Poet. Born at Field Place, near Horsham in Sussex. Had a habit of eloping with and then marrying 16 or 17 year olds: first Harriet Westbrook. When she, pregnant, drowned herself in the Serpentine Percy waited 2 weeks and then married Mary Godwin with whom he had been living for the previous 2 years.
Although he couldn't swim and often predicted that he would die by drowning, Shelley spent the summer of 1822 sailing on the Bay of Lerici. A storm threw him and others overboard. The bodies were washed ashore 10 days later and, in the presence of Lord Byron and Leigh Hunt, a cremation took place on the beach. Shelley's heart was saved and given to Mary who carried it with her all her life, taking it to her own grave (or their son kept it and took it to his grave, stories vary). Shelley's ashes were later buried in the Protestant cemetery in Rome.
This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Percy Bysshe Shelley
Commemorated ati
Percy & Mary Shelley
After their elopement in July 1814 the Shelleys lived here with Claire Clairm...
Percy Shelley - SE1 - blue
British History Online: "In 1932 the London County Council erected a memorial...
Percy Shelley - SE1 - Southwark
Percy Bysshe Shelley lived at No. 26 Nelson Square which formerly stood on a ...
Somers Town Mural
This mural was commissioned by the GLC in 1980 and moved to this site by St P...
Other Subjects
Edith Nesbit
Author and poet. Wrote approximately 40 books for children including 'The Railway Children'. Born at 38 Lower Kensington Lane. She married the journalist and politician, Hubert Bland in 1880, but u...
Lord Byron
Born Holles Street, baptised at St Marylebone church in the same year. Spent the first 10 years of his life in Aberdeen with his mother. On the death of a great-uncle in 1798 he succeeded to the ti...
Tom Moore
Iris poet, singer and songwriter. Born Thomas Moore at 12 Aungier Street, Dublin. He came to London to study law at the Middle Temple and befriended many prominent people. In 1803, he was appointed...
Person, Music / songs, Poetry, Caribbean Islands, Ireland, USA
Wilfrid Scawen Blunt
Diplomat, poet, hedonist and traveller. Born Petworth House, Sussex. Advocated anti-Imperialism, and supported Irish nationalism. Legendary womaniser, one being William Morris's wife, Jane. Married...
Alfred William Hunt
Born Bold Street, Liverpool. Son of the painter William Henry Hunt. Poet and landscape painter associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. He won the Newdigate Prize in 1851 for his poem ‘Nine...
Previously viewed
Pickwick Bicycle Club
The oldest surviving cycling club in the world was founded at Downs Hotel, during the craze for the newly evolving bicycle, just 2 weeks after Charles Dickens died. The founding members honoured hi...
Biggott House / Bigod House
Queen's-Haven have a post about this house, where it was and what occupied the site after it was gone, and gives "Norfolk House ... lies to the south of the foundations of Bigod House, sometimes ca...
Saint Augustine
Theologian and philosopher. Also known as Augustine of Hippo. Born in Thagaste (now Souk Ahras), Algeria. He was brought up as a Christian by his mother, Saint Monica. He travelled to teach in Rome...
Tea industry - the City
EC4, High Timber Street, Sir John Lyon House, 8
From London Tea History: "The 3rd plaque, sponsored by Tata Consumer Products, has been erected at Sir John Lyon House in London EC4V 3PA...
Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them