Bristol and Romanticism Walking Tour

About

Bristol was central to the Romantic Movement. The poets William Wordsworth, Robert Southey and Samuel Taylor Coleridge spent time in the city; the first edition of Lyrical Ballads was produced here by Joseph Cottle, a local publisher; and it was here that Coleridge fostered critical debate with his celebrated series of lectures and the publication of his newspaper, The Watchman.

Romanticism marked a time of revolution, medical and scientific progress, the beginning of democratic politics and the wide discussion of ideas.

This downloadable and printer-friendly guide provides directions for two enjoyable tours, one from the top of Park Street to St Mary Redcliffe, the other around Clifton and Hotwells. Both tours enable you to walk in the footsteps of key figures of Romanticism, to learn where they lived, worked, visited, lectured and wrote poetry, and to find out more about the ideas they argued and debated.

Download the guide

There are plenty of visitor attractions and opportunities for refreshments along the way. The tours are linked to the award-winning Bristol Legible City (BLC) way-finding information system, which includes walking maps and on-street signage designed to improve people’s understanding and  experience of the city.

The BLC walking maps are free of charge and are widely available across the city. They can be found at visitor
attractions, libraries, hotel receptions, travel arrival points and many other sites.

Enjoy your exploration of Bristol’s literary heritage!

More information about The Romantic Poets and Bristol

Other walking tours of Bristol

Literary Bristol

Famous people of Bristol