Lunchtime Talks at Kendal Museum: Beatrix Potter's 'Myriads of Fairy Fungi'
About this Event
In this talk, Dr Penny Bradshaw will explore Beatrix Potter's fascination with fungi, reflecting on what attracted her to this field of study and at how her engagement with fungi reveals the extent to which imaginative and scientific approaches were closely intertwined in her writing and thinking from an early stage.
Penny will reflect on how Potter's mycological studies help to develop her environmental perspectives and understanding of the complex entanglements which exist within the ecosystems we inhabit. Penny will discuss some of the less well known stories and artwork by Beatrix Potter which feature fungi and will also show that mycological interests remained with her to the end of her life.
Dr Penny Bradshaw is an Associate Professor of English Literature at the University of Cumbria and programme Leader for the University’s MA Literature, Romanticism, and the English Lake District, which includes a module on children's literature. Penny specialises in and publishes on regional literary contexts, and her latest publication is An A-Z of Beatrix Potter (Bloomsbury Academic, 2026). Penny has also co-curated a book tie-in exhibition which is running at The Armitt Library and Museum in Ambleside throughout 2026.
Signed copies of An A-Z of Beatrix Potter will be avilable to purchase on the day.
Event Details:
Date: Saturday 29 August, 1:00 - 2:00PM
Venue: Kendal Museum
Price: £10 General Admission, £6 for under 16s/students
Advance booking is advised. Walk-in tickets will be available on the day on a first-come, first-served basis; however, admission cannot be guaranteed.
PLEASE NOTE: Unfortunately the venue is accessible only via a staircase, so is not suitable for wheelchair users. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
GBP 6.00 to GBP 10.00
