Darwin locations

You can join the celebrations in England by retracing his footsteps from Shrewsbury to Cambridge and London to Kent, visiting many of the places that fired his curiosity about the natural world.

 

 

 

Shrewsbury – Darwin’s Birthplace

Charles Darwin was born in Shrewsbury, the county town of Shropshire on 12 February 1809. Visiting Shrewsbury today you can see many of the locations that shaped Darwin’s childhood, and take part in the Darwin Festival in February. See www.discoverdarwin.co.uk 

Cambridge – Darwin’s student days

Darwin studied theology at Christ’s College, Cambridge University.
The city celebrates Darwin with the Darwin 2009 Festival from 5–10 July 2009.
See www.darwin2009.cam.ac.uk

The South West – Darwin embarks on the Beagle voyage

In 1831, Darwin, aged just 22 years, set sail from Plymouth on a five-year voyage on the Beagle, returning to Falmouth five years later.

London – Darwin establishes himself as a serious scientist

Darwin lived in London for several years after returning from the Beagle voyage, and he was buried in Westminster Abbey (www.westminster-abbey.org/) in April 1882.

Stoke-on-Trent – Darwin’s extended family

Maer Hall, near Stoke-on-Trent, was the family home of Emma Wedgwood who married Darwin in 1839.

Downe House, Kent – Darwin’s home and laboratory

The Kent countryside became Darwin’s open-air laboratory when he moved to Down House in the village of Downe in 1842 and lived there until he died in 1882. Down House is open to the public, and the house and surrounding Kent countryside has been nominated for World Heritage Status in recognition of Darwin’s work. See www.english-heritage.org.uk and www.darwinatdown.co.uk

Darwin celebrations in the North of England

Darwin spent some time in Ilkley, Yorkshire taking water cure treatments for his continuing ill-health during his life.

Oxford – the Great Debate on evolution and religion

Oxford was the site of the infamous debate on evolution and religion in 1860 between Thomas Huxley, the biologist and writer, and Samuel Wilberforce, Bishop of Oxford. The Oxford University Museum of Natural History (www.oum.ox.ac.uk/) is running Darwin events.

The Natural History Museum, London – home for Darwin’s legacy

The Natural History Museum, guardian of many of Darwin’s specimens, is hosting Darwin, a major exhibition, until April 2009. See www.nhm.ac.uk