The Ladies of Llangollen

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Eleanor Butler's family wanted her to enter a convent, while Sarah Ponsonby was trying to escape her guardian's unwanted attention. In 1778, both women fled their aristocratic homes in Ireland to settle in Llangollen, Wales, seeking a life devoted to each other in 'delicious seclusion' and 'romantic friendship.' Their choice came with challenges: disowned by their families and unaccustomed to hardship, they soon found themselves in debt. Nevertheless, they transformed their cottage, Plas Newydd, into a Gothic haven, complete with a library and gardens, while engaging in genteel farming and a rigorous self-improvement regimen. Their desire for privacy was complicated by their growing celebrity, attracting notable figures from literary and political circles who sought their company and admired their accomplishments. The Ladies lived into old age, devoted to one another, becoming local legends. Elizabeth Mavor vividly portrays Eleanor's forceful personality and Sarah's quiet assertiveness, examining their intimate relationship and the concept of 'romantic friendship' in the eighteenth century. The narrative humorously explores their tumultuous interactions with family, friends, and society, highlighting the unique world they created together.