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Hope Wordsworth's up-for-sale home stays open

Rose and Trev Clough/Geograph Rydal Mount which is a white cottage covered in wisteria. There's a bench outside the house and it's surrounded by trees. Rose and Trev Clough/Geograph
Wordsworth lived at Rydal Mount from 1813 until his death in 1850

A descendant of William Wordsworth says he hopes the final home of the Romantic poet, which is on the market, goes to the best "not highest" bidder.

Wordsworth rented Rydal Mount, in Ambleside in the Lake District, from 1813 until his death in 1850 and it has been open to the public for decades.

Earlier this month his great-great-great-great grandson Christopher Wordsworth, who lives in London, put it on the market for £2.5m saying it was too difficult to manage the property remotely.

However, Mr Wordsworth said the house was an "amazing haven of literary inspiration" and wanted it to be sold to someone who would keep it open for visitors.

Mr Wordsworth said the Grade I listed house, which has a library and five acres (two hectares) of grounds would remain open for the 2025 wedding and event season while it was on the market.

The poet never owned Rydal Mount, but designed the gardens.

Mr Wordsworth said his grandmother bought the house in 1969 and he had known the house his "entire life".

The library with hundreds of old-looking books in a white bookcase.
The house has a library and five acres (two hectares) of grounds

He also said it had been a difficult decision to sell up, but he and his brother lived too far away to keep running it.

"We have a lot of great staff and we need a lot of staff, but it's just getting harder to logistically run it," he said.

"My grandmother was actually the first Wordsworth to own the house, it's amazing and I've known it all my life.

"If I had a magic wand and if I'm honest, I would love it to remain open in some form.

"It's got the most incredible garden which I adore and the house is a haven of calmness and literary inspiration."

Christopher Wordsworth is sitting in a kitchen beside a window and pantry of jars doing a zoom interview. Only his head and shoulders are visible. He has brown hair and is wearing a blue top.
Christopher Wordsworth said the house was an "amazing haven of literary inspiration"

It was the third Lake District house Wordsworth lived in and he remained there for 37 years.

For the last five decades the family has kept Rydal Mount open to the public for 10 months a year.

Mr Wordsworth added: "My brother and I are of the opinion that we want to sell it to whoever will be the best guardian of the house for the future, because it has been very important in our lives.

"We want it to continue being important in other people's lives so it's going to the best bidder, not the highest."

An aerial view of the large, white house on a sunny day. There are trees next to it as well as what looks like a farm.
Mr Wordsworth believes it was the poet's favourite home

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