Mary Shelley was born in August 1797 and was most famous for her novel Frankenstein. She lived a life full of adventure to other countries, joined by her husband, but also suffered a number of tragedies in her lifetime.
Her life ended in February 1851 at 53 years old, and she was buried in a Bournemouth graveyard.
Many visit the gravesite, and it is a popular spot for Mary Shelley fans to pay their respects.
Read on to discover a brief history of Mary Shelley and where to find the graveyard.
Shelley’s parents were famous in their own right, as her father, William Goodwin, was a political philosopher, and her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, was a woman rights activist.
Unfortunately, her mother passed away 11 days after Mary was born, and her father raised her. In 1814, she became romantically involved with one of her father’s political followers, Percy Bysshe Shelley, who was married at the time.
He was also an author and romantic poet. Whilst he was still married to his wife Harriet, Percy and Mary travelled around Europe and later returned when Mary was pregnant.
The couple faced ostracism and the death of their premature daughter. Shortly after, Harriet sadly committed suicide, and in 1816, Percy and Mary got married.
That year, the couple spent the summer with poet Lord Byron near Genieva, Switzerland. It turned out to be a wet summer, which led to staying inside a lot.
During that time, Mary came up with her idea for Frankenstein. She was unable to sleep with the idea and set to work writing her famous novel.
Over the years, the couple moved around and settled in Italy 1818. Here, they suffered two children passing away, which led to Mary suffering depression.
Eventually, their last and surviving son was born, Percy Florence Shelley.
Mary’s husband passed away from drowning after his sailboat sank, leading Mary to move back to England with her son.
For the rest of her days she focused on writing and looking after Percy, dying from a suspected brain tumour in 1851.
How did Mary Shelley end up being buried in Bournemouth?
In 1849, Percy bought Boscombe Cottage and planned to turn it into a home for his mother. Unfortunately, before it was finished, she had passed away.
Percy planned to bury her in St Peters Church in Bournemouth, but Mary had always wanted to be buried with her parents.
He arranged to have their coffins put in the same plot with Mary, along with her husband’s heart that Mary had kept since his death.
💡 Related post: If you’re planning a visit to Mary Shelley’s grave in Bournemouth, be sure to explore fun-filled activities in Bournemouth for a complete trip.
If you’re looking to visit the burial place of Mary Shelley then you simply have to visit Bournemouth town centre. Her grave is in St Peter’s Church, which is located opposite the aptly named Mary Shelley pub.
Have fun exploring!
📍 St Peter’s Church, Hinton Rd, Bournemouth BH1 2EE
