Bournemouth

Bournemouth

& Boscombe Manor

The Local Link to Bournemouth

The Mary Shelley family hold a significant place in the history of Bournemouth town, and therefore are well celebrated in the local community. The families' contribution to the great literature of our time is honoured still today. Both Bournemouth and Boscombe host many streets named after the family.

The family remain so import to this day because of the significant impact they had on literature. The four key figures were all considered radically progressive for their time, which can be seen in the work they produced. The survival of their words remains a testament to its importance, both in the literary world and in society.

Many local establishments around the town centre also reflect the impact of the family, for example two Weatherspoon’s in the local are named respectively 'The Mary Shelley', and 'The Percy Shelley'.

The History of Bournemouth

Bournemouth has a relatively short history. Previously it was heathland owned by the Tapps family, but in 1810 the first residents, Lewis Tregonwell and his wife, moved to the area. From this point on Bournemouth started to develop into a sea side resort town. The creation of railway massively accelerated this process. The town also became famous as a health spa. This was due to the belief that the sea air and the pine trees were exceptionally good for people with weak chest, along with the early establishment of Bournemouth sanitorium.

It was due to this reputation that the Shelley family came to Bournemouth. In 1849, Percy Florence Shelley was advised that Bournemouth air may have a positive impact of the poor health of both his wife and mother. It is believed that they may have come to Bournemouth because of its similarties to Italy - one of Mary Shelley's favourite places. Percy Florence Shelley bought a plot of land in Boscombe and started the construction of Boscombe Manor (below).

Mary Godwin Shelley

Mary Shelley herself never lived in Bournemouth. However, she did visit the area at least once, to over sea the construction of the manor house. Mary Shelley died on the 1st February 1851, due to her request, she was buried in St Peters church in Bournemouth. She also had her parents’ graves requisitioned from St Pancreas, London, to be buried in the in Bournemouth. The family plot in Bournemouth holds the bodies of Mary Wollstonecraft, William Godwin, Mary Shelley and the heart of her husband Percy Bysshe Shelley. Whom had died previously in a boating accident of the coast of Rome. Boscombe Manor was completed in March 1851 and homed the Shelley family for many years.

Mary Shelley

Sir Christopher Creeke

The property in which Sir Percy Florence Shelley brought originally was almost entirely rebuilt by the best architect in the district, Christopher Crabbe Creeke, who was also the surveyor to the Bored of Improvement Commissioners of Bournemouth. The house was massively extended in 1872, believed to be the time that the private theatre was built, later becoming the Grovely Manor School. Sir Percy Shelley, Lady Shelley, as well as attributed actor friends of theirs, preformed plays on this stage, usually written and produced by Sir Percy. The boundaries of the estate went though a few changes as the property reduced in size due to the opportunities Percy Shelley saw in property developments. By 1866 the size had been reduced from 195 acres to 94, although with the inclusion of the 8 acres of beach and cliff it amounted to roughly 102 acres.

Percy Shelley's Heart

Interestingly, in 1899 after the Lady’s death there was found, in the Lady’s boudoir, an alcove, also known as the sanctum, were a variety of well-preserved manuscripts from the late Percy Bysche and Marry Shelley, these were distributed amongst the living heirs of the family. In Mary Shelley’s desk they found locks of hair from her children and some ashes of Percy Shelley, as well as ruminants of his heart, wrapped in a silk. His heart now lays to rest family plot.

Boscombe

It was in 1273 that there was the first written record of the name Boscombe, though not until 1788 that the original Boscombe cottage appeared on early maps of Hampshire (Harrison’s Hampshire Map, 1788). First owner Philip Norris purchased some of the surrounding land around the estate during time living there, the total extent of the land came to approximately “174 acres or thereabouts” though excluding cliffside and foreshore. Other owners previous to that of the Shelley’s were; Richard Norris 1807-1811; Robert Heathcote 1811-1816; James Dover 1817-1842; Major Stephenson 1842-1849.

Sir Percy Florence and Lady Jane Shelley purchased the 195 acres property in 1849 renaming it Boscombe Place, Sir Shelley had hopes of refurbishing and renovating the home for his elderly mother, Marry Shelley. It was 1851 when Marry Shelley sadly passed away in her home in London, never having lived in the house. Shortly after her passing Sir Percy and Lady Jane moved into the home, continuing renovations took place, the theatre and west end of the building were built in 1865, between 1872-73 there were further renovations and a name change, again, to Boscombe Manor.

Percy Shelley's Heart

Mary Shelley's Sanctum in Boscombe Manor

Paiting of Mary Shelley at her writing desk, under a picture of her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft

The Library at Boscombe Manor

The Theatre at Boscombe Manor

In the light of Lady Shelley’s death, 6 acres of land was presented to the Bournemouth Corporation, this was to establish the Boscombe Cliff Gardens, officially opened to the public the 6th June 1900.

The Boscombe Cliff Top Gardens

Boscombe Manor

The future of the building would be about education, philanthropy, community and culture as it transforemed from a family home to, a school, a college, a place of celebration, a central place in community culture and a theatre. The building its self is evidentily a part of the Bournemouth heritage, in a Borough that is only 150 years old itself.