Stars of hit shows Succession, Doctor Who, Batman and Harry Potter are pleading for the beloved Lake District home of William Wordsworth to be preserved as a national monument after it was put on the market for £2.5 million.

Brian Cox, Tom Conti, Miriam Margolyes, Paul and Mark McGann, and Danny Boyle’s Millions screenwriter and children’s laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce are all calling for Rydal Mount to be retained as a literary heritage site.

The tranquil house, packed with a unique and culturally significant collection of Wordsworth memorabilia, and breathtaking gardens, have welcomed poetry lovers, environmentalists, artists, and dreamers from around the world since it was bought by his descendants in the 1960s.

The house and grounds near Ambleside remain open for the 2025 season, but last month, it was announced that the property had been put up for sale. Campaigners including Tom Conti, whose screen credits include The Dark Knight Rises and Paddington 2, now fear the national treasure will disappear into private hands and be lost to the public forever.

The want to preserve the “Daffodils” poet’s home of nearly 40 years, as a living memorial to his verse, passion for nature, and his vision for social change. The Grade 1 listed property is surrounded by five acres of grounds designed by Wordsworth himself - who lived there from 1813 up until his death in 1850.

It has been open to the public for decades but visitor numbers have plummeted post-Covid from 45,000 to little over 20,000. The poet’s descendant Christopher Wordsworth said it was getting “harder and harder” to manage the property remotely and has reluctantly put it on the market.

Following the 175th anniversary of Wordsworth’s death on April 23, the actors are hoping to team up with institutes, academies and financial backers to protect the house and gardens for future generations. Brian Cox, who played Logan Roy in Succession, said: “It is important in Wordsworth’s literary history and we have to save it.

“It’s too often we are losing our incredible links with the past and this is one major link to the past that we cannot lose.” Dr Who star Paul McGann underlined: “Wordsworth described Rydal Mount as ‘the loveliest spot man hath ever found’.

“I felt the same when visiting last year - it would be a tragedy if the public were no longer able to experience this beautiful and inspiring place.” Blackadder star Miriam Margolyes, who also played Professor Sprout in the Harry Potter films, added: “This forthcoming sale is a mistake. It can be stopped. This treasure belongs to the nation - as much as does William Wordsworth.”

The campaign is led by Charlotte Wontner, a descendant of Wordsworth and the founder of Hopscotch Films. “Wordsworth means so much to so many people in the arts world and they are keen to come on board,” she said.