Dame Joan Plowright, a legendary British actress of the stage and screen, has died ... this according to her family.

The actress -- who was best known for her work in the 1992 film, "Enchanted April," for which she earned an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe award -- died peacefully Thursday surrounded by her loved ones at Denville Hall ... a retirement home for performers in North West London.

While her family did not share a cause of death, they did applaud "her brilliant career" and thanked those "who helped care for her in her last years."

She is survived by her children, Richard, Tamsin, and Julie-Kate ... who she welcomed with famed British director/actor Laurence Olivier in their 28-year marriage.

Joan's career spanned over six decades, giving memorable performances on Broadway, the West End, and on the big screen. She won a Tony Award in 1961 for her work in the Broadway play, "A Taste of Honey."

Joan made history in 1993 when she became the second actress to win two Golden Globes in the same year ... aside from "Enchanted April, her additional win was for her work in HBO's "Stalin." So far, only four actresses have pulled off this feat ... including Helen Mirren, Sigourney Weaver, and Kate Winslet.

Other notable credits include "The Entertainer," "The Scarlet Letter," "101 Dalmatians," "Tea with Mussolini," "Dennis the Menace," among countless other titles.

Joan was 95.

RIP