Image supplied by Ella Walsworth-Bell
penelope shuttle
Writer, Poet, Community & Voluntary Action
1947 -
Suggested by Ella Walsworth-Bell and Rosie Hadden
Ella writes,
“Penelope Shuttle is a poet and novelist with over thirty publications to her name. She received an Eric Gregory award for her poetry in 1974 and the Cholmondeley Award in 2007. Her Selected Poems were a Poetry Book Society recommendation.
In the late 1970’s she authored ground-breaking feminist studies on menstruation, The Wise Wound, and its sequel, Alchemy for Women. She is a role model and inspiration for poets and writers today.
Penelope has broken taboos in her writing and is published widely; her poetry is lauded internationally. Her poetry is, quite simply, well-crafted and beautiful - it is also inspired by living and working within Cornwall. She is supportive of those who are starting to write, those who want to write, and those who are already writing. When our mutual friend and poet, Morag Smith, passed away, Penelope was instrumental in ensuring her voice was heard and her words published. Penelope is involved in the poetry scene locally and nationally - both in sharing her work and working with others.
Penelope has lived in Cornwall since 1970 and was married to the poet Peter Redgrove (deceased). She is a staunch member of the Falmouth Poetry Group, founded in 1972 and still going strong. She is an important member of the arts and literature community in Cornwall and writes about the county, including incorporating Cornish words.”
Rosie adds, “Many of Penelope’s books celebrate Cornwall, the land, myths, and legends and her recent writings address climate change. She has supported me in many ways with my work. I feel lucky to know her and am full of admiration for for her energy, work ethic and love of language.”