Places to visit to help with GCSE English - (DH Lawrence)

[heresalittlebaby]

Looking for places to visit over the Easter weekend to help my DD engage a bit more with English GCSE. She is struggling with DH Lawrence and we wondered if it would be worth us visiting his birthplace museum in Broxtowe?
Is there anything else in the area?
And, any hotel recommendations?

Or, any other suggestions. (We've already been to Haworth which really helped with her understanding of the landscape in Jane Eyre).

Wow what DHL is she reading for GCSE 😮? Anyway, I believe the birthplace museum is interesting - never been but know those who have. More relevant probably if it's something like Women in Love rather than poems, for example.

Otherwise in the area there is a big IKEA and a lot of ex-mining towns and villages. Nottingham is a nice big city with Hockley, a trendy area with cool shops and cafes.

If you like fancy houses you're not a million miles from Hardwick Hall and Bolsover Castle, or there is some nice walking not too far away.

Limited opening there!
Can't say its all that inspiring round there probably better off watching the new Netflix film.
There's plenty of outside spaces in the county and you could always do a bit of Byron too and his daughter the first computer programmer!

I loved seeing the birthplace museum but I'm a huge DHL fan so it meant a lot to me - not sure it would be inspiring unless you already liked his work.

She would prob find that boring AF.

I would read the text yourself and try to help her with the nitty gritty of the work. With a study guide/videos.

Thanks everyone - the text is Odour of Chrysanthemums.

Do you think this will help contextualise the text for her?

In his town of birth Eastwood, there is the museum, and tge blue line trail....which is basically a blue line that you can follow and see the places of interest that are related to DHL

In that small town there isn't much, however there is a hotel Eastwood Hall which is the former miners offices, and as per a PP an IKEA not so far away.

If you go during spring/summer there are some lovely walks in the area Colliers Wood (created on the grounds of Moorgreen Colliery) is one which brings back lovely memories of walking with my Grandad!

Nottingham and Derby City centres aren't too far and they have the usual city interests.

Nottingham also used to have some fab museums in relation to the lace trade and of course Robin Hood, however it has been a while since I have visited so may have changed.

The town where DHL was born/raised doesn't have much to offer, but for a day or two you could fill easily and ot may assist with your DD's studies!

I actually went to the primary school DHL did, his name was added to the name of the primary school when he died.

OP fancies a weekend away

Is this as part of the short story anthology? Interesting choice by the school - unusual actually. I see it is to do with a miner so Lawrence was to some extent drawing on his personal experience...

They don't have to use every story in the exam o are there others that are resonating more for her?

@titchy - this is exactly it!
We don't have anywhere to go for the Easter weekend as we can't go away during the 2 week school break in case DD has to attend revision lessons at school.
@DancingWithYouInTheSummerRain This is very useful and will definitely check all this out. The blue line trail sounds good and so does the walk (fingers crossed for good weather).
@clary - yes. It's the short stories. I've been told that she can probably avoid it, but it's not just about that. As @titchy says it's as much about having a break and seeing a different part of the UK. (We live in North London.).

What about a visit to the National Coal Mining Museum in Wakefield? They have a coal mine you can go down and a lot of mining stuff. (It's also near the Yorkshire Sculpture Park which is always worth a visit.

Byron's home is a great day out- my English fan daughter really enjoyed that.

I did this for GCSE -glad someone still is! A left field one but can I recommend the Black Country Living Museum (near birmingham) which has mining stuff and lots of period houses/pubs etc - should help her to understand social history.. My two loved it!

There's a Helen Dunmore novel that has DHL as a secondary character along with his wife. Set in Zennor on Cornwall where he had a house. Might be worth a look?

Sorry that's a book not a place!

Any national trust houses you can visit from the same period? Shaw's Corner in Herts is George Bernard Shaw's home and it's still very much how he left it. Very evocative of 1910-30 period. Also The Red House (William Morris) and the other arts and crafts one - Standen I think.

Just returning to this thread. Thank you for all advice and recommendations.
We had a good time at Eastwood and yes, the context really helped DD with her GCSE.
Especially as we managed to track down and went to have a look at his Aunt's house from Odour of Chrysanthemums.
DD said it really helped her to visualise the story and the question came up in her GCSE!