People walk and drive past this building in Redcliffe Way, Bristol every day but may still not recognise the location as the birth place of, and site of the first school attended by, Thomas Chatterton. Born in 1752, Chatterton is regarded as the first romantic poet in English and was famously described by William Wordsworth as ‘the marvellous boy’.

Despite his talent, he did not prosper and died in a London garret in 1770 at the age of just 17. It has been generally accepted that he committed suicide by drinking arsenic. However, more recent research has suggested the death may possibly have been unintentional.

Latterly, Chatterton’s old house has become Chatterton’s Cafe.