Call for Papers
Proposals should be emailed to
proposal.wsc@gmail.com
by November 1, 2025.
The Wordsworth Conference Foundation invites 200-word paper proposals for its 2026 Winter Conference, to be held at the Wordsworth Trust (now rebranded as Wordsworth Grasmere) in Grasmere, UK. Our theme this year is “Romantic Ballad and Romantic Song”, and we especially look for proposals that fit the theme, but any Romantics-related topic will be considered.
Programme
Keynote speakers include Katie Garner on ‘The Mermaid in Romantic Ballad and Song’, Jon Quayle on John Clare, and Laura Mandell on “Resurrecting the Romantic Circle’s Lyrical Ballads.”
We will also have a musical evening in the Grasmere Town Hall, with a presentation performance by Caroline O’Shea and Flor Ó Riain.
As in recent years, the conference is nonresidential; participants will need to seek their own lodging. Information and recommendations can be found below.
Proposals should be emailed to
proposal.wsc@gmail.com
by November 1, 2025.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Registration
OPENING SOON
If you hav any questions, please contact: wordsworthsummerconference@gmail.com
Accommodation
Participants should make their own lodging arrangements.
We recommend the following hotels in Grasmere:
The Daffodil: https://www.daffodilhotel.co.uk/
The Swan: https://www.inncollectiongroup.com/the-swan-grasmere/
Tweedies: https://www.tweediesgrasmere.com/
For those on a budget, we recommend the nearby youth hostel, YHA Grasmere:
https://www.yha.org.uk/hostel/yha-grasmere-butharlyp-howe
Or the youth hostel in
Ambleside:
https://www.yha.org.uk/hostel/yha-ambleside
You can book a shared dorm or a private room here.
Travel
Train
If you are coming from the South, you can get a train to Windermere. From here it is a simple bus ride to Grasmere.
To research rail connections we suggest using:
https://www.thetrainline.com/
Bus
Once you are in Windermere, you can get the 555 or 559 bus
from directly outside the station. These are regular and will take you directly to Grasmere:
https://www.stagecoachbus.com/timetables
Travelling from Outside the UK
We recommend flying into Manchester airport. From here
there is a direct train to Windermere. There are also frequent trains to Oxenholme - you can easily change at this station for Windermere (one stop).