John Keats in Hampstead Heath

Coming out in just a few weeks is the movie "Bright Star," which is about the romance between the Romantic poet John Keats (1795-1821) and Fanny Brawne. Being considered as one of the best poets during the early part of the nineteenth century. Leaving his studies of becoming an apothecary surgeon when he was twenty-two years old in 1817 he turned his attention to poetry. As contemporary of Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley, John wrote poems like the famous “Ode to Nightingale” (first published in1819). He wrote many of his poems, including “Ode to a Nightingale,” at his home in Hampstead Heath as well as where he fell in love with Fanny. He, unfortunately, passed away at the age of twenty-five from tuberculosis.

To explore the world of John Keats, I highly recommend taking a trip up to Hampstead Heath to visit his house where you can see the house and gardens itself as well as books, paintings and other everyday items that belonged to him. This also includes the engagement ring he had given to Fanny.

To get to the area of Hampstead, which is northeast of the London central area, just pop onto the Northern Line of the London Tube and get off at the Hampstead station or the Belsize Park station and walk . Or, if you could the above ground train to the station Hampstead Heath, which is closer walking distance to the John Keats' house.

If you take the Northern line to the Hampstead Tube station, walk the Hampstead High Street and take a left down Downshire Hill then a right onto Keats Grove which will lead you to the house. Or you can get off at Belsize Park and up Haverstock Hill, which will turn into Rosslyn Hil and eventually Hampstead High Street. Take a right onto Downshire Hill then a right onto Keats Grove. According to the website, the walk from the Hampstead station is mostly downhill and the walk from Belsize Park is up and downhill.

If you’re coming from the Hampstead Heath train station, walk down towards Heath Hurst Road and South End Road. If you continue one Heath Hurst Rd. it will take you around the back of the Keats House to its spot on Keats Grove.

The Keats House is opened to seasonal schedule:

Summer Season ( 24 July – 31 October)
Tuesday to Sunday 1:00pm – 5:00 pm Open to all visitors

Winter Season (1 November – Easter)
Friday to Sunday 1:00pm – 5:00pm Open to all visitors

*It is closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day, but will reopen on News Years Day from 1:00pm – 5:00pm.*

Admissions to the house is relatively inexpensive, especially since they are valid for one year!:

Adults £5.00
Concessions (Pensioners, students and the unwaged) £3.oo
Children (16 and under) Free
Groups 10 or more adults (per person) £4.00
Groups 10 or more concessions (per person) £2.40

Note: if you are a group, you can book a visit during the hours prior to the times when the house is open to the public. Please visit the website to learn more!

To learn more about the house, which opened to the public in memoriam to the poet in 1925, please visit the website! I hope to visit the house in my future trip!

Keats House website: http://www.keatshouse.cityoflondon.gov.uk