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Discover the heartof Hardy’s Wessex

Exploring Thomas Hardy’s

Thomas Hardy, internationallyrenowned poet and novelist, spentmost of his life in Dorset. His worksare now held in high esteem andstudied in schools and universitiesthroughout the world. This leafletwill help you to explore the area thatinspired Thomas Hardy. You can

follow the Hardy Trail, which linkstogether places where he lived,places he wrote about and thechurch where his heart is buried.You will also find information onspecialist tours, Hardy events andlocations used for popular film andTV productions of Hardy's novels.

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Welcome to the heart of

Hardy’s Wessex1

Hardy’s study and portrait: Jon Sloper © The DorsetNatural History and Archaeological Society 2005

Misty morning, Dorchester: (front cover) © Roger Holman

Thomas HardyPoet & Novelist 1840 - 1928

Thomas Hardy was born in 1840 at HigherBockhampton, near Dorchester. He was the eldest offour children and his father was a master mason. As achild he was shy and reflective, encouraged by hismother to read and study beyond the usual level forlocal children. He was also a keen fiddle-player andoften went with his father to play at local christenings,weddings and parties.

At 16 Hardy became apprenticed to an architect inDorchester. He practised as an architect in London forfive years but returned to Dorchester after deciding hewanted to write. His first attempt at a novel wasrejected, but with the help of Emma Gifford, whom helater married, his second attempt was successful. Overthe next 25 years he wrote in all 14 novels and over 50short stories. In 1895 he published Jude the Obscure,after which he abandoned novel-writing and devoted therest of his life to poetry.

In 1895 he and Emma moved into Max Gate, the househe had designed on the edge of Dorchester. Emma diedin 1912 and in 1914 he married Florence Dugdale. Hedied on 11th January 1928.

Hardy adopted the historical name of Wessex as thename for his own ‘partly real, partly-dream country’.Theraw materials for his novels came from his life, thecountry folk and the contrasting landscapes of Dorset.He used a mixture of real and fictional names forlandscape features and the towns and villages, drawingfrom his extensive knowledge of the area.

The great majority of locations in Hardy's novels andstories are set within West Dorset. Among these areTess of the d'Urbervilles, Under the Greenwood Tree, Far Fromthe Madding Crowd,The Woodlanders and The Return of theNative. Many of the key locations from these novels arementioned throughout this leaflet, the real place namesare shown first, followed by those used by Hardy.

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Eggardon Hill, Nettlecombe

Portrait of Thomas Hardy

Max Gate, Dorchester

Explore Hardy’s Wessex © Afffinity Image Library

Hardy film andTV locations

The landscape of West Dorset is entwined withHardy's novels and with much of it remainingunchanged, it is not surprising that several film andTV adaptations of his novels have been actuallyfilmed in the area. The ITV adaptation of TheMayor of Casterbridge screened in 2003 andstarring Ciaran Hinds and Jodhi May was filmed atlocations including Maiden Castle, Cerne Abbasand Charmouth. Some of the filming for the 1998ITV production of Tess of the d'Urbervilles tookplace in Cerne Abbas and Minterne Gardens. The1967 film adaptation of Far from the MaddingCrowd starring Alan Bates and Julie Christie usedlocations including Maiden Castle, Max Gate andthe wedding scene was filmed in the 14th CenturyTithe Barn at Abbotsbury.

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Juliet Aubrey (Susan) CiaranHinds (Michael Henchard) inThe Mayor of Casterbridge

Maiden Castle, Dorchester

Filming of the 1998 ITVproduction Tess of thed'Urbervilles in Cerne Abbas© ITV Pictures

Mayor of Casterbridge: © Sally HeadProductions

Abbotsbury © Afffinity Image Library

Key Thomas Hardy information panel at site

Dorchester Casterbridge The county town of Dorset and the settingfor one of Hardy's finest novels, The Mayor

of Casterbridge, in which he describes the town asbeing reminiscent of old Rome: "Casterbridgeannounced old Rome in every street, alley and precinct.It looked Roman, bespoke the art of Rome, concealeddead men of Rome".

Hardy was educated here and spent much of hislater life in the town. In 1885, he moved to MaxGate, a house that he designed and his brotherbuilt, located on the outskirts of Dorchester.Whilst here, Hardy wrote many of his well-knownnovels including The Mayor of Casterbridge, Tess ofthe d'Urbervilles and Jude the Obscure. Max Gate isnow owned by the National Trust but is still afamily home. It contains some of Hardy's furnitureand is open to the public on Sundays, Mondays andWednesdays 2-5pm (April - September).Visitwww.nationaltrust.org.uk or contact DorchesterTourist Information Centre for further details.

The Dorset County Museum has an award-winning Writers' Gallery, which includes theworld's finest collection of Hardy memorabilia,including the reconstruction of his study as itlooked at Max Gate. Hardy himself was also amember of the museum's council.

Of the many buildings in Dorchester associatedwith Hardy's novels and characters, mentionshould be made of St Peter's Church,TheKing's Arms Hotel,The Corn Exchange,Greys Bridge and the Antelope Hotel nowAntelope Walk which all feature in The Mayor ofCasterbridge, Far from the Madding Crowd,TheTrumpet Major and Under the Greenwood Tree. The

traditional thatched Hangman's Cottage, locatednorth by the river Frome, was the home of thetown's executioner and was cited in the shortstory The Withered Arm.

Henchard's House in The Mayor ofCasterbridge is described as "one of the best,faced with dull red and grey old brick".

Barclays Bank in South Street is the reputedlocation of the house.

Two plaques at 39 South Street (opposite theentrance of Hardye Arcade) mark the home andoffice of John Hicks, the architect with whomHardy worked between 1856 and 1862.WilliamBarnes, the Dorset poet, friend and mentor ofHardy, lived and kept his school next door. Hismemorial statue stands outside St. Peter's Churchnext to the Dorset County Museum.

Located at the Top o' Town is the Hardymemorial statue sculpted by EricKennington and unveiled in 1931 by

Hardy's friend Sir James Barrie.

Maumbury Rings located on the southernoutskirts of the town centre just beyond themarket is a good example of a Romanamphitheatre. It was the scene of Henchard'ssecret meetings in The Mayor of Casterbridge.

HigherBockhampton

Upper MellstockHardy was born here on 2nd June 1840in a woodland cottage on the edge ofPuddletown Heath. His greatgrandfather built the cottage and littlehas altered since the family left. He lived here for most of his first twenty-two years and it was from the bedroom behind the right hand dormerwindow that he wrote his first five novels including Under the GreenwoodTree and Far from the Madding Crowd.The cottage is now owned by theNational Trust and is open to the public.Visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk orcontact Dorchester Tourist Information Centre for further details.

Portesham Pos'hamA pleasant village where Admiral Sir Thomas Masterman Hardy lived until 1807. Itwas also used in The Trumpet Major when Bob Loveday visited Captain Hardy toask if he could serve on the Victory.The monument to Admiral Hardy is apopular viewpoint above the village and provides almost 360 degree views. Itwould have been visible from Hardy's bedroom window on a clear day.

Bridport Port BredyA vibrant and colourful town with a long history, once renowned as the centreof the country's rope and net-making industry.The town was the setting forthe story Fellow Townsmen in which the Town Hall, St Mary's Church,The BlackBull Hotel and the flax and rope-making industries all feature.A mile south ofthe town is West Bay, the "little haven, seemingly a beginning made by Natureherself of a perfect habour".

Beaminster Emminster

A prosperous market town whichonce thrived from woolcloth andsailcloth.The town was much lovedby Hardy, describing it as "the hill-surrounded little town" with "the Tudorchurch-tower of red stone" in Tess ofthe d'Urbervilles.

Evershot EversheadAn interesting village in which little has changed since Hardy'stime. In Tess of the d'Urbervilles, on her journey to and fromEmminster,Tess stops for refreshments at a cottage which islocated west of the church and that is named after her.The'Sow and Acorn' (Acorn Inn) is mentioned in both A Group ofNoble Dames and Interlopers at the Knap.

Melbury Bubb Little HintockThis tiny village is sheltered by a wooded area and BubbDown.The wooded area is reminiscent of how the regionwould have looked in the 19th Century. In The Woodlanders,Little Hintock is described as "such a little small place that, as atown gentleman, you'd need to have a candle and lantern to find itif ye don't know where 'tis".All the dwellings of Little Hintockare fictional but the setting closely resembles the villages ofMelbury Bubb and Stockwood.

Melbury Osmond Great and Kings Hintock This quiet and unspoilt village is where Hardy's parents weremarried in 1839 and the marriage certificate can be seenframed on the wall in the church.At the northern end of thefootpath through the churchyard, is a thatched house whereHardy's mother is thought to have lived as a child. Severalshort stories including A Changed Man and Interlopers at theKnap are set in the village and the church features in the finalscene of The Woodlanders, where Marty South is a solitaryloyal figure at Giles Winterborne's grave.

Sherborne Sherton AbbasLocated to the north of Dorset, this historic townnestles in green valleys and wooded hills. It is afascinating town with many ancient and beautifulbuildings.The market place is where Giles Winterbornestood with his sample apple trees in The Woodlanders andtoday markets are still held in the town on Thursdaysand Saturdays.The magnificent 15th Century SherborneAbbey is where Giles Winterborne and Grace Melburywalked and talked of their future in The Woodlanders.

Cerne Abbas Abbot's CernelA quintessentially English village lying in the valley of theRiver Cerne and famous for its 180 foot hill-side giantcarved into the chalk as well as its ruined Abbey.Thegreat barn in Far from the Madding Crowd owes some ofits architectural features to the ancient tithe-barn in thevillage.

Puddletown WeatherburyNestling in the Piddle Valley, surrounded by rolling hills and woodland, liesPuddletown. Hardy's grandfather and great-grandfather came from the village,as did other relations. The church is memorable for its fine west gallery, hometo a long tradition of music making which Hardy celebrated in Under theGreenwood Tree. Fanny Robin was buried in the churchyard and Troy shelteredfrom the rain in the church porch in Far from the Madding Crowd.

Athelhampton AthelhallA magnificent manor house dating fromthe 15th Century with award winninggardens. Thomas Hardy's father, abuilder, was involved in restorationworks to the Great Hall and West Wingroofs in the 19th Century. It wasduring these times that Hardy himselffirst visited Athelhampton and at theage of 19 he painted a watercolour ofthe south front with the gatehouse(demolished in 1862). He was alsolunching at Athelhampton with AlfredCart de Lafontaine when news brokethat World War I had been declared.

The Church of St John's,Athelhamptonwas built whilst Hardy was workingwith the Dorchester architect JohnHicks and Hardy's cousin worked at the school opposite. Hardy's shortstory The Waiting Supper is set in the house and grounds, the poem TheChildren and Sir Nameless refers to the tombs of the Martyns who builtAthelhampton in 1485 and he also wrote a sad poem The Dame ofAthelhall. Athelhampton House and gardens are open to the public.www.athelhampton.co.uk Tel: 01305 848363

Bere Regis Kingsbere-sub-GreenhillThis ancient village was described by Hardy as "the decayed old town" in Farfrom the Madding Crowd.The annual sheep fair was colourfully described as "thebusiest, merriest, noisiest" of them all.The village was also the home of thed'Urberville family in Tess of the d'Urbervilles based on the real life family of theTurbervilles.

WoodsfordOn the edge of the village is the unusual thatched Woodsford Castle. In 1856Hardy's father was employed by John Hicks to undertake repairs on thebuilding.The young Hardy helped with preliminary drawings at the castle andon the strength of these was offered an architectural apprenticeship withHicks.

West Stafford Froom-EverardIt was the church of St Andrew's in the village that was the apparentsetting for Tess and Angel Clare's marriage in Tess of the d'Urbervilles.Lower Lewell Farm, located outside the village is the most probable sitefor ‘Talbothays Dairy’.The village was also the setting of the story TheWaiting Supper.

Lower BockhamptonLower MellstockThe Old School House in thishamlet was built and endowed byMrs Julia Martin of KingstonMaurward House in 1847 andHardy was possibly one of thefirst pupils to attend.The OldSchool House is where Fancy Daywas a teacher in Under theGreenwood Tree.

Kingston Maurward House Knapwater House As a boy, Hardy was a frequent visitor of the grand house and gardensand referred to the house in Desperate Remedies.The gardens and animalpark are open to the public and there is an admission charge.www.kmc.ac.uk/gardens Tel: 01305 215003

Follow the Hardy Trail and discover Hardy's Wessexfor yourself. The map below shows a trail linking thekey sites mentioned in the text, but you can pick it upor leave it at any point. The trail does not follow anactual road route so please refer to the appropriateOS maps for West Dorset if you wish to walk, cycleor drive between locations.

Follow the Hardy Trail

StinsfordMellstock

A small hamlet with amedieval church loved byHardy and featured inUnder the Greenwood Treeand a number of poems.St Michael's Church iswhere he was christenedand his family served formany years. Hardy’s ashes

are interred in Poet’s Corner,Westminster Abbey, but his heart isburied at Stinsford, where his wives, Emma and Florence, and othermembers of the Hardy family are also buried. The church alsocontains other family memorials and a stained glass window with aninscription to the writer himself.

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A35LYME REGIS

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A354

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A30A303

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B3165

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Abbotsbury

BurtonBradstock Portesham

WestBexington

West Bay

Fleet

Long Bredy

Askerswell

EggardonHill Fort

Pilsdon PenHill Fort

Batcombe HillHigh Stoy

Bulbarrow

Bere Regis

RingsteadOsmington

BroadmayneWarmwell

Owermoigne

WoodsfordWest Stafford

Lower BockhamptonTincletonStinsford

Athelhampton

Higher Bockhampton

Puddletown

Tolpuddle

Piddletrenthide

PlushCerne Abbas

Charminster

Frampton

Maiden Newton

Sydling St.Nicholas

Cattistock

BucklandNewton

Melbury OsmondHermitage

Yetminster

BradfordAbbas

North WoottonFolke

Corscombe

Misterton

Mosterton

Broadwindsor

Melplash

Morcombelake

Charmouth

Wootton Fitzpaine

Hardy's Monument

DORSETWEST

Weymouth

BRIDPORT

BEAMINSTER

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B3157

B3390

B3143

Viewpoints

Hardy trail

SHERBORNE

Maiden CastleHill Fort

Portland

Sturminster Newton

BlandfordForum

CHICKERELL

B3157

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Points on trail

EvershotMelbury Bubb

Toller Porcorum

DORCHESTER

Kingston Maurward

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Beaminster: © Roger Holman Hardy’s Cottage © Affinity Image Library

Further informationIf you want to delve further into the fascinating life andwork of Thomas Hardy, Dorchester Tourist InformationCentre stocks a large selection of maps, books and trailleaflets. A Thomas Hardy walk is included in theDiscover Dorchester leaflet and there are plaques onthe ground to follow around the town.

Blue Badge guided Hardy tours Book a group tour with an experienced Blue BadgeGuide and visit the locations that inspired Hardy with aHardy Country Tour or explore Dorchester on foot ona 'Casterbridge' walking tour. Tel: 01305 252241 forfurther information.

EventsThe international Thomas Hardy Conference and Festivalis a bi-annual week-long event offering an excitingprogramme of lectures, seminars, talks, poetry readings,walks and entertainments. The Thomas Hardy BirthdayWeekend event includes the laying of wreaths at theHardy Statue in Dorchester on the Saturday nearest theanniversary of his birth (2nd June). For moreinformation on these and other events contact theThomas Hardy Society (details left).

AccommodationContact our Tourist Information Centres (TICs) or visitwww.westdorset.com for information on where to stayin West Dorset.

Dorset County MuseumA visit to the Dorset County Museum in Dorchester isrecommended. The museum has the largest Hardycollection in the world, the bulk of which wasbequeathed to the Museum by his wife Florence Hardy.The most fascinating material from this collection,including manuscripts, books, diaries, photographs,notebooks and paintings, is on show in the gallery 'AWriter's Dorset’. At the centre of the gallery is areconstruction of Hardy's study at Max Gate, with all hisbooks and furniture. For more information visitwww.dorsetcountymuseum.org.Tel: 01305 262735.

For further information on West Dorset visit our website

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If you are interested injoining the Thomas HardySociety contact:Thomas Hardy SocietyPO Box 1438, Dorchester,Dorset DT1 1YHTel/Fax: 01305 251501info@hardysociety.orgwww.hardysociety.org

(Above) Thomas Hardy's studyrecreated at the Dorset CountyMuseum

Designed and published by West Dorset District Council(2006) in partnership with The Thomas Hardy Society.

West Dorset Tourist Information Centres

Dorchester: Antelope Walk, DT1 1BE Tel: 01305 267992 Fax: 01305 266079 Email: dorchester.tic@westdorset-dc.gov.uk

Bridport: South Street, DT6 3NY Tel: 01308 424901 Fax: 01308 421060 Email: bridport.tic@westdorset-dc.gov.uk

Sherborne: Digby Road, DT9 3NL Tel: 01935 815341 Fax: 01935 817210 Email: sherborne.tic@westdorset-dc.gov.uk

Lyme Regis: Church Street, DT7 3BS Tel: 01297 442138 Fax: 01297 444668Email: lymeregis.tic@westdorset-dc.gov.uk

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Whilst every care has been taken in compiling this leaflet,West DorsetDistrict Council cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions.