Introduction
Up in leafy Hampstead is one of London’s smaller museums, dedicated to one of England’s best-loved Romantic poets – John Keats. Keats House, a late Georgian home with a delightful garden, offers a glimpse into the life and legacy of the poet.
Life at Wentworth House
When it was first built, Wentworth House (as it was then known) consisted of two cottages. In December 1818, Keats moved into one of them with his friend Charles Brown. Though he had trained as a surgeon and apothecary, the pressures of the profession conflicted with his passion for poetry. Luckily for us, poetry won out.
It was here that Keats wrote some of his most famous works, including Ode to a Nightingale and Ode on a Grecian Urn.
Love and Loss
During his time in Hampstead, Keats fell in love with his neighbour, Fanny Brawne, who lived in the adjoining cottage with her mother. Their romance was intense but tragically short-lived. When Keats’s brother Tom died of tuberculosis, the poet himself contracted the disease. His illness forced him to keep a painful distance from Fanny, often watching her only from his window.
Though they became engaged, their future together was never realised. Before his death, Keats burned all her letters, except the last, which was buried with him.
Final Days and Legacy
In 1820, Keats travelled to Rome, hoping the warmer climate would ease his illness. Accompanied by his friend Joseph Severn, he spent his final months there before dying in February 1821. He was just 25. He was buried in the Cemitero Acattolico, the Protestant cemetery in Rome
During his lifetime, Keats published only 54 poems, which were not widely celebrated. Today, however, he is regarded as one of England’s finest poets, with lines such as “a thing of beauty is a joy forever” still widely remembered.
Keats House Today
Keats House is open to visitors on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday between 11am–1pm and 2pm–5pm. Guests can explore the poet’s home, browse the collection, and spend time in the garden that once inspired his writing.
Exploring cultural highlights
If you are in Hampstead Village walk, why not stroll down to Downshire Hill afterwards and discover this literary gem for yourself?
