The Ladies of Llangollen: The Pioneers of Cottage-core Lesbians
A photo of notorious lesbians, Lady Eleanor Butler and Sarah Ponsonby. The ladies of Llangollen lived in a romantic partnership for 50 years, after fleeing Ireland dressed as men. Lady Eleanor was avoiding being sent to a nunnery, while Ponsonby was running from the sexual predation of her guardian. Together, they rejected the societal norms of marriage and obedience, and lived out a “cottage-core” fairytale in rural Llangollen. These women educated themselves on politics and other scholarly subjects, spent plenty of time outdoors hiking and gardening, and most of all, they loved one another. These ladies were frequented by tourists, royalty, and "the first modern lesbian" Anne Lister. They embody lesbian culture as it is known today and set the tone of their time.