Horsham’s link to Frankenstein

Today is officially Frankenstein Friday! Yes, there really is a day devoted to, arguably, the most famous monster ever created.

Surprisingly, perhaps, Horsham has a strong link to this character that has become famous down the years, thanks to numerous block-buster films and TV shows.

That link is renowned poet Percy Bysshe Shelley who was born at Field Place in the village of Warnham, just a short distance from Horsham.

Horsham Museum & Art Gallery has an area devoted to the poet and his life.

Shelley’s second wife was Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin.

In 1816, while staying in Geneva, 18-year-old Mary and her friends Lord Byron and writer and physician John Polidori had a competition amongst themselves to write the best horror story.

Mary came up with Frankenstein, a short story about a scientist who creates life and is then horrified at what he has done.

Encouraged by her husband, Mary worked on the story and built it up to a full-blown novel. During this time she suffered personal tragedies, such as the death of her half-sister Fanny and her own child dying in infancy that may well have influenced her story.

The book was published anonymously in 1818, but the second edition in 1823 had her name on it.

It was also known under the title The Modern Prometheus.

Mary said the name Frankenstein came to her during a dream, but it’s generally believed that she was inspired by the several Frankenstein references in Germany.

Mary and her son Percy Florence stayed occasionally at Field Place in Warnham following Percy Bysshe’s death by drowning in 1822. She continued her writing.

Mary died in her London home in 1851, aged just 53, from what is believed to be a brain tumour.