‘You remember George and Sarah Green who dwelt there. They left their home to go to Langdale on the afternoon of Saturday the 19th of March last: it was a very cold day with snow showers.’

This narrative, composed by Dorothy Wordsworth with the encouragement of William, contains a detailed account of the Green tragedy. It recounts George and Sarah Green’s plan to cross the fells on their way home, the alarm that was raised when they disappeared, and how the community responded to the crisis.

Dorothy Wordsworth, A narrative concerning George and Sarah Green of the Parish of Grasmere addressed to a friend, 1808 (DCMS 64)
The Wordsworth Trust, bequest of the Wordsworth family, 1935