Blogs & News

: Thrills & Quills – Jane Austen’s life in letters by LipService

***** both performances have now sold out ********** Celebrate Christmas with Jane Austen & Mrs Gaskell in Thrills & Quills LipService theatre make a seasonal return to Elizabeth Gaskell's House to take a comic look at Jane Austen's letters, examine the vagaries of the Georgian postal system and wonder what witty words Jane could have conjured up with a Twitter account. With extracts from Jane Austen's novels, letters to family members and wickedly funny observations on her neighbours.

: Sew Near – Sew Far

Elizabeth Gaskell's House is delighted to welcome artist Lynn Setterington who is in the process of creating three textile based artworks for the Brontë Parsonage Museum exploring the adopted and real signatures of Charlotte, Emily and Anne Bronte. Elizabeth Gaskell and Charlotte became friends and correspondents, and Charlotte visited the house on three occasions, famously hiding behind the curtains on one visit to hide from a fellow guest. Following Charlotte's death in 1855, Elizabeth wrote her biography, The Life

: FRIENDS EVENT: “A Literary Society and its Museum”

A “conversation” between Professor Michael Slater and Anthony Burton. The  Dickens Fellowship is 115 years old and the Charles Dickens Museum is  92 years old. Professor Michael Slater has been involved in both since 1967, having served as President of the Fellowship and Chairman of the Museum’s Trustees. Anthony has persuaded Michael to make the journey north  to come to Elizabeth Gaskell’s House, as did Dickens himself, so many years ago. Michael will be in conversation with Anthony,

: Kettel & Blacke

Elizabeth Gaskell and her family are on holiday in Silverdale and have asked their ‘observant’ spinster neighbours Misses Kettel and Blacke to house sit whilst they are away. Join them for humorous observations and songs around the piano at 12.30 and 2.30 in the Drawing Room. Read the Biographies of Kettel and Blacke Suitable for all ages. Included in your admission

: Muppet Christmas Carol and Family Crafts

*** sorry this event has sold out ****   Get into the Christmas spirit and join us as we show one of the best (in our opinion) family Christmas films, The Muppets Christmas Carol, here at Elizabeth Gaskell's House! We'll also have family Christmas crafts in the servants hall, plus mince pies and mulled wine on sale in the tea room.  And you can pick up some last minute stocking fillers in our shop. We're decked in holly,