VISITING THE AUTHOR: Writers’ House-Museums with Linda Young

English (and Scottish) literature-lovers began visiting their heroes’ homes and haunts in the early 19th century, and haven’t stopped yet. It was and is a romantic journey of admiration, loyalty and self-identification with characters, places and the creative genius of authors. The taste soon acquired a nationalist tinge as a celebration of English (or Scottish) cultural achievement, which by the later 19th century resonated throughout the British Empire. The three house museums dedicated to Charles Dickens tell the story.

Linda Young is Course Director in Cultural Heritage & Museum Studies at Deakin University in Burwood. She is writing a book about historic houses as a species of museum – among which, the houses of culture heroes such as writers are very prominent.