Editing Ladies of Llangollen (section)

==Early lives==
'''Eleanor Charlotte Butler''' (11 May 1739 – 2 June 1829) was a member of the [[Butler dynasty|Butler family, the Earls (and later Dukes) of Ormond]], as the daughter of [[Walter Butler, 16th Earl of Ormonde|Walter Butler, ''de jure'' 16th Earl of Ormonde]] and Eleanor [[Viscount Mountmorres|Morres]] (1711–1793). Her family, whose [[family seat|seat]] was [[Kilkenny Castle]], considered her an over-educated bookworm. She was educated in a convent in France and so spoke French.<ref name=":4">{{Cite ODNB |title=Butler, Lady (Charlotte) Eleanor (1739–1829), elder of the two Ladies of Llangollen |url=https://www.oxforddnb.com/display/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-4182 |access-date=2024-06-16 |date=2004 |language=en |doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/4182}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Shopland |first=Norena |title=BUTLER, Lady ELEANOR CHARLOTTE (1739 - 1829), one of the 'Ladies of Llangollen' |url=https://biography.wales/404_override |access-date=2024-08-09 |website=Dictionary of Welsh Biography}}</ref>

'''Sarah Ponsonby''' (1755 – 9 December 1831), by birth member of the [[Earl of Bessborough|Ponsonby family]], was orphaned as a child and lived with relatives in [[Woodstock Estate|Woodstock]], [[County Kilkenny]]. A daughter of [[Chambré Brabazon Ponsonby]], Irish Member of Parliament and his second wife, Louisa [[Lyons family|Lyons]] (1730–1758).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shopland |first=Norena |title=PONSONBY, SARAH (1755 - 1831), one of the 'Ladies of Llangollen' {{!}} Dictionary of Welsh Biography |url=https://biography.wales/article/s15-PONS-SAR-1755 |access-date=2024-08-07 |website=biography.wales |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":4" /> She was a second cousin of [[Frederick Ponsonby, 3rd Earl of Bessborough]], and thus a second cousin [[Cousin#Cousin chart|once removed]] of his daughter [[Lady Caroline Lamb]].{{refn|group=note|Shows extracts from other sources, see in particular ''[[Gentleman's Magazine]]'', 1829.<ref>{{cite web |title=Miss Sarah Ponsonby |url=https://ladiesofllangollen.wordpress.com/miss-sarah-ponsonby/ |website=The Ladies of Llangollen|date=6 August 2011 }}</ref>}}

Their families lived 15 miles (25 km) from each other. The two women met in 1768, and quickly became close. Over the years they formulated a plan for a private rural retreat. It was their dream to live an unconventional life together.

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File:Sarah Ponsonby and Lady Eleanor Butler, recluses known as the Ladies of Llangollen Wellcome V0007358.jpg|Sarah Ponsonby and Lady Eleanor Butler in their library
File:Portrait of Ladies of Llangollen 1819 (4671506) (cropped).jpg|Portrait of Ladies of Llangollen 1819
File:Porch of Plas Newydd, Llangollen.jpg|Carved oak porch of [[Plas Newydd (Llangollen)|Plas Newydd]]
</gallery>