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John Clare Cottage facts for kids

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John Clare Cottage
John Clare's birthplace, Helpston, Peterborough - geograph.org.uk - 217344.jpg
General information
Address 12 Woodgate
Town or city Helpston
Coordinates 52°38′03″N 0°20′41″W / 52.6342°N 0.3446°W / 52.6342; -0.3446
Named for John Clare
Owner John Clare Trust

The John Clare Cottage is a special house in Helpston, Peterborough, UK. It's a museum about the famous English poet John Clare. He was born here in 1793 and lived until 1864. This cottage is a very important historical building. It has a traditional thatched roof. It was once made up of five smaller homes. Later, these homes were joined together to make one larger cottage.

Who Was John Clare?

John Clare was a well-known English poet. He lived from 1793 to 1864. He is famous for his poems about nature. He wrote about the countryside around his home. His poems describe plants, animals, and village life.

Saving John Clare's Home

In 2005, a group called the John Clare Trust bought the cottage. They wanted to save it for future generations. The cottage needed a lot of work to fix it up.

Restoring the Cottage

In 2007, the Trust received a lot of money. This money came from the Heritage Lottery Fund. It helped them restore the cottage. They used old building methods to make it look like it did in John Clare's time. They also built a new Visitor Centre. This centre has a cafe, a shop, and a space for exhibitions.

Helping Young People Learn

In 2013, the John Clare Trust got more money. This grant also came from the Heritage Lottery Fund. It helped them keep the building safe. It also allowed them to create fun activities for young people. These activities teach visitors about John Clare and his life.

Visiting the Cottage

Today, the John Clare Cottage is open to everyone. You can visit and learn about the poet. You can see how people lived long ago.

The Cottage Garden

Behind the cottage, there is a beautiful garden. Volunteers take care of this garden. They plant flowers and plants that John Clare would have seen. It's like stepping back in time.

Part of a Museum Group

The John Clare Cottage is part of a bigger group. This group is called the Fens Museum Partnership. Other museums in this group include Peterborough Museum and Flag Fen. They all work together to share history.

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