In which churchyard is Mary Shelley buried?

Mary Shelley is buried in the churchyard of St Peter’s Church, Bournemouth. The church is in central Bournemouth, Dorset, and her grave became an important literary and local landmark.

Shelley had reportedly expressed a wish to be buried with her parents, the philosopher William Godwin and feminist writer Mary Wollstonecraft. They had originally been buried at St Pancras Old Church in London, but Mary Shelley’s son Percy Florence and his wife Jane chose Bournemouth instead, near their home and family connections.

The grave is also associated with Percy Bysshe Shelley, Mary’s husband and the poet who helped prepare Frankenstein for publication. Percy died in Italy in 1822, and his body was cremated after the recovery of his remains. His heart was preserved and is traditionally said to have been buried with Mary, although the details are surrounded by family tradition.

A common mix-up is to name Bournemouth alone or to suggest Westminster Abbey, where several famous British writers are commemorated. The precise answer is St Peter’s Church, Bournemouth, specifically its churchyard.