Mary Robinson (Maid of Buttermere) facts for kids

Mary Robinson (born 1778, died 1837), also known as "The Maid of Buttermere," was a young woman from a village called Buttermere in Cumbria, England. She became famous after she was tricked into marrying a man who was already married to someone else. Her story was even mentioned in a famous poem by William Wordsworth called "The Prelude".

Mary Robinson's Story

Mary grew up in the beautiful Lake District in England. She was the daughter of the person who ran the Fish Inn, a local guesthouse in Buttermere village. Mary also worked as a shepherdess, looking after sheep in the hills.

In 1802, Mary was deceived into marrying a man named John Hatfield. He pretended to be a rich and important person, even claiming to be "Colonel Hope" and the brother of an earl. Because Mary was known for her beauty, her marriage to this supposedly important man became big news. Many newspapers, like The Morning Post, wrote about "The romantic marriage."

However, John Hatfield was a fraud. He was already married to another person and had also created fake documents. When his true identity was discovered, he was arrested. Mary's story touched many people, and they raised money to help her.

In 1807, Mary married a local farmer named Richard Harrison. They had four children together and lived a quiet life. Mary died in 1837 and is buried in the churchyard at St Kentigern's Church in Caldbeck.

Mary in Books and Plays

Mary Robinson's story has been told in different ways.

The famous poet William Wordsworth mentioned her in his long poem "The Prelude". He described her as a simple and graceful young woman from the hills. He wrote that after her difficult experience, she found peace in her home village, living a quiet life without worries.

Later, in 1987, the author Melvyn Bragg wrote a novel about her called The Maid of Buttermere. This book was later turned into a play by Lisa Evans. The play was first performed in 2009 at the Theatre by the Lake in Keswick.