An Accomplished Woman: The Creative Life of Lady Chatterton
- Published:
- 03 February 2026
- Last updated:
- 20 April 2026
February 6, 2026, marks 150 years since the death of Georgiana, Lady Chatterton, who lived at Baddesley Clinton from 1869 until her death in 1876.
Born into a wealthy upper-class family, Georgiana married young to Irish landowner Sir William Chatterton. Her privileged life afforded her an education, extensive travel opportunities, and the freedom to pursue a wide range of cultural and creative interests. She was a gifted musician and artist, and a prolific author of poetry, escapist fiction and travelogues. As a Victorian woman, her life and outputs were shaped by the religious, societal, political, industrial and literary developments of this era.
I adore a library, and should be glad to think that some volumes of my thoughts might slumber on its dusty shelves.
In later life she came to live at Baddesley Clinton with her second husband, Edward Dering. They shared the house with Marmion Ferrers and his wife Rebecca, Lady Chatterton’s niece. Together, the four are known as the Quartet - a group united by creativity and artistic endeavour, each maintaining a distinct individual voice. Lady Chatterton’s wealth played a significant role in sustaining the ailing Baddesley Clinton, a financial legacy that ensured the preservation of the property for future generations.
To commemorate this anniversary year, we invite you to discover her creativity and artistic achievements while exploring the changing world she lived through. Working in partnership with Poet in Residence Beth Calverley, we will explore Lady Chatterton’s life through words, sound and images. An exhibition will run in the house from 18 April to 13 November 2026, including an art exhibition curated by you - our visitors and supporters.
An immersive audio artwork will be played in the house, weaving together poetry, the voices of visitors, volunteers and staff, and an original harp composition inspired by Lady Chatterton herself.
Step into her world, listen closely, and lend your voice to the story.
Dear Visitors, please offer up your art to celebrate my anniversary.
Inspired by our new exhibition, An Accomplished Woman: The Creative Life of Lady Chatterton, we are inviting visitors of all ages to share their creativity with us.
From 5 September to 13 November 2026, the team here at Baddesley Clinton will showcase a special exhibition of visitor-created artwork inspired by Lady Chatterton’s life and legacy.
Whether it’s a drawing, painting, poem, short story, or another creative piece, we would love to see how the exhibition inspires you.
Come and become part of the exhibition yourself — we can’t wait to celebrate your creativity.
How to submit your creativity:
- Send via post to: House Team, Baddesley Clinton, Rising Lane, Knowle, B93 0DQ
- Send via email to: baddesleyclinton@nationaltrust.org.uk with the subject ‘FAO House Team-Lady Chatterton exhibition’
- Bring into property during opening hours and leave with our Visitor Reception team
Please write a short caption to go with your work & add your name.
Deadline for submissions is 31 July 2026. Work can be collected in Visitor Reception at the end of the exhibition until 18 Dec 2026.
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