Rydal Mount - Brief for a Feasibility Study

Overview

The Wordsworth Trust invites applications to tender for a feasibility study to identify a future operating model for Rydal Mount, a heritage property located within the Lake District World Heritage Site. Rydal Mount, the Wordsworths' family home from 1813, was acquired by the Wordsworth Trust in March 2026 with the support of The Julia Rausing Trust and the Charlotte Aitken Trust. The purpose of the feasibility study is to identify a preferred option for the future use and sustainable operation of Rydal Mount within the broader activities of the Wordsworth Trust. It will consider how continued public access can be ensured, how the ambitions of the Wordsworth Trust and its partners can be advanced, and how the property can be operated in a financially sustainable way that supports the long-term resilience of the Wordsworth Trust as a whole. The feasibility study will support strategic decision-making by the Wordsworth Trust's trustees and senior leadership team, and it will advance relationships with funders, partners, and other stakeholders. Balancing experimentation with income generation, this is an exciting opportunity to explore a radically different approach to the management and operation of a heritage property in the 21st century. The guide price for this contract is £60,000 including VAT and all expenses. Please submit your proposal by 9am on Friday 24 July (BST) to k.welland@wordsworth.org.uk. Interviews will take place at Wordsworth Grasmere in the week beginning 10 August 2026. Our deadline for completion is the week ending 15 January 2027.