator Phillipa Turnbull. 26

Phillipa, a world-renowned textile expert and founder of the Crewel Work Company, will talk about the research and design of the exhibition and of the brand new needlework pieces created in response to the historical treasures. There will be a private view of the exhibition and drinks in the museum to follow the talk. Jerwood Centre, £5 Further readings in The Prelude 1805 Wednesday 11 April, 2.15pm – 4.00pm A literature class with Pamela Woof The final session looking in detail at Wordsworth’s greatest work. Please see Literature Classes, page 6 for full information. Jerwood Centre, £10 per session or £70 for the series

The Wordsworth Trust | Diary: March – April 2018

DIARY OVERVIEW OCTOBER  3 October

JANUARY Grasmere History Group

 4 October Further readings in The Prelude 1805

 6 January

Grasmere History Group

 17 January