Elizabeth Gaskell’s House is giving visitors the keys to the door, as it shares an invitation to a series of special online tours taking place in February and March. From wherever you are you can find yourself exploring this beautiful Grade II listed Regency-style villa that was home to author Elizabeth Gaskell and her family, with tour guides and 360° photography all part of a truly interactive virtual tour.
Places are limited to 20 people per tour in order that there is plenty of opportunity to ask questions about each of the rooms, with the first tours taking place on Thursday 11 February (7.00pm) and Saturday 20 February (10.30am) and more dates to be announced.
There are so many stories to discover; stories of Elizabeth’s friendships with some of the most famous faces of the Victorian era, stories of why this was such a beloved family home and stories of how Elizabeth’s novels came to life within the walls of this house.
Manchester has a rich literacy legacy, but Elizabeth Gaskell’s House is its only literary home; one that would welcome visitors including Charlotte Bronte, Charles Dickens and John Ruskin. It’s ironic that from this middle-class oasis of charm and tranquility that some of the most graphic and accurate descriptions of life during the Industrial Revolution were captured. These are just some of the intriguing discoveries to be explored as the tour moves around the house, including visits to the Morning Room, Study, Drawing Room and Dining Room.
Sally Jastrzebski-Lloyd, House Manager of Elizabeth Gaskell’s House, says, “The online talks we have hosted over the last few months have been a great success, attracting lots of participation and wonderful feedback. We’ve applied the experience we’ve gained from these to create an online tour that we think will be really enjoyable because of its very visual and interactive nature. We are also delighted that through these events we are able to reach not only a regional and national audience, but also Elizabeth Gaskell fans worldwide. Plus every ticket booked helps us to continue to run this treasured literary home.”
Tickets for an Online Tour of Elizabeth Gaskell’s House are £10, will take place on Zoom and must be booked in advance, with all the details here. The tour is completed with the receipt of a discount to enjoy in the online shop.
This project is funded by the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage. The Culture Recovery Fund is being delivered by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England, using funds provided by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
All the money raised by Elizabeth Gaskell’s House’s events programme and online shop goes towards the maintenance and running of the house, which is managed by the charity Manchester Historic Buildings Trust. This includes raising funds for special projects such as the current one to recreate Elizabeth Gaskell’s bedroom, which can be supported here.
