One
of the things I love most about Britain is the history and what better way to
explore Britain’s history than through Britain’s authors who can transport you
to a specific time and place in only a few pages? If you are even half the bookworm
that I am, and are interested in understanding how some of Britain’s best
writing came to be created, I suggest visiting some of the places that inspired
Britain’s authors.
There
are too many magnificent British authors to list them all here. The following
are five of my favourites and five that were clearly associated with certain
places that are great to visit in their own right.
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Shakespeare's birthplace, Stratford Upon Avon |
Shakespeare
– Stratford Upon Avon
Possibly
the most famous of all British writers, poet and playwright William Shakespeare
was born in 1564 in Stratford Upon Avon. The house in which he was born has
been preserved and is visited by millions every year. Other buildings relating
to his life include Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, which was his wife’s family home,
his daughter Susanna’s house and Nash House. Nash House was the neighbouring
house to New Place, which was Shakespeare’s house that he died in. England’s
national poet actually spent most of his life in London but returned to
Stratford when he retired. Shakespeare was buried in the Church of the Holy
Trinity, Stratford and his grave can be visited there. To enjoy a bit of
Shakespeare’s London visit the Globe Theatre, a replica of the original
building, which hosts performances of his works during the summer months.
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Royal Crescent, Bath, UK |
Jane
Austen – Bath
Tales
of the romantic misadventures of high society, peppered with irony and realism,
made Jane Austen one of Britain’s most widely read authors. Austen lived a
fairly privileged life with her family in Bath during the early 19th
Century when her most popular books Sense & Sensibility and Pride &
Prejudice were published, and her writing provides amusing insight into society
at this time. Bath honours her residence in the city with the Jane Austen
Centre, a permanent exhibition that tells the story of her life and experiences
in Bath. Austen was buried in Winchester and a memorial plaque can be seen in
Winchester Cathedral. Other attractions in Bath include the Roman Baths, Bath
Abbey, The Royal Crescent and various museums and galleries. Bath has been a
UNESCO listed heritage site since 1987.
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The Old Curiosity Shop, London, UK |
Charles
Dickens – London
From
a young age Dickens lived and breathed poverty in London. His writing
demonstrated him to be an acute social critic and a keen observer of character.
Visitors can learn a lot about his life through displays and period costumes at
the Charles Dickens Museum that is located at the Bloomsbury home where he
wrote Oliver Twist. The Marshalsea Prison in Southwark, where Dickens’ father
was imprisoned, and the family lived for an early period of Dickens’ life, was
destroyed but a portion remains on Borough High Street. London Bridge featured
in Oliver Twist and Charing Cross Train Station now stands on the site where
Dickens was sent to work in a blacking factory as a young boy. Dickens visited
Kent frequently during his life and died there. His commitment to Kent is represented
at Dickens World in Chatham, an interactive telling of his life and his stories.
His remains were buried in Poets’ Corner, Westminster Cathedral, London.
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Haworth Farmhouse, Yorkshire, UK |
Bronte
Sisters – Yorkshire
Charlotte,
Emily and Anne Bronte were born in the early 19th Century in
Thornton, Yorkshire. The family later moved to Haworth, Yorkshire. The Bronte
Parsonage in Haworth is preserved as a museum and a library of the largest
collection of the original works of the Bronte sisters. Bronte Walks offer a
guided tour of the village, brought to life through the sisters’ writing. The
whole Bronte family, apart from Anne, are buried at Haworth Parish Church. The
vast and wild Yorkshire Moors that surround Haworth were a rich source of
inspiration for the Brontes and can still be explored in much the same
condition they were in when the sisters were enjoying them.
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Thomas Hardy's birthplace, Bockhampton, UK |
Thomas
Hardy – West Country
Despite
spending a few years in London, Hardy’s writing focused on fictitious ‘Wessex’,
modelled on his observations and experiences of life in the west of England near
Dorchester. In keeping with his fictitious location, Hardy invented new, but
not vastly different, names for existing places such as ‘Wintonchester’ for
Winchester and ‘Sandbourne’ for Bournemouth. Some names are very different
however; examples being ‘Casterbridge’ for Dorchester and ‘Christminster’
representing Oxford. Fans can visit Hardy’s birthplace in Bockhampton and
admire his statue at the top of Dorchester. Somewhat strangely Hardy’s heart is
buried in Stinsford, with his first wife, while the rest of him, in ashes, is
buried in Poets’ Corner in Westminster Cathedral.
Have
you been interested enough in what inspired an author that you wanted to know
more about their life? Have you travelled to places specifically to learn more?
Photo credits: Man Alive, Clicheshots, MousyBoyWithGlasses, James Petts, Rob Glover, Peter Broster
Photo credits: Man Alive, Clicheshots, MousyBoyWithGlasses, James Petts, Rob Glover, Peter Broster
