Keats House
Keats Grove
Hampstead
London
Greater London
NW3 2RR
England
Website
www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/keatshousehampstead
keatshouse@cityoflondon.gov.uk
Telephone
020 7332 3868
Keats House is where the poet John Keats (1795-1821) lived from 1818 to 1820. Here he wrote some of his best known poetry, including "Ode to a Nightingale". The house is a Grade 1 listed building set in a peaceful garden in Hampstead. It has been open to the public since 1925.
Venue Type:
Historic house or home, Garden, parklands or rural site, Museum
Additional info
Study facilities are available at London Metropolitan Archives.
The Keats House Collection consists of books, manuscripts, letters, prints, paintings and artefacts relating to the life of the poet John Keats (1795-1821), his circle and the English Romantic movement. The Keats House Collection, including the Keats Memorial Library, is currently available for consultation by appointment only. Please contact us for further information.
Collection details
Archives, Literature, Personalities
Key artists and exhibits
- John Keats
- Joseph Severn
Keats, Cobbett and Cottage Gardens – Fine Words Buttering Parsnips
Keats Poetry timelessly evokes the fecund beauty of cottage gardens. Cobbett's political rant 'Cottage Economy' decries potatoes and tea whilst praising maize and homebrew. Caroline Holmes explores both in a talk which will culminate amongst the blossoms and borders of Keats House garden. A Chelsea Fringe event.
When
4-6pm
Admission
£7
Keats, Cobbett and Cottage Gardens – Fine Words Buttering Parsnips
Keats’s poetry timelessly evokes the fecund beauty of cottage gardens. Cobbett’s political rant ‘Cottage Economy’ decries potatoes and tea whilst praising maize and homebrew. Caroline Holmes explores both in a talk with Q&A which will culminate amongst the blossoms and borders of Keats House garden. A Chelsea Fringe event. Contact Keats House on 020 7332 3868, or email us at keatshouse@cityoflondon.gov.uk If you book a space and then can’t come, please let us know so we can offer the place to somebody else.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
When
4-6pm
Admission
£7.00. Part of the Keats Festival 2013. Free and paid events must all be booked in advance unless otherwise stated.
Website
Poetry Appreciation Group
The Group meets regularly at Keats House to read and discuss works by established poets. In keeping with the theme of the Festival, this themeAn open session for you to join in or just listen.
When
2-3:30pm
Admission
Free.
Website
Poetry Appreciation Group
Led by Ken Page of the Keats House team, the group meets regularly at Keats House to read and discuss works by established poets. In keeping with the theme of the Festival, this week’s theme is Bodies.
Suitable for
- Any age
When
2:30-3:30pm
The Poetry Parnassus Postscript: Crossing Continents
Reading. A myriad of global voices - from the Performance poetry of Mexico’s Rocío Cerón to the Caribbean-inflected, UK-influenced work of Malika Booker and Karen McCarthy-Woolf; from the British-Iranian sensibilities of Mimi Khalvati to the poetry of Antipodean writer Cath Drake, via the lyrical works of Armenia’s Poet Laureate, Razmik Davoyan. A night of continental shifts through the power of the word. In association with Speaking Volumes Live Literature Productions.
When
6:30-8:30pm
Admission
£5.00. Part of the Keats Festival 2013. Free and paid events must all be booked in advance unless otherwise stated. Contact Keats House on 020 7332 3868, or email us at keatshouse@cityoflondon.gov.uk If you book a space and then can’t come, please let us know so we can offer the place to somebody else.
Bitter-Sweet
Workshop. Explore writing using all the senses, especially smell, with Cherry Potts, short story writer, novelist and owner of Arachne Press. If you have a scent that means a lot to you, bring it with you! For fiction writers and poets with all levels of experience.
When
10:30am-1:30pm
Admission
£10.00. Part of the Keats Festival 2013. Free and paid events must all be booked in advance unless otherwise stated. Contact Keats House on 020 7332 3868, or email us at keatshouse@cityoflondon.gov.uk If you book a space and then can’t come, please let us know so we can offer the place to somebody else.
Website
Chinese Calligraphy
Try your hand at the art of Chinese calligraphy with Jing He. This drop-in workshop is suitable for adults and families. No booking necessary – just come along and enjoy.
Suitable for
- Any age
When
2-4pm
House History
Nick Barratt, genealogical consultant for Who Do You think You Are?, will lead a practical workshop showing how to trace the history of a property, from first steps to detailed archival research covering maps, land surveys, occupancy records, manorial documents and associated historic sources.
When
2-4pm
Admission
£10
Lovers’ Lies and Weird Lies
Reading. Focusing (loosely!) on Keats’s involvement with science, medicine and nature, Arachne Press brings you stories of the Garden of Eden, conversations with tadpoles, a meeting of minds across disciplines and love, repression and an old-fashioned approach to doctoring. Writings by Tania Hershman, Cherry Potts, Bobbie Darbyshire and Tom McKay.
When
3-4pm
Admission
£5.00. Part of the Keats Festival 2013. Free and paid events must all be booked in advance unless otherwise stated. Contact Keats House on 020 7332 3868, or email us at keatshouse@cityoflondon.gov.uk If you book a space and then can’t come, please let us know so we can offer the place to somebody else.
Website
Shelley, Byron and the Allegra Story
Susan Brandt’s docu-play is about the love-affair of Lord Byron and Claire Clairmont (Mary Shelley's step-sister), and their daughter, Allegra. In this dramatized Reading, Claire narrates the heart-rending story using the characters' actual letters and journals, revealing Byron to be other than the lovable rogue we usually see.
When
6:30-8:30pm
Where
Keats House
Keats Grove
Hampstead
London
NW3 2RR
Admission
£5
The Lyric Self
Find and channel your lyric self with Dante Micheaux. The lyric poem is a text of emotion and thought, expressed directly from the poet to the reader. Participants will compare examples of Anglophone lyric poetry and create a poem of their own.
Suitable for
- Any age
When
10:30am-1:30pm
Admission
£10
flamingofeather Poetry and Dance
Reading by winners of the flamingofeather poetry competition and the judges, Mimi Khalvati and Peter Daniels. Plus Performance by 55+ Sage Dance Company, directed by former Royal Ballet soloist Simon Rice.
When
5:30-7:30pm
Foyle Young Poets
Workshop participants will read odes written during the afternoon’s Workshop, to be followed by an open mic session.
When
From 4:30pm
The Ode
Join Foyle Young Poets, Flora de Falbe, David Carey, Sarah Fletcher and Alex Hartley to explore the timelessness and evolution of the ode form. Read authors as diverse as Catullus, Neruda and Keats, and create your own odes through a variety of writing exercises.
When
2-4pm
Word and Music : Playing Poetry
An afternoon of classic and contemporary poetry spoken, sung and harmonized with musical accompaniment. Presented by MA Music Theatre students of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in association with Spread the Word, an Arts Council funded charity supporting new writing in London, and the Keats House Poets.
Suitable for
- Any age
When
From 2pm
All The Fish In The Sea
Create sparkling foil fish with artist Jennifer Conroy and frame them in a beautiful seascape to take home. Suitable for families with children aged four and upwards.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
When
10:30am-12:30pm
Jewellery Masterclass
Create your own exquisite, hand-crafted jewellery from recycled paper with artist Jennifer Conroy using a range of innovative cutting, folding and origami techniques. For adults, including beginners.
When
2-4pm
Admission
£7
Keats in Hampstead
Follow the story of Keats's life in this walk with Readings from some of his best-loved poems. Starting at Hampstead tube, we will stroll through old Hampstead, visit the Vale of Health, dip into the Heath and finish at Keats House. Please wear comfortable shoes
When
11am-1:30pm
Admission
£8/£6 concessions
Anonymity & the Prizewinning Poem
Patricia McCarthy, Jane Draycott and Pascale Petit are top winners in this year’s National Poetry Competition, chosen from over 13,000 anonymous entries. They read together here for the first time, and discuss the liberations of anonymity, exploring how poems can escape their authors. Presented by the Poetry Society.
When
6:30-9pm
Admission
£5
Drama Fun For Families
The Bunbury Banter Theatre Company will be running two audio drama Workshops for families. Working on two different Keats poems, we will make discoveries, have fun and leave with lots of interesting recorded audio material, which afterwards will be edited and put on the web for the world to hear.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
When
10:30am-5pm
Introduction de Calligraphy
Explore the beautiful art of calligraphy using quills, nibs and pens with Cherrell Avery, calligrapher on the film Bright Star. Learn the beauty of the written word and discover how lettering styles are used to convey the emotion of the words to great effect. For adult beginners.
When
1:30-4pm
Admission
£7
The Poet Next Door
Prize-winning biographer Lyndall Gordon will Talk about the explosive and visionary character of Emily Dickinson, the poems she shared with her confidante next door, and the medical secret that kept her secluded in her father’s house. Presented by the Poetry Society.
When
6:30-8pm
Admission
£5
Volunteering at Keats House
Join us for a cup of tea and find out how you could meet new people and learn new skills by volunteering at Keats House. This drop-in info session is open to anyone aged 18 or over; no previous experience is required. No booking necessary.
When
11am-12:30pm
Creative Writing - Between the Lines
In a session aimed at the curiously minded, you will be gently encouraged to leave your comfort zone and explore writing a story from multiple points of view using forms such as poetry and letter writing. For beginners upwards. With Anjan Saha, Visiting Writer at Keats House 2012.
When
2-5pm
Admission
£10
Felt Workshop
Come and make a unique and beautiful hand felted bag. During this workshop you will learn how to draw with wool and create a beautiful felted bag which you can take away with you. This workshop is suitable for children aged 5 plus with parents or carers supporting their children.
Suitable for
- 5-6
- 7-10
- 11-13
- 14-15
- 16-17
- 18+
When
3:30-5:30pm
Feltmaking Demonstration
Discover the beautiful tradition of feltmaking. During this demonstration felt artist, Avigail Ochert will show you how to transform merino fleece into beautiful artwork using nothing more than soap, water and elbow grease. No booking necessary.
When
1-3:30pm
International Voices with Parnussus Poets & Guests
In 2012 Poetry Parnassus gathered poets from every Olympic nation to read at the Southbank. In 2013 some of the Parnussus Poets will be reunited alongside British counterparts to present the history of the world through their stories and "found" poetry. There will be live calligraphy and music to make for a truly sumptuous event. Hosted by Anjan Saha. Countries represented to include St. Kitts, Bermuda, Grenada, India and the UK. Curated by London Literature Lounge.
When
6:30-9pm
Admission
£5
Getting Started in Life Writing
Everyone has a unique voice and experience. Join Andrea Watts in an afternoon of exercises to get your memory and writing muscles working. This course is ideal for beginners looking for fun, practical skills and inspiration to keep writing.
When
2-5pm
Illustrating the Immortal Bird
Join artist Maggie Nightingale for a fun, immersive, experience focusing on Keats’s famous Ode to a Nightingale, written under a tree here at Keats House. The group will explore the grounds, consider how poets have represented their work visually, and contribute to mixed-media illustration to Keats’s poem. Adults at all levels welcome.
When
10:30am-1pm
Admission
£7, includes materials.
The Day the Grass Came - and Unmade Roads
Muswell Press poets Leo Aylen and Alan Franks honour Keats through their recent collections. Aylen performs his acclaimed theatrical poetry, with scenes from Brixton tube station to Vesuvius erupting, whilst Times columnist Franks 'A modern day Sydney Carter' delivers 'poetry of great musicality' (Jo Shapcott).
When
6:30-9pm
Admission
£5
Website
Momentum
Discover the joys of collaboration as Cath Drake hosts poets Kayo Chingonyi, Jocelyn Page, Saradha Soobrayen and Jacqueline Saphra. Some are part of online collaborative group, The Vineyard; others meet regularly, mentored by Mimi Khalvati.
When
6:30-8:30pm
Admission
£5
Website
‘The Silent Mysteries of Earth’
Join Rommi Smith for an outdoor creative writing workshop. Together, we’ll take morning tea in the garden, tuning into Keats House’s beautiful garden space, as both muse and inspiration. We’ll explore the magic of seeing things from different perspectives and techniques for imbuing the everyday with the extraordinary. Rommi Smith was poet in residence at Keats House 2010.
When
10:30am-1:30pm
Admission
£10
Volunteering at Keats House
Join us for a cup of tea and find out how you could meet new people and learn new skills by volunteering at Keats House. This drop-in info session is open to anyone aged 18 or over; no previous experience is required. No booking necessary.
When
From 11am
Website
Wild Writing
Cath Drake invites poetry and prose writers of all levels to stretch beyond the predictable, re-invent the ordinary, sneak into the surreal, flirt with freefall and have fun taking your writing to unexpected places. Put aside the editor and critic and let your creativity fly.
When
2-5pm
Admission
£10
Website
Austentation
Regency musicians Frank Underwood and Angela Mayorga play romantic guitar and other stringed instruments of the period and Gillian Tunley supplies vocals and regency percussion, all in the costume of Jane Austen’s day. Suitable for all ages.
When
3-4:30pm
George the Dragon
George is a giant mechanical Dragon. Rarely rolled out due to his great age and cantankerous nature, this marvel of grime and grease is a hand cranked mechanical wonder. Keith Moore invites the fearless and curious to step forward, turn the handles and bring George to life. Drop-in, no booking necessary.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
When
1-5pm
Admission
Free.
Website
Here We Go Round the Mulberry Tree
Join us to celebrate the launch of the 2012 Keats Anthology.
John Hegley and Anthology poets will read work written in 2012 during the Festival and other Workshops during John’s residency.
When
5-7pm
Keats Youth Poets Forum
The Keats House Poets are back for another chilled-out afternoon of poetry and spoken word. Open mic, plus Performances from headliner Anthony Anaxagorou, with Raymond Antrobus, Simon Mole, Deanna Rodger, Dean Atta, Laila Sumpton, Sonority Turner and Kaamil Ahmed. Arrive early to grab an open mic slot.
When
From 1:30pm
Website
Strange Tracks
Celebrate the changing face of Modern Poetry in Translation with Chris Beckett, poet and translator of Ethopian poetry, Frances Leviston, whose first collection Public Dream was shortlisted for the TS Elliot Prize, and Fiona Sze-Lorrain, poet and translator from Chinese.
When
3-4:30pm
Getting there
By Tube (Northern Line, Edgware branch):
Hampstead tube to Keats House – 750m or just under half a mile (mostly downhill)
Belsize Park tube to Keats House – 750m or just under half a mile (up and downhill)
By London Overground:
Hampstead Heath train station – approximately 100m
By Bus:
Buses 24, 46, 168 and C11 all go to South End Green, next to Hampstead Heath Station; Bus 268 goes to the Rosslyn Hill junction with Downshire Hill
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