Events

Whether you live in Cumbria or in a distant place, there are always plenty of events to join in with at Wordsworth Grasmere!

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2026 2027 2028

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07 jul 202619 jun 2027Ghost Story: Into the Gothic ImaginationVenture into the fateful night that inspired one of the world’s greatest gothic tales: Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.Special Exhibition

05 nov 202605 nov 2026Little WanderersThese early-years sessions are designed to encourage your little ones to be creative and playful.Learning Space

05 nov 202605 nov 2026Dove Cottage PoetsThis informal poetry-writing group meets each month for conversation, collaboration, and friendly critique.Hybrid (Learning Space & Online)

06 nov 202606 nov 2026Dove Cottage Young PoetsThis group for Cumbrians aged 13-19 meets fortnightly to read, discuss and write poetry.Online Event

12 nov 202612 nov 2026Little WanderersThese early-years sessions are designed to encourage your little ones to be creative and playful.Learning Space

14 nov 202614 nov 2026Gothic Book Club: The Woman in WhiteJoin us in our cosy Café this autumn and delve deeper into the world of Gothic fiction.Café

19 nov 202619 nov 2026Little WanderersThese early-years sessions are designed to encourage your little ones to be creative and playful.Learning Space

20 nov 202620 nov 2026Dove Cottage Young PoetsThis group for Cumbrians aged 13-19 meets fortnightly to read, discuss and write poetry.Online Event

21 nov 202621 nov 2026Gothic Hauntings: A Loose Leaf Poetry WorkshopJoin us in the Café for a writing workshop themed around Gothic hauntings.Café

23 nov 202623 nov 2026Discover PoetryThese friendly poetry evenings are for poetry enthusiasts and poetry beginners alike.Online Event

26 nov 202626 nov 2026Little WanderersThese early-years sessions are designed to encourage your little ones to be creative and playful.Learning Space

27 nov 202627 nov 2026After Hours at Dove Cottage: Gothic HauntingsDiscover the origins of modern horror and fantasy fiction in this bewitching storytelling event.Museum & Dove Cottage

Event Details

‘The Phantom slowly, gravely, silently approached. When it came, Scrooge bent down upon his knee; for in the very air through which the spirit moved it seemed to scatter gloom and mystery.’
― A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

A spellbinding evening of Gothic tales in candlelit Dove Cottage.

Discover the origins of modern horror and fantasy fiction in this bewitching storytelling event. This time the theme is GHOSTS: the uncanny hauntings and unforgettable spectres to be found in Gothic fiction, from the genre’s beginnings in the 1760s all the way through to the mid-1800s.

The evening begins with a themed tour of Ghost Story! Into the Gothic Imagination. Find out how 18^th century ghost stories influenced the most famous works of Gothic fiction, and learn about some of the iconic ghosts found in the novels of Horace Walpole, Emily Brontë and Charles Dickens. After exploring the exhibition, gather around the hearth in Dove Cottage for performed readings from some of these uncanny tales, including A Christmas Carol, The Castle of Otranto, Wuthering Heights and traditional Cumbrian ghost stories.

Your ticket includes seasonal cake and a glass of non-alcoholic hot spiced cordial (Vegan/GF options available). We encourage you to get into the Gothic spirit and dress for the occasion! This special event is designed for adults, with a total group size of no more than 12 people.

Please note that the fire in Dove Cottage may be lit during this event.

If these events sell out we may add an additional date – if you would like to express interest please send us an email at enquiries@wordsworth.org.uk or join the waiting list on TryBooking.

Photo credit: Caroline Robinson