Eliza Chester

Her image in art was created by three artists, all of whom took her role as Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing as their inspiration; they were Alfred Edward Chalon in 1823, Thomas Woolnoth[2] in 1823, and John Cochran in 1825.

[3] Chester became so well known to contemporary society that in 1828 satirist Thomas Jones made an engaving of King George IV sitting beneath a pear tree with "the beautiful actress-mistress, Eliza Chester".

A huge pear hangs over the heads of the couple, a possible reference to marital infidelity, and the monarch is singing lyrics from Ben Jonson's Song to Celia, "Leave but a Kiss within the Cup, and I'll look not for Wine".

[4] In 1838, Chester bought Wentworth Place – The property was a pair of semi-detached villas previously owned by John Keats.

Chester had the two villas made into one larger dwelling, adding a drawing room and stables.