Place    From 1559 

Poets' Corner

Categories: Literature

The popular name for the south transept of Westminster Abbey. Geoffrey Chaucer was the first person to be interred here, although it was for his position as Clerk of Works to the Palace of Westminster, rather than for literary merit. It wasn't until the burial of Edmund Spenser that the tradition began. The name was supposed to have been coined by Oliver Goldsmith. Nowadays occupants are commemorated with a wall or floor tablet rather than actual interment.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Poets' Corner

Commemorated ati

Robert Browning - W8

Robert Browning lived in this house 1887 - 1889, from here his body was taken...

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Other Subjects

Francois Rabelais

Francois Rabelais

Writer and physician. Born France, between 1483 and 1494, but probably November 1494. Became a monk and studied Latin and Greek, then left to study medicine. Died Paris.

Person, Literature, Medicine, Politics & Administration, Religion, France

1 memorial
Georgette Heyer

Georgette Heyer

Novelist. Born at 103 Woodside, Wimbledon. From 1932, she produced one romance novel and one thriller each year. In all she wrote nearly sixty volumes. Died at Guy's Hospital.

Person, Literature

1 memorial
Vivien Noakes

Vivien Noakes

Biographer, editor and critic. Wife of the painter Michael Noakes. She wrote a notable biography of Edward Lear and was a leading scholar of the war poet Isaac Rosenberg.

Person, Literature

1 memorial
Hunter S. Thompson

Hunter S. Thompson

Author and journalist. Born in Louisville, Kentucky. Best known for writing 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas'. He died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, and at his funeral, his ashes ...

Person, Journalism / Publishing, Literature, USA

1 memorial
David Williams

David Williams

Founder of The Royal Literary Fund. Born Caerphilly. Dissenting minister, writer and teacher. Friend of Garrick, Benjamin Franklin, Voltaire. Visited France a few times during their 'troubles' an...

Person, Literature, Religion, France, Wales

1 memorial

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John Heartfield

John Heartfield

Born Helmut Herzfeld in the outskirts of Berlin. Changed his name in 1917 in protest at the anti-British feelings in Germany. Fleeing the Nazis in 1938 he came to England where he was interned for ...

Person, Art, Politics & Administration, Germany

1 memorial
Mary Shelley

Mary Shelley

Born in London, at the Polygon building in Somers Town. Parents: William Godwin and Mary Wollstonecraft, Eleven days after her birth her mother died. Most famous for writing "Frankenstein". A freq...

Person, Literature, Seriously Famous

4 memorials
Cyclist deaths

Cyclist deaths

Much of the street research for LondonRemembers is done by bike. 820 cyclists were killed or seriously injured in 2009 on roads in Britain. Many of these deaths are avoidable. Many of the drivers o...

Event, Tragedy

49 memorials