Artists
impression of
the White Lady
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The
White Lady, a former resident, can now be seen wandering through
her beloved gardens...
After Byron left Newstead Abbey he sold it to an old school
friend, Thomas Wildman.
A devoted fan of the poet and his work, Sophie Hyatt came
to live at a nearby farm.
She was very shy, being deaf and unable to speak, and would
always hide away from approaching strangers by diving into
any nearby bushes to avoid having to communicate.
She always
carried a slate on which to write if necessary.
When the Wildmans learned how fond she was of Byron’s
work they kindly allowed her to wander around the grounds
whenever she wanted.
She was even allowed to take a dog Byron had left behind,
for exercise on her walks.
Sophie became known as the ‘Little White Lady of Newstead’
because she always wore light clothing.
Sophie, unable to support herself, lived on an income provided
by a relative. In 1825 the relative died and the money dried
up.
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