Hawkshead Grammar School Museum
A museum in the 16th-century grammar school in the Lake District where William Wordsworth studied, with classroom furniture and a historic library.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Hawkshead Grammar School was founded in 1585 by Edwin Sandys, Archbishop of York, who endowed it so that local boys could receive a free education; a charter was granted by Elizabeth I. The school ran until 1909, when only six boys remained.
The building was rebuilt in the late seventeenth century by Daniel Rawlinson, a former pupil who had become a London vintner and who also started the school library. The poet William Wordsworth was a pupil here and later described his schooldays in The Prelude.
Today the Governors of the Hawkshead Grammar School Foundation run the old school as a museum covering school life from 1585 to 1909. It holds desks from 1675 and 1820, pupils' carvings, a timeline of the school and the Bishop's Bible that belonged to Archbishop Sandys. The historic library of more than 1,600 books is not yet open to the public in the normal way.
Highlights
- The original schoolroom with desks from 1675 and 1820
- Wordsworth's carved name and the Headmaster's Study dedicated to him
- Charter signed by Elizabeth I
- Historic school library with books from the 16th to the 19th century
- Free "Walk in Wordsworth's Country" map with admission
Permanent exhibition
- School museum and Wordsworth rooms – The Schoolroom with historic desks and carvings, the Staircase Cabinet, the Headmaster's Study dedicated to William Wordsworth and the Exhibition Room with displays on writing materials and the school library.
- Operated by
- Hawkshead Grammar School Foundation
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £6 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | £1Under-16s |
| Groups (10+ people) | £6 per person£1 per person under 16; an accompanying guide or teacher enters free |
| Families | £122 adults and 2 children |
| Library tour and talk for groups (per person, advance booking) | £3Offered to groups on request |
Every ticket can be turned into an annual pass with free entry for a year. Contactless payment is accepted. A museum guidebook costs £4.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: not available
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The museum has a ground floor and a first floor; the first floor can only be reached by stairs. Displays on the ground floor and a tablet are available for visitors who cannot use the stairs. Dogs are not allowed inside except guide dogs.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | £12 · 2 adults and 2 children |
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
- Hands-on stations
Family activities include dressing up, a scavenger hunt, quill writing, a fact-finder quiz and historical games.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Stagecoach Lake District buses serve Hawkshead; the museum website links to the timetables.
By car
No on-site parking at the museum.
There is no parking at the museum; use the main village car park, a short walk away.
The museum is through a gate on Main Street in the centre of the village.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
The shop sells books on Wordsworth and Cumbria, postcards, quill pens, slate workboards, art prints and museum-branded goods.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Every visitor is offered a short introductory talk and can then explore the museum on their own. Groups get a longer talk that can be tailored, for example to Wordsworth, and should allow about one hour. A tour of the historic library can be booked for groups. The library is not normally open to the public but can sometimes be glimpsed while volunteers conserve books. |
