Dove Cottage to recreate rustic fair of yesteryear

Dove Cottage & The Wordsworth Museum will be recreating a Grasmere event of yesteryear on September 6 when it stages its September Fair.

In Wordsworth’s day, the September Fair was a rustic occasion, which he references in The Prelude and describes as a ‘Delightful day … for all who dwell in this secluded glen.’ Dorothy Wordsworth also mentions the 1800 Fair in her journal and says, ‘I believe there were many cakes & much beer sold.’ She also mentions much ‘dancing and merriment’.

The 2014 version will seek to capture the spirit of that 1800 occasion and will feature food, music, poetry, a wide range of performers, craft stalls and demonstrations, letter writing activities, face-painting, a Live History group and fun but educational things to do.

The cakes on sale in the Pop-Up Poetry Café will follow recipes from the Wordsworth family, with some from Joanna Hutchinson’s recipe book. Other dishes will be prepared by groups from across Cumbria and will be inspired by Dorothy Wordsworth’s recipes and journals. Recipe cards will also be provided to visitors wishing to try a dish at home.

Performers taking centre stage will include the Grasmere Players, Jules Ward and CML Young Musicians, while a Town Crier will make sure everyone hears the news and knows where activities are based.

Craft activities will include a rag-rug demonstration by Janice Wilson and, if the weather is kind, an artist painting outdoors. Exhibitors in the craft exhibition are Sue West (ceramicist), Sue David (printmaker), Amanda Hunter (silversmith), Dave Pooley (painting and illustration), Elizabeth Shorrock (mixed media) and Helen Golding Miller (book conservator).

A poetry tree, magnetic poetry sets and food labels with quotes or poem extracts will remind all visitors that Dove Cottage is one of the country’s most famous homes of poetry.

Visitors to the Dove Cottage site in Town End near Grasmere can sample this vibrant entertainment and activity-packed event free of charge.

Should visitors want to combine a visit to the September Fair with Dove Cottage & The Wordsworth Museum, admission is £7.75 for an adult and £4.50 for a child. This includes a tour of Dove Cottage and a visit to The Wordsworth Museum, where the much praised Wordsworth and Basho: Walking Poets exhibition is currently on show.

The September Fair will start at 10am and end at 4pm on September 6.