Have been past this house many times but have never visited. Now that we have joined Historic Houses then it is free to visit.
Went on International Womens' Day... read more as there was talk about female writers which was quite interesting.
House itself has lots of interesting information and you can learn a lot about Elizabeth and her family and also others like John Ruskin.
Room guides are very knowledgeable and helpful.
Tea room had a very limited selection available and some items quite expensive.
Lots of secondhand books for sale (very disorganised display) but generally quite expensive (3 to 6 times most outlets) when compared to charity shops or even National Trust properties.
It was a drizzly day in Manchester. I sent my two young adult children and their southern visitor to the museum. They returned saying that they'd had a great time:... read more they'd learnt lots of interesting things and found all the guides incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. They were encouraged to play the piano at the house and ask lots of questions. (The cakes in the café got a 5-star rating too.) All three came home and started reading Mrs Gaskell.
A few weeks ago I visited with 3 family members on a quiet Sunday afternoon. The house is easy to find by car and there was free parking right outside.... read more With regards to inside, the house is a wonderful tribute to the past, and to the Gaskell family. Beautifully maintained; it's like stepping back into the past and Mrs Gaskell herself could be writing in the next room. The guides were all so lovely and helpful. Sometimes when you visiting museums, the atmosphere is a little stuffy and uncomfortable but this is absolutely not the case here. I enjoyed viewing the rooms and listening to the stories about times gone by and famous literary visitors to the property. The Ruskin exhibition in an upstairs room is wonderful and I can't wait to return to visit the bedroom that is currently being refurbished. Downstairs is the second hand book sale and lovely tea room/gift shop. Lovely and clean and all COVID rules being followed. It was a lovely visit and the house is a little gem just a stone's throw from the bustle of Manchester city centre. Tickets last for 12 months so I hope to return next year. Well done to all involved in the upkeep of the house.
Elizabeth Gaskell's house would be lovely to live in ! It has a real feel to it and really preserves what it woould have been like when Mrs Gaskell herself... read more lived there
A beautiful house (inside and out) ten minutes from Oxford Road. The 197 passes the door and the 50 just round the corner. A lot going on - talks, recitals... read more (pre-Covid), even a second-hand book market. A veritable cultural hub. Volunteers in every room- very friendly and helpful. A first-class visitor ex