Rydal Mount

William Wordsworth, the greatest of the Romantic Poets, lived at Rydal Mount in the English Lake District for most of his life. But did you know he was only a tenant there? It was more than 100 years later that his descendants bought the house and it became their family home as well as a popular tourist attraction, a place for visitors from around the world to celebrate Wordsworth's poetry. In this quirky and engaging account, written with the support and co-operation of the Wordsworth family, Eileen Jones looks at the history of Rydal Mount, the lives of the poet and his family there in the 19th century, and how later generations of Wordsworths brought artists, film stars, fine dining, concerts and weddings to the house. She also describes how the extensive gardens have been restored to plans used by Wordsworth himself, and tells how she spent a night there hoping to catch a glimpse of the poet's ghost. 'Here's a look behind the scenes at our family home which has also been one of the best loved heritage destinations in the Lake District for more than half a century. We hope you will love Rydal Mount as much as we have done.' (Christopher Wordsworth Andrew, the poet's great-great-great-great-grandson.)