Cockermouth Travel Guide

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William Wordswoth was born on the 7th April 1770 in Cockermouth. He lived at Wordsworth House with family including his sister, Dorthy Wordsworth. He had three other brothers.

His father worked away a lot but taught Wordswoth poetry and was sent to Hawkshead Grammar school and onto Cambridge University where he obtained his BA degree. Before he graduated ,he made his writing debut by publishing a sonnet for the The European Magazine. Through travelling in Europe, Wordsworth established himself as a poet and when he and Dorothy returned to the Lake District he wrote a lot of peoms about death, endurance, separation and grief.

Wordsworth died in 1850 in the Lake District and was buried at St Oswald's church in Grasmere.

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This is house is where William Wordsworth, a Romantic poet, grew up in alongside his sister, Dorothy, during the 18th Century.

Today, the visitor can visit most of the rooms in the house including the kitchen, the drawing room, the children's bedroom and so forth. It's also worth exploring back gardens where Wordsworth referred to in his poems.

One of our highlights was visiting the kitchen where we were able to sample some gingerbread which was similar to how it was made by Wordsworths' servants. There are demonstrations taking place in the house that replicates some of the life that might have happened during the 1770s.

In the cellars there is a video presentation of the floods that happened in 2009 where considerable damage was caused to the house as well as the town centre.

It cost 6.50 gbp for Adults (July 2011) but if you're a National Trust member you can visit for no extra cost.

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We decided to visit the Jennings Brewery to take a tour as Richard is such a beer fan and he knew that there would be free samples at the end of the tour!
The brewery was originally established as a real family concern in 1828 when it was based in the village of Lorton before moving to Cockermouth in 1874.
The brewery makes its own ales using Lakeland water which it draws from its own well as well as using British grown malt, barley and hops.
The tour starts in the Old Cooperage Bar where you watch a short film before the guide takes you through the factory to see the different rooms where the ales are produced, as well as showing you the raw ingredients that go into the beer. At the end of the tour you can sample the various beers and there is a shop for you to buy them and other gifts.
Tour times are: Jan/Feb/Nov and Dec at 2pm Mon-Fri and at 11am and 2pm on Sat. Mar/Apr/May/June/Sep and Oct at 11am and 2pm Mon-Sat. In July and August at 11am and 2pm seven days a week with possible additional tours.
Costs are £5.50 for adults and £2.50 for children (over 12's only).

The Cumberland Toy- & Modelmuseum

Very nice collection of toys and modeltrains. Very nice for every age, older people can dream back to their childhood and their children and grandchildren can see what they played with.

Opening times:
February & November
Every day 10am - 4pm

March to October
Every day 10am - 5pm

December & January
Times vary, please phone

Admission:
Adults £ 3.00
Senior Citizen £ 2.60
Child (4 to 15 years) £ 1.50
Family (2 + 2) £ 8.00