St. Peters Churchyard

Mary Wollstonecraft's remains were initially buried at Old St. Pancras Churchyard in London. However, in 1851, her grandson Percy Florence Shelley, the son of Mary Shelley and Percy Bysshe Shelley, moved her remains to St. Peter's Churchyard in Bournemouth. This relocation was done to fulfill the wishes of Mary Shelley, who wanted her parents to be interred in the family tomb. St Peter's Churchyard, Edensor - grave of William Cavendish, 7th Duke of Devonshire

The churchyard at St. Peter's Church in Bournemouth became the final resting place for several members of the Shelley family, including Mary Wollstonecraft, William Godwin, and Mary Shelley. 

This move was significant as it brought together the remains of Mary Wollstonecraft and her husband William Godwin, reflecting the family's desire to honor their legacy.

“Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin (1759-1797) - Find A...” Findagrave.com, 2015, www.findagrave.com/memorial/12828/mary-godwin. Accessed 4 May 2025.

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Parent Map

Echoes of Empowerment: Women’s Journey Through British Literary History-KW

Coordinates

Latitude: 50.722010100000
Longitude: -1.866716900000

Timeline of Events Associated with St. Peters Churchyard

Date Event Manage
10 Sep 1797

Death of Mary Wollstonecraft

Mary Wollstonecraft passed away due to complications of childbirth, during the birth of her second daughter Mary Shelly.  Specifically puerperal fever ,also known as childbed fever, which was a common and often fatal condition at the time. Her death occurred just 11 days after the birth of Mary Shelley. Wollstonecraft was buried at Old St Pancras Churchyard in London. Her remains were later moved to the Shelley tomb in Bournemouth. Wollstonecraft's passing was a significant loss to the literary and intellectual community, and her widower, William Godwin, was deeply affected by her death. Despite the initial damage to her reputation caused by Godwin's memoir revealing her unconventional lifestyle, Wollstonecraft's contributions to feminist thought and advocacy have been increasingly recognized and celebrated over time.

The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Mary Wollstonecraft.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 11 Mar. 2025, www.britannica.com/biography/Mary-Wollstonecraft.

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