'The loveliest spot that man hath ever found'
Explore the Garden-Orchard at Dove Cottage, home of William and Dorothy Wordsworth
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Dove Cottage
Dove Cottage is located in the hamlet of Town End, on the edge of Grasmere village, in the heart of the English Lake District. William and Dorothy Wordsworth lived here between 1799 and 1808.
Henry Edridge, William Wordsworth (19th Century) by Henry EdridgeWordsworth Grasmere
William Wordsworth
Here at Dove Cottage, William wrote much of his greatest poetry, including the famous 'I wandered lonely as a Cloud' (also known as 'Daffodils').
Silhouette of Dorothy Wordsworth (19th Century) by Artist unknownWordsworth Grasmere
Dorothy Wordsworth
Dorothy, William's sister, wrote her famous Grasmere journal whilst living at Dove Cottage.
Dove Cottage Garden (2018-05-31) by Wordsworth GrasmereWordsworth Grasmere
The Garden-Orchard
The Garden-Orchard was a beloved part of the Wordsworths' home, and an important part of daily life.
Here, William and Dorothy wrote, read, walked and talked, rested, tended plants and vegetables, completed household chores, and took time to notice the world around them.
View into Dove Cottage Garden (2018-07-06) by Wordsworth GrasmereWordsworth Grasmere
'The loveliest spot that man hath ever found.'
In the summer of 1802, before leaving Dove Cottage for several months,
Wordsworth composed 'A Farewell', a poem addressed to the Garden-Orchard. He described it as 'The loveliest spot that man hath ever found.'
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'A Farewell' by William Wordsworth
Explore the view from the top of Dove Cottage's Garden-Orchard whilst listening to William's poem: 'A Farewell'.
