ian Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I was in Whitby recently for the first time since reading Dracula, so I was looking at the various landmarks that are mentioned in the book. It got me thinking about how many literary landmarks I have visited or live near. As well as the above I have also been to; Jamaica Inn Frenchman's Creek I also pass the two towers from Lord of the rings every morning on my way to work in Birmingham. I wondered what other landmarks people had visited or lived by, or could recommend? Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I work in Fleet Street, at the end of Shoe Lane, just near Ludgate Hill and St Paul's, which is where some of C J Sansom's Shardlake novels are set. It's quite strange trying to visualise how the area would have looked around 1540, as our office would effectively have been outside the walls of London. The Fleet River gets mentioned a lot in the novels, but of course it's buried underneath the roads now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I live in Aberdeen - the locale for Stuart MacBride's Logan McRae series. I used to live on Marischal Street (where Logan McRae lives) and used to be a regular in The Archibald Simpson pub (where all the coppers drink). I always get a kick out of recognising the locations! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I love visiting The Cobb at Lyme Regis where I can indulge in my Jane Austen Persuasion fantasy of Captain Wentworth catching me in his arms. And I often visit Bath, with more Austen connections everywhere! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talisman Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I live in the village of Box Hill, which is where Emma had her picnic in the Jane Austin (my more famous almost namesake) book of the same name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I'mRose Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I live in Ystad which is the town where Henning Mankells Wallander books takes place. I just drove past one location yesterday where they were filming for the new Kenneth Branagh series of Wallander. There's always a lot of tourists coming here to see the various sights, you can even go around by an old fashion fire truck to see the famous places. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pickle Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I live in Salisbury which is a stones throw from Stonehenge and therefore the site of many a historical and fantasy book as well as of course Sarum (the old Salisbury) the site of Edward Rutherford book . My office is actually in Old Sarum and I once did a small job on the top of the hillfort there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Pushing it a bit here, as they're from film locations, but I went to Gloucester Cathedral two weeks ago - part of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets was filmed there. Last week I went to Lacock in Wiltshire. Lacock Abbey was the scene of classroom shots for Harry Potter (several films) and the village of Lacock itself has featured in many films and TV shows, including Cranford and the BBC's Pride and Prejudice. Going back to proper books, I went to Pen Selwood (also called Penselwood) after reading Ferney for my Book Club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayley Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I've also been to the 'two towers' in Birmingham and Mosely Bog which is supposedly the basis of the Shire. Did anybody else go to the 50th anniversary celebration there? It was very strange walking around and suddenly seeing a hobbit. The 'hungry hobbit' cafe makes me laugh whenever I go past it too I'd love to go to more places like this though. I know I've been to Stratford-upon-Avon too but I was only quite young and don't think I was particularly interested in Shakespeare back then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 (edited) I work in Fleet Street, at the end of Shoe Lane, just near Ludgate Hill and St Paul's, which is where some of C J Sansom's Shardlake novels are set. It's quite strange trying to visualise how the area would have looked around 1540, as our office would effectively have been outside the walls of London. The Fleet River gets mentioned a lot in the novels, but of course it's buried underneath the roads now. Tons and tons and tons of fiction based around you. Just a few examples: I've just finished Connie Willis's Blackout and All Clear, much of which is set in just over Farringdon Steet from you. Also several books by Peter Ackroyd (including Clerkenwell Tales and The House of Doctor Dee). Just north of you was Fagin's den on Saffron Hill. Shoe Lane itself was the site of Thavies Inn, one of the Inns of Chancery, which is where the Jellybys lived in Bleak House. Earlier today, whilst cycling from home to school, I stopped to admire the view up the Worth Valley, and was thus able to see both the Keighley and Worth Valley Railwway (used in the Railway Children films), and Haworth with the moors behind, which of course was the home of the Brontes and the site of Wuthering Heights. Edited August 31, 2011 by willoyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samsiren Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 that's a great topic idea! I'd never really thought about it... hmmm, I'll have to think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I've been to Haworth a few times, home of the Brontes, visited their home & walked on the moor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethany725 Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Since I live in New York City, I'm sure there must be DOZENS here... but my mind is totally blank! There HAS to be some, right?! I'm sure Ellis Island is covered in a ton of immigration books, and the Status of Liberty, and the huge bank buildings covered in all of the investment/trading books. Must be lots! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawnbirduk Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Since I live in New York City, I'm sure there must be DOZENS here... but my mind is totally blank! There HAS to be some, right?! I'm sure Ellis Island is covered in a ton of immigration books, and the Status of Liberty, and the huge bank buildings covered in all of the investment/trading books. Must be lots! I am reading Trail of Blood by SJ Rozan and it is set in Chinatown, New York, it has surprised, because I am enjoying it more than I thought I would Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 Last week I went to Lacock in Wiltshire. Lacock Abbey was the scene of classroom shots for Harry Potter (several films) and the village of Lacock itself has featured in many films and TV shows, including Cranford and the BBC's Pride and Prejudice. I've been to Lacock too! I did a little bus tour when I was England. It's a cute little town. Wasn't the first ever photo developed at Lacock Abbey? (or maybe it was a photo of Lacock Abbey or something...) Since I live in New York City, I'm sure there must be DOZENS here... but my mind is totally blank! The Baby-Sitters Club books! Everything I learnt about New York as a child comes from those books. There aren't too many books set around the Sydney area (well, not that I've read). In England, I paid a special visit to Hyde Park Corner to see where The BFG sat while Sophie went to visit the Queen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawnbirduk Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 I live in Hunstanton, North West Norfolk, UK, and I love reading books that are set or make a reference to this area, that is one of the reasons I like Jim Kelly books he is a local author and as a result a lot of the books are set locally, and I love reading about places I know or can visualise. So if anyone knows of any books set in this area I would be most interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 Tons and tons and tons of fiction based around you. Just a few examples: I've just finished Connie Willis's Blackout and All Clear, much of which is set in just over Farringdon Steet from you. Also several books by Peter Ackroyd (including Clerkenwell Tales and The House of Doctor Dee). Just north of you was Fagin's den on Saffron Hill. Shoe Lane itself was the site of Thavies Inn, one of the Inns of Chancery, which is where the Jellybys lived in Bleak House. Yeah, I'd imagine so. I just went with the ones I've read It's so built up around here now - hard to imagine it being any other way. When reading the C J Sansom novels I was finding it impossible not to imagine the streest as they are today, complete with buses and taxis And of course, it's literally a two minute walk from the office to Gough Square, where Samuel Johnson lived, complete with a statue of his cat, Hodge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursenblack Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 The only literary connected place I've been to is the home of Laura Ingalls Wilder in Mansfield, Missouri. That is were she wrote The Little House books. Her an Almonzo's graves are there too. I really envy those of you who have been to Haworth and seen the Brontes home. Maybe someday... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 Going back to proper books, I went to Pen Selwood (also called Penselwood) after reading Ferney for my Book Club. I very recently read and loved that book and would LOVE to visit Pen Selwood! On another note, I'm originally from Northumberland which is the setting for, like, ALL Catherine Cookson's books. I've not read any of them, but my Mam is an avid fan of her works. One of the Northumbrian Castles was used for some of the shots of Hogwart's in the Hary potter films, but I can't remember which one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethany725 Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 I am reading Trail of Blood by SJ Rozan and it is set in Chinatown, New York, it has surprised, because I am enjoying it more than I thought I would Oooh that's a neat setting! Chinatown has all kinds of interesting sights, people, and sounds. The Baby-Sitters Club books! Everything I learnt about New York as a child comes from those books. The BSC was all set in Stonybrook, CT when I read them... but I'm guessing as the characters aged, they may have starting coming into the city and I had just already stopped reading the series by then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 The BSC was all set in Stonybrook, CT when I read them... but I'm guessing as the characters aged, they may have starting coming into the city and I had just already stopped reading the series by then? Yes, they were set in Stonybrook, but Stacey was from NY and there were occasional/stories flashbacks when she was in NY. Also, one of the Super Specials was called 'New York, New York!' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 It's so built up around here now - hard to imagine it being any other way. When reading the C J Sansom novels I was finding it impossible not to imagine the streest as they are today, complete with buses and taxis Yes, I can't get over how much London has changed in the last 20-30 years. My father used to be a guide for the London Appreciation Society, and absolutely passionate about London history. I went on several of his walks (and had my own personal tours). I've since revisited some of the places we visited, and so often it's just been completely swept away. Obviously some (much?) of it needed to be, but, from an historical point of view at least, what the Blitz started does seem to have sometimes been carried on by developers. Still occasionally some interesting corners though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethany725 Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Yes, they were set in Stonybrook, but Stacey was from NY and there were occasional/stories flashbacks when she was in NY. Also, one of the Super Specials was called 'New York, New York!' Ah ha! It wasn't too long after Stacey arrived that I was at the age where I swapped into another collection. (Sweet Valley High, anyone? ) I don't remember as much about her! All this talk kind of makes me want to go back and re-read the ones I read, and read the ones I missed after swapping collections. Is that an issue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 I love visiting The Cobb at Lyme Regis where I can indulge in my Jane Austen Persuasion fantasy of Captain Wentworth catching me in his arms. And I often visit Bath, with more Austen connections everywhere! I love it at Lyme too and have to go walking on the Cobb, those little steps are pretty lethal though .. no wonder poor Louisa fell on her head. I've been around Bath too looking for all things Jane and also Lacock. Also been to Jane's house in Chawton and to her birthplace in Steventon. I've had lunch at the Jamaica Inn in Cornwall too on a very wet and windy day which just added to the mysterious atmosphere of the place. Also visited Beatrix Potter's house 'Hill Top' and the villages around it and it's like seeing her little illustrations come to life, even Mr McGregors garden is there. I would love to go to Haworth but I haven't managed it yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted September 5, 2011 Share Posted September 5, 2011 All this talk kind of makes me want to go back and re-read the ones I read, and read the ones I missed after swapping collections. Is that an issue? I collected most of the BSC series before I stopped. I kept them for years and thought about getting rid of them, but thankfully, before I did so, I changed my mind. Not only do I still have them all, but now I've decided to seek out the rest of the books in the series. I'm buying them secondhand whenever I see them (which isn't often). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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