Thomas Wordsworth was born in Cockermouth in April 1770 and was renowned poet and author helived at Dove Cottage in Grasmere for many years Wordsworth was known for many writings, Grasmere and the area offers many tributes to the great man who loved Grasmere and the lakes, William Wordsworth died of pneumonia on the 23rd April 1850 and was buried at St. Oswald's church in Grasmere. His widow Mary published his lengthy autobiographical "poem to Coleridge" as The Prelude several months after his death. Though this failed to arouse great interest in 1850, it has since come to be recognised as his masterpiece.