The Poet, the Bear, and the Dog: Lord Byron’s Extraordinary Menagerie
- U I Team
- 21 hours ago
- 6 min read
When George Gordon Byron — better known simply as Lord Byron — arrived at Trinity College, Cambridge in 1805, he wasn’t just stepping into the hallowed halls of one of Britain’s finest universities. He was also bringing with him the beginnings of a life that would mix rebellion, wit, scandal, and tenderness in equal measure.
And it all started with a bear.
A Bear in Cambridge?
Shortly after taking up residence at Trinity, Byron learned that the college had a rule: dogs were not permitted in student lodgings. Many students might have grumbled and left it at that. But Byron, never one to back away from a challenge to his personal freedom, saw an opportunity for mischief, and a point of principle.
Since dogs were banned, he reasoned, he’d bring a bear instead. There was no mention of bears in the college’s rulebook, and Byron delighted in exploiting this loophole. The bear, reportedly tame and well-behaved, became a regular fixture on the college grounds, where Byron would walk it on a chain like a dog, much to the astonishment (and probably horror) of the dons.
He wrote gleefully about the episode:
“I have got a new friend, the finest in the world, a tame bear… when I brought him here, they asked me what I meant to do with him, and my reply was, ‘he should sit for a fellowship.’”
Nobody is quite sure where Byron got the bear — possibly from a travelling menagerie, as exotic animal trading was not unusual at the time. But what is clear is that he won the argument: the bear stayed.
This early episode set the tone for a life full of such contradictions — fiercely independent, deeply affectionate, and always aware of the power of a good anecdote.
Byron’s Love of Animals
Byron’s fondness for animals wasn’t limited to dramatic stunts. Throughout his life, he surrounded himself with creatures of all shapes and sizes. His homes in England, Switzerland, Italy and Greece were full of life, sometimes chaotic, often unconventional, but always affectionate.
His personal menagerie was vast. Among the animals he kept were:
Numerous dogs, including his beloved Newfoundland, Boatswain
Cats and monkeys, often allowed to roam indoors
Birds, including an eagle, a crow, a falcon, and peacocks
A fox, a goat with a broken leg, and even a crocodile
Byron didn’t just keep animals; he treated them with a kind of respect and camaraderie he didn’t always extend to people. He often allowed them to roam freely indoors and spoke about them with genuine affection.
Percy Shelley’s Visit to Byron’s ‘Noisy Household’
In 1821, Byron’s close friend and fellow poet Percy Bysshe Shelley visited his home in Ravenna, Italy. Shelley’s diary gives a vivid, slightly exasperated account of the experience:
“Lord Byron gets up at two. I get up, quite contrary to my usual custom… at 12. After breakfast we sit talking till six. From six to eight we gallop through the pine forests… then dine, and sit up gossiping till six in the morning.
Lord B’s establishment consists, besides servants, of ten horses, eight enormous dogs, three monkeys, five cats, an eagle, a crow, and a falcon; and all these, except the horses, walk about the house, which every now and then resounds with their unarbitrated quarrels, as if they were the masters of it…”
In a later entry, Shelley added that he’d forgotten to mention “five peacocks, two guinea hens, and an Egyptian crane.” It’s not hard to see why Byron’s home felt less like a poet’s retreat and more like an indoor jungle.
Percy Shelley’s Visit to Byron’s ‘Noisy Household’
In 1821, Byron’s close friend and fellow poet Percy Bysshe Shelley visited his home in Ravenna, Italy. Shelley’s diary gives a vivid, slightly exasperated account of the experience:
“Lord Byron gets up at two. I get up, quite contrary to my usual custom… at 12. After breakfast we sit talking till six. From six to eight we gallop through the pine forests… then dine, and sit up gossiping till six in the morning.
Lord B’s establishment consists, besides servants, of ten horses, eight enormous dogs, three monkeys, five cats, an eagle, a crow, and a falcon; and all these, except the horses, walk about the house, which every now and then resounds with their unarbitrated quarrels, as if they were the masters of it…”
In a later entry, Shelley added that he’d forgotten to mention “five peacocks, two guinea hens, and an Egyptian crane.” It’s not hard to see why Byron’s home felt less like a poet’s retreat and more like an indoor jungle..
Boatswain: Byron’s Truest Companion
But of all the animals Byron loved, none was more important to him than Boatswain, his loyal Newfoundland dog. Boatswain accompanied Byron during his time at Trinity and remained a central figure in his life until his death in 1808.
When Boatswain became ill — likely with rabies — Byron cared for him tenderly, unaware of the risks involved. The rabies vaccine would not be developed for another century, and Byron reportedly fed Boatswain by hand and wiped his mouth during seizures. He showed extraordinary devotion at a time when little could be done.
In a letter to a friend, Byron later wrote:
“He expired in a state of madness, after suffering much… yet retained all the gentleness of his nature to the last, never attempting to do the least injury to anyone near him.”
The loss devastated Byron. He wrote:
“I have lost everything except Old Murray,” referring to his publisher, John Murray — suggesting that Boatswain had meant more to him than most of the people in his life.
The Monument at Newstead Abbey
To commemorate Boatswain, Byron commissioned a grand tomb in the gardens of Newstead Abbey, his ancestral home in Nottinghamshire. The tomb, which still stands today, is unusually large — much larger than the simple gravestone Byron would eventually receive himself.
The epitaph inscribed on the monument was once thought to have been written by Byron, but was later revealed to be the work of his friend John Hobhouse. Below this tribute, however, is a powerful poem written by Byron himself, “Epitaph to a Dog.”
This poem is one of Byron’s most quoted works, and continues to move readers with its message about loyalty, humility, and the purity of a dog’s love compared to human arrogance.
A Legacy of Words and Wanderings
After his years in England, Byron spent the rest of his life travelling across Europe. He lived for seven years in Italy, in Venice, Ravenna, and Pisa, where he was prolific in both writing and socialising.
His circle included not just Shelley but also Mary Shelley and Leigh Hunt. His romantic life was, as always, the subject of much gossip. But amid the excesses, he produced major works including Don Juan, Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, and The Vision of Judgement.
In 1823, Byron answered the call of the Greek War of Independence, travelling to Missolonghi to support the Greek fight against Ottoman rule. He used his personal fortune to fund ships and weapons, and commanded a small force of soldiers. Though not a military strategist, Byron was deeply committed to the cause.
In April 1824, just as he was preparing to launch a campaign, he contracted a fever, likely from poor medical treatment or exposure, and died at the age of 36.
Though he never returned to Newstead Abbey, some say Byron hoped to be buried beside Boatswain. In the end, he was laid to rest at the Church of St Mary Magdalene in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire. Boatswain’s tomb, however, remains one of the most visited parts of the Abbey’s grounds.
Visiting Newstead Abbey Today
Newstead Abbey is now open to the public and serves as a museum dedicated to Byron’s life. Visitors can tour the estate, explore his private quarters, and see the famous tomb of Boatswain, which stands near a lake amid peaceful gardens.
The Abbey also displays letters, manuscripts, portraits, and Byron’s travelling pistols — a reminder of his restless life, always on the move between literature, love, and liberty.
Boatswain’s monument, with Byron’s stirring Epitaph to a Dog, remains a highlight of the grounds. It continues to speak to visitors today as it did over two centuries ago — not just about Byron’s poetry, but about the rare and enduring bond between a man and his dog.
Sources
Marchand, Leslie A., Byron: A Biography (Knopf, 1957)
Shelley, Percy Bysshe. Letters and Diary Entries, 1821
Newstead Abbey Official Site: www.newsteadabbey.org.uk
Pigot, Elizabeth Bridget. The Wonderful History of Lord Byron and His Dog (1808)
MacCarthy, Fiona. Byron: Life and Legend (Faber & Faber, 2002)
Written by Holland.
Editor, UtterlyInteresting.com — exploring the strange, sublime, and forgotten corners of history.
