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

Winifred Holtby

Winifred Holtby

Born Yorkshire. Graduated with and maintained a long friendship with Vera Brittain. Writer, reformer and pacifist.

Person, Literature, Peace

1 memorial
Jane Austen

Jane Austen

Jane Austen, novelist of 6 major novels including Pride and Prejudice. Born: Steventon, Hampshire. Died: Winchester, Hampshire. For all Austen-related London locations see Londonist. A statue was u...

Person, Literature, Seriously Famous

3 memorials
Dorothy Richardson

Dorothy Richardson

Author and journalist.  Born Abingdon and brought up in Putney. Her father was bankrupt and her mother had died by suicide by the time Dorothy was 22. Moved to Bloomsbury in 1896 and while working ...

Person, Gender Issues, Literature

1 memorial
Daniel Defoe

Daniel Defoe

Novelist. Born in the parish of Cripplegate, as Daniel Foe, adding the "de" latter, for effect. Published "Robinson Crusoe" in 1719, considered by some to be the first novel in English. His grave ...

Person, Literature, Seriously Famous

2 memorials
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

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William Farr

William Farr

Epidemiologist, a founder of medical statistics. Born Kenley, Shropshire.

Person, Medicine, Science

1 memorial
St Martin Outwich

St Martin Outwich

A medieval parish church. The name comes from the family Oteswich who supposedly rebuilt it in the 14th century. Survived the Great Fire only to be demolished in 1796 and replaced with the church i...

Building, Religion

1 memorial
W. Bass
War dead, WW1
1 memorial
B. H. Church
War dead, WW2
1 memorial
Zeppelin airships

Zeppelin airships

Invented by Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin in 1900. London was first targeted with airships in May 1915 and initially found defence very difficult. Searchlights and incendiary ammunition helped to de...

Vehicle, Armed Forces, Aviation

7 memorials