Her poetry searches long perspectives, far beyond those of a single life – extending through evolutionary time and into outer space – with a “sense of mystery, and of the convergence and divergence of scientific and more traditional “poetic” modes of apprehension. A car crash in 1991, though she was not injured, brought on anxiety neurosis, and thereafter her need for physical care increased rapidly. But those who came into contact with her always enjoyed her for her perpetual enjoyment of life, her generous and affectionate nature, and her ribald sense of humour. The essence of Rosamund Stanhope’s character as a poet was captured in a 1991 London Review of Books review of Lapidary: Rosamund Stanhope enjoys piling up terms from scientific lexicons, such as those from botany and astronomy, and summoning up recondite words like ” alkahest”, “paduasoy” and “whigmaleerie” [one could add "taradiddles" and "rannygazoo"]. At this period, her consistent habit of poetry writing was a supplanted for a while as she wrote seven novels, all unpublished.

(During the years of repeated hospitalisation, she was always put next to very depressed people or children because her naturally lively and kind nature infected those around her.) She continued to teach, and retired from her last post, as lecturer in English at Bridgnorth College, at the age of 68. For the rest of her life she suffered from intermittent intense pain, and was unable to walk unaided. She fell downstairs backwards, wearing high heels, and fractured her spine. Initially paralysed from the waist down, she emerged in 1970 from years of operations (although she returned to work in 1965), with significant internal trauma, and permanent partial paralysis of her legs. In 1963, after four years’ home study on top of her full-time job, she took a London external degree, gaining a 2:1 in English Language and Literature In September 1963, however, she had a tragic accident. Then she had to wait 28 years for her second collection, Lapidary (1990), followed by her final collection, No Place for the Maudlin Heart (2001), both published by Peterloo.

In 1962, her first collection, So I Looked Down to Camelot, was published by Scorpion Press to favourable reviews, notably one from Elizabeth Jennings. Popular with the girls she taught, she had consistent success; many pupils who struggled with the subject achieved examination passes thanks to her clarity and encouragement, and high achievers were inspired to surpass themselves. Her natural independence of spirit, elegance and spontaneity endeared her to the young. Her love of Wales and the Celtic spirit was constant and much of her poetry celebrates Wales. In 1953 she returned to Central School, to do the teacher-training course there; this time she studied alongside Judi Dench and Vanessa Redgrave. She taught Speech and Drama, and English, at several Worcestershire schools, initially Worcester Girls Grammar School.