18th Century Lesbian Cottage-Core

Tuesday, June 9, 2026 - 11:00 The Lesbian Historic Motif Project There are many angles to be had on the ladies of Llangollen. This article looks specifically at the aesthetics of the rural cottage retreat as an element both for romantic friendship and Romanticism in general. Major category: LHMPTags: LHMP LHMP #561 Reynolds 2010 Cottage Industry About LHMP Full citation: Reynolds, Nicole. 2010. “Cottage Industry: The Ladies of Llangollen and the Symbolic Capital of the "Cottage Ornée"” in The Eighteenth Century, Vol. 51, No. 1/2: 211-227 In the 18th century, the ideals around female romantic friendships included the image of a rural retirement from society. Eleanor Butler and Sarah Ponsonby, the “Ladies of Llangollen,” not only achieved this goal but helped promulgate the image of “cottage life” through extensive renovations, interior and exterior decoration, and the development of the grounds. While the article notes the women’s place as icons of romantic friendship (and the…