Poet's 'graceless' home for sale
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.When the estate agents selling 105 Newland Park in Hull show it to prospective buyers, they may quietly ignore questions about the verdict of its former owner, one Philip Larkin.
The four-bedroom house close to the city's university was blamed by the former poet laureate for giving him writer's block, and drew his some of famously excoriating criticism. By the time of his death in 1985, Larkin had variously described his home as being "the wrong shape", "fearfully graceless" and an "utterly undistinguished little house". The property was this week put on the market for £165,000 after the death of the poet's girlfriend Monica Jones, who had inherited it.
Larkin, head librarian at Hull University, bought the house in 1974 and later complained he could not write his poems while inside. One of his few notable works from the time was "The Mower", a poem written in 1979 describing the death of a hedgehog as he mowed the lawn.
Hull City Council and the Philip Larkin Society hope to raise enough to bring the house into public ownership and instal a "writer in residence".
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments