Keats House

Keats House was the home of the Romantic poet from 1818 to 1820, when he left for Rome in the hope of alleviating his tuberculosis (he died of the disease the next year, aged 25). The interior of Keats was sensitively restoredand reopened in 2009; the refurbishment reflects the original decoration of the property, creating a living space that Keats would have recognised and providing an authentic example of Regency style. As well as mooching through the rooms, you can attend events and talks in the poetry reading room and see a display on Keats's sweetheart, Fanny Brawne, who lived next door. The love affair was recently the subject of well-received movie 'Bright Star' (2009), directed by Jane Campion, and a selection of costumes from the film can be seen in the house, alongside the engagement ring given by Keats to Brawne. The garden, where the poet composed 'Ode to a Nightingale', is a particularly pretty spot.