Dorothy Wordsworth in Somerset
In 1797-8 West Somerset and the Quantock Hills became the backdrop for the blossoming of early Romantic poetry. This International Women’s Day (March 8) we celebrate the central role played by Dorothy Wordsworth during this extraordinary moment in English literary history.
In July 1797 Dorothy moved with her brother William to Alfoxden, a large country house near Holford. The Wordsworths were drawn to Somerset because of the strong bond they had developed with Samuel Taylor Coleridge. He had recently taken up residence, with his wife Sara and infant son Hartley, at a run-down cottage in Nether Stowey, about three miles from Alfoxden.
Dorothy, William and Coleridge were enthralled by one another, and their intense friendship led them to spend almost every day together. The high mutual regard shared by Dorothy and Coleridge is reflected in their descriptions of one another. Coleridge wrote of being in Dorothy’s presence:
‘Wordsworth and his exquisite sister are with me – She is a woman indeed! – in mind, I mean, and heart.’
Dorothy’s description of Coleridge demonstrates the equally strong impression he made on her:
‘His conversation teems with soul, mind and spirit. He is so benevolent, so good tempered and cheerful.’
Dorothy’s relationship with her brother William was one of warm protection. She believed in his ability as a poet, and helped provide sustenance for his writings, both through her journal writing and through the conversations they shared during walks over the Quantock Hills.
The journal Dorothy kept during her time at Alfoxden provides an invaluable glimpse into her day-to-day life. It shows the central place that walking had in Dorothy’s life, and how it shaped her experience of the landscape around her. At the end of the 1700s walking for pleasure was still unusual, particularly for women, and can be viewed in retrospect as something of a radical act.
One journal entry vividly conjures up an image of Dorothy and Coleridge in the landscape:
‘Walked with Coleridge nearly to Stowey after dinner. A very clear afternoon. We lay sidelong upon the turf, and gazed on the landscape till it melted into more than natural loveliness.’
Recent years have led to a reassessment of Dorothy’s life and writings, and she has steadily stepped out from the shadow of her famous brother. Christmas Day 2021 was the 250th anniversary of her birth, and this seems a fitting moment to reflect on the life of a quietly radical and inspirational woman.
Supporting the exhibition ‘In Xanadu: Coleridge and the West Country’ at The Museum of Somerset, open 12 March until 25 June. Read more.