Elizabeth Gaskell's House

Elizabeth Gaskell's House Historic Victorian House and museum. Home of Manchester writer Elizabeth Gaskell. Booking essential via website. Keep up to date with news and events here!

Beautifully restored home of novelist Elizabeth Gaskell, & her family at 84 Plymouth Grove.

“I wanted to see the place where Margaret grew to what she is, even at the worst time of all, when I had no hope of ever...
28/05/2026

“I wanted to see the place where Margaret grew to what she is, even at the worst time of all, when I had no hope of ever calling her mine.” North and South, 1855

“Miss Jenkyns wore a cravat, and a little bonnet like a jockey-cap, and altogether had the appearance of a strong-minded...
27/05/2026

“Miss Jenkyns wore a cravat, and a little bonnet like a jockey-cap, and altogether had the appearance of a strong-minded woman; although she would have despised the modern idea of women being equal to men. Equal, indeed! she knew they were superior.” Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell, 1853

What's your favourite Cranford moment or quote?

More Cranford events in comments 👇

Want to read Elizabeth Gaskell aloud in her own home?Now you can join one of our friendly shared reading sessions.Workin...
26/05/2026

Want to read Elizabeth Gaskell aloud in her own home?

Now you can join one of our friendly shared reading sessions.

Working with charity , Elizabeth Gaskell’s House are hosting a series of events where you can experience the joy of reading together.

🎟️ Tickets are free, booking required. Link in the comments.

📆 Sunday 21 June, 11am & 2pm
📆 Wednesday 24 June, 11am & 2pm

25/05/2026

Whats On Online from Elizabeth Gaskell's House this June?

This month we're celebrating Cranford. The novel that's so good, its never been out of print since first published in 1853.

See link in comments for details and booking.

🌸 Cranford – A TV Classic | Wednesday, 3 June

🌺 Step into the Garden: The Language of Flowers in Cranford and other novels with Caroline Malcolm Boulton - The Scribbler CMB - Writing Page

☕ Cranford for Beginners | Wednesday, 24 June with The Gaskell Society

“An old lady had an Alderney cow, which she looked upon as a daughter.... Miss Betsy Barker dried her eyes, and thanked ...
24/05/2026

“An old lady had an Alderney cow, which she looked upon as a daughter.... Miss Betsy Barker dried her eyes, and thanked the Captain heartily; she set to work, and by-and-by all the town turned out to see the Alderney meekly going to her pasture, clad in dark grey flannel. I have watched her myself many a time. Do you ever see cows dressed in grey flannel in London?”
Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell, 1853

Find out more via link in comments 👇 👇

Today we welcomed staff from Manchester City Council to help our gardening volunteers in our award-winning garden - and ...
22/05/2026

Today we welcomed staff from Manchester City Council to help our gardening volunteers in our award-winning garden - and we had perfect weather for it! 👩‍🌾☀️👨‍🌾

Thank you to everyone that came, we really appreciate the help! 💛🌻

“though she knew, and we knew, and she knew that we knew, and we knew that she knew that we knew, she had been busy all ...
21/05/2026

“though she knew, and we knew, and she knew that we knew, and we knew that she knew that we knew, she had been busy all the morning making tea-bread and sponge-cakes.” Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell, 1853

We love the comedy of Cranford, though it has to be said, sometimes the book can bring a tear to your eye too. Try this from Miss Matty...

'It would be to some people rather a sad way of telling their lives," (a tear dropped upon my hand at these words) - "I don't mean that mine has been sad, only so very different to what I expected.”

☕ 🌸 🌳 👒 📚 📕 🌳

In a world that often moves too fast, we invite you to pour a cup of tea and join literary fans from across the globe to value life's small joys. You can find more comedy, wit and pathos in our new summer online talks
on Cranford in June. ☕ 🌸

👒 Cranford – A TV Classic | Wednesday, 3 June – Explore the legacy of the award-winning BBC television adaptation starring Dame Judi Dench. With Dr Chris Louttit.

🌺 Step into the Garden: The Language of Flowers in Cranford and other novels | Wednesday, 17 June – Discover the hidden, uniquely Victorian symbolism behind your favorite blooms. With Caroline Malcolm Boulton - The Scribbler CMB - Writing Page.

☕ Cranford for Beginners | Wednesday, 24 June – The perfect literary introduction for those reading the masterpiece for the very first time and those who might want a gentle refresher. With Libby Tempest of The Gaskell Society.

Book now via link in comments.👇

Don't miss the ultimate literary face-off! Grab your virtual front-row seat for "South and North rather than North and S...
20/05/2026

Don't miss the ultimate literary face-off! Grab your virtual front-row seat for "South and North rather than North and South" for today's online event about Ellen Wilkinson, Elizabeth Gaskell and the 'Big Strike' Novel.

The Game Plan
When: Today Wednesday, 20 May 2026 at 7pm
Where: Streaming live to your screen.
Vibe: A deep-dive battle of the books marking 100 years since the 1926 General Strike.
The Headliner: Professor Michael Sanders from The University of Manchester

The Matchup
In one corner, we have Elizabeth Gaskell’s Victorian heavyweight, North and South. In the other, Ellen Wilkinson’s fiery 1929 activist novel, Clash. This talk flips the script on industrial fiction to see the comparisons and connections between these two extraordinary novels.

The clock is ticking and the stream goes live in just a few hours!
To be there - get your ticket via link in comments.

Today was our latest conservation cleaning session at Elizabeth Gaskell’s House - and we had a very exciting new additio...
18/05/2026

Today was our latest conservation cleaning session at Elizabeth Gaskell’s House - and we had a very exciting new addition to the team… our new conservation vacuum ✨

It might not sound glamorous, but for a small museum like ours, having the right equipment makes a huge difference when it comes to caring for the House and collections properly.

Thanks to a grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, we’ve been able to purchase this vacuum for our volunteer-run Conservation Cleaning Group - and it’s already become a favourite with the volunteers!

A huge thank you as always to our brilliant volunteers, who keep everything looking its best behind the scenes 💜

'We must love our friends for their sakes rather than for our own.' The Life of Charlotte Brontë by Elizabeth Gaskell📚 N...
18/05/2026

'We must love our friends for their sakes rather than for our own.' The Life of Charlotte Brontë by Elizabeth Gaskell

📚 Now on sale from online shop: Charlotte Brontë and Elizabeth Gaskell Online Talks! 🎟️

Ever wondered about the real-life friendship between Charlotte Brontë and Elizabeth Gaskell? 🕵️‍♀️

Step into the atmospheric world of Victorian literature with our exclusive online talk seasons with Brontë Parsonage Museum —now available from the online shop.

💔 The Invention of Charlotte Brontë Talk by Graham Watson
📕 Charlotte Brontë and Elizabeth Gaskell - A Friendship Talk by Libby Tempest
👭 'A Girl Again, Half Savage and Hardy and Free' Emily and Anne Brontë Talk by Sue Newby

⏳Why you’ll love this season:
Expert speakers: Top speakers share rare insights.
Deep dives: The inside story of their friendship.
On demand: Watch the high-quality recordings anytime, anywhere.

Perfect for book lovers, history buffs, and anyone who loves a brilliant story. ☕✨

See comments for link to buy 👇

“He shrank from hearing Margaret's very name mentioned; he, while he blamed her – while he was jealous of her – while he...
14/05/2026

“He shrank from hearing Margaret's very name mentioned; he, while he blamed her – while he was jealous of her – while he renounced her – he loved her sorely, in spite of himself.”

Are you a fan of the gritty, industrial romance of Elizabeth Gaskell’s North and South? 💔

If you love a picket-line romance, you won’t want to miss our next online talk!

To mark the 2026 centenary of the General Strike, we're looking at "South and North Rather than North and South: Ellen Wilkinson, Elizabeth Gaskell and the 'Big Strike' novel."

We will explore comparisons between Elizabeth Gaskell's Victorian classic and Clash (1929)—a brilliant, semi-autobiographical novel written by iconic Manchester Labour MP Ellen Wilkinson.

Discover how these literary pioneers used fiction to push the boundaries of romance, confront changing attitudes toward strikers, and highlighting the social friction between the North and South.

🗓️ Date: Wednesday 20 May
🕖 Time: 7pm (UK)
🎟️ Tickets: £6 (Includes access to the event recording!)
📍 Where: Online via Zoom

Secure your spot now! Link in comments 🔗👇

Address

Elizabeth Gaskell's House, 84 Plymouth Grove
Manchester
M139LW

Opening Hours

Wednesday 11am - 4pm
Thursday 11am - 4pm
Sunday 11am - 4pm

Telephone

01612732215

Website

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