Dorset Literature & Thomas Hardy

Thomas Hardy Biography

Thomas Hardy was born and spent most of his life in Dorset. He was born not far from Dorchester at Higher Bockhampton and he spent a good deal of his life living on the outskirts of Dorchester at Max Gate. Although he spent some time in London his heart never left Dorset and he spent the majority of his life here. You can visit the cottage and its traditional country cottage garden as it's now owned by the National Trust. It has changed little since the Hardy family lived here and the interior has been furnished in the style it would have been when Hardy lived here and wrote "Under the Greenwood Tree" and "Far from the Madding Crowd". Hardy's Cottage lies three miles north east of Dorchester and is open from 11am-5pm end March-October on Mondays-Thursdays and Sundays. Hardy's Cottage, Higher Bockhampton, nr Dorchester, Dorset DT2 8QJ. Telephone: 01305 262366.

Hardy used places, names, landscapes and local events as inspiration for many of his stories and characters. Nearly everywhere you go in Dorset you'll find some reference to Hardy and it appears he travelled widely in the county. The Hardy Trail includes two walking routes which will take you to places where Thomas Hardy lived and wrote. Click the link right for more details.

After his death Hardy was buried at Poets Corner at Westminster Abbey. However, his family and friends had intended that he be buried at Stinsford in the same grave as his first wife, Emma Gifford, whose sudden death in 1912 had shaken him and inspired him to explore his grief through poetry.

As a compromise his heart was buried with his wife at Stinsford while his ashes were buried at Poets Corner. St Michael's Church in Stinsford, north east of the town centre, is not only where his heart rests, but also where Hardy was christened. He also used the church in "Under the Greenwood Tree" and featured Stinsford as "Mellstock" in his writing.

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Thomas Hardy Collection Dorchester County Museum Max Gate

Dorset County Museum holds the largest Thomas Hardy collection in the world. Many of his manuscripts, books, diaries, photographs, notebooks and paintings were bequeathed to the museum by Hardy's second wife and secretary, Florence Hardy. There is also a reconstruction of Hardy's desk at Max Gate littered with his books and writing paraphernalia.

The museum is open from Mon-Sat 10am-5pm Oct-Jun and Mon-Sun 10am-5pm Jul-Sept. The Dorset County Museum, High West Street Dorchester Dorset DT1 1XA. Tel: 01305 262735. Fax: 01305 257180. Email: enquiries@dorsetcountymuseum.org

Another of Hardy's residences that is open to the public is Max Gate just a mile east of Dorchester. This was designed by Hardy who trained as an architect originally and built by his father in 1885. He was working on "The Mayor of Casterbridge" when it was being built and he was overseeing the project. Later "Jude the Obscure" and "Tess of the D'Urbervilles" were also written here along with a large part of his poetry. Hardy and his wife Emma moved here and, although Emma met an untimely death, Hardy remained here until he died in 1928.

Max Gate is open from 2-5pm end March-September on Mondays, Wednesdays and Sundays. Max Gate, Alington Avenue, Dorchester, Dorset DT1 2AB. Tel: 01305 262538. Fax: 01305 250978. Email: maxgate@nationaltrust.org.uk. Check the links right for more information.

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William Barnes, Dorset Dialect Poet

The prolific poet and author William Barnes hailed from Sturminster Newton in north Dorset.

He wrote hundreds of poems throughout the nineteenth century and was noted as making a significant contribution to publishing in Dorset dialect; most notably in the "Poems of Rural Life" series. He also published philosophical works and called for the purification of the English language by removing Greek, Latin and foreign influences so it could be better understood by those without a classical education.

He was a friend of Hardy who was greatly influenced by Barnes. Hardy published a selection of Barnes' poetry in 1908. You can see a memorial to William Barnes outside the Dorset County Museum in Dorchester.

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T E Lawrence of Arabia Biography

T E Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia, lived in Dorset during the 1920s at Clouds Hill near Bovington, west of Wareham. He was celebrated as a national hero after the role he played as a British Liaison Officer in the British Army during the Arab Revolt of 1916-1918. He had an unconventional and interesting life making him an enigmatic figure of interest that endures today.

During his life he was a prolific writer. His major works the "Seven Pillars of Wisdom" is an account of his experiences throughout the wars in which he fought including insights into Arabian culture and geography.

His associations with Dorset were at the latter end of his life when he sought seclusion in the Dorset countryside at Clouds Hill and met an untimely death on its country roads. His grave is at the small church in Moreton and an impressive life-sized effigy lays at St Martin's in Wareham.

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Bournemouth History & Literary Connections

Historically Bournemouth really wasn't much of a centre and even in the mid 1800's there was only a few hundred residents. This soon changed as Bournemouth became known as one of the health resorts around Britain's coast and the Victorians started flocking to the town for recuperation and taking the salt air.

Robert Louis Stephenson was one tuberculosis sufferer who came to Bournemouth for his health during which time he also wrote "Kidnapped". Other literary connections include Oscar Wilde and Paul Verlaine who both taught at Bournemouth prep schools.

Mary Shelley, famed for writing "Frankenstein", also travelled widely as a novelist, short story writer, dramatist, essayist, biographer, travel writer and editor of the works of her Romantic poet and philosopher husband Percy Bysshe Shelley. She visited Bournemouth in the 19th century and although wishing to be buried with her parents, who were in St Pancras Old Church, was buried in St Peter's Church by her son and his wife who lived in Boscombe Manor. They considered St Pancras Old Church as being dreadful and her parents were later reburied here as was her husband's heart that Mary Shelley had brought back from Italy and kept wrapped in a page of Shelley's elegy to Keats Adonais along with locks of hair of her children that died.

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The Cobb - Lyme Regis

Lyme Regis and particularly the sea wall of The Cobb, has been often referred to in literature such as Persuasion by Jane Austen for which she used Lyme Regis as inspiration during her stay in 1803; and who could forget that memorable windswept scene of Meryl Streep in The French Lieutenant's Woman. The film was adapted from the book written by local author John Fowles.

Taking a stroll along the Cobb Wall is well worth it and families might find Lyme Regis Aquarium with displays showing some of the local marine wildlife a useful endpoint. The Aquarium also has photographs and information about The Cobb's history including pictures of the filming of The French Lieutenant's Woman.

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Clavell Tower Kimmeridge Bay

Clavell Tower overlooks Kimmeridge Bay - and very nearly topples into it! It was built in 1830 and was the inspiration for PD James "The Black Tower".

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Enid Blyton Swanage Purbeck

Enid Blyton set many of her books in Dorset. She often holidayed here with her second husband. They were known to stay at several hotels in Swanage and drew inspiration from some of Dorset's most well known surroundings. In 1950 Enid Blyton's husband, Kenneth Waters, bought the Isle of Purbeck Golf Club on the Studland Peninsula. While holidaying in Dorset they were both known to play almost every day.

Kirrin Castle in the Famous Five Books was inspired by Corfe Castle and Whispering Island is based on Brownsea Island and is also referred to as Keep Away Island in the Famous Five books - a reflection of its previous owner's attitude to visitors!

Enid Blyton was known to enjoy visitor attractions such as taking the steam train from Swanage to Corfe Castle and swimming around Swanage Pier.

The Ginger Pop shop in Corfe Castle stocks Blyton books and tapes and has produced a handy leaflet and map showing you the Blyton-related sights in Purbeck. Click the link right for more information.

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