Elizabeth Gaskell, often known simply as Mrs. Gaskell lived a great deal of her life in this fine old house that overlooks the River Thames opposite Battersea. Gaskell was a good friend of Charles Dickens and quickly became known as one of the best and most influential writers on the 19th Century British scene. She rote several novels and famously the first biography of Jane Austen which helped to elevate both writers credibility.