Every book lover’s dream is to visit the hometowns of the authors who shaped the face of literature as we know it today. England is lucky to be the home of many prolific writers, from William Shakespeare and Jane Austen to the Bronte Sisters and Thomas Hardy. When simply reading about the fictional worlds of your favourite heroes and heroines isn’t enough, visit the landscapes that inspired them with our list of top literary travel destinations!
The Queen of Mystery: Agatha Christie | Devon
Stepping into the English riviera, you can understand why the scenery inspired the queen of cosy mystery, Agatha Christie. Start your literary visit at her Devon holiday home of Greenway House in the care of the National Trust. Bought in 1938, she kept most of her belongings and travel souvenirs here, including her expansive library. You’ll even get to look at some rare first editions of her novels!
Next, set off on the Agatha Christie Mile walk–a misnomer as it’s closer to three miles. This trail was developed in part by Christie’s daughter, Rosalind Hicks, and includes the Imperial Hotel, the Agatha Christie Gallery, and Torre Abbey where the Agatha Christie Festival is hosted every September.
Take a ride on the Dartmouth Steam Railway, the same route Christie would take to Kingswear, for beautiful views of the coast. Fans of The ABC Murders will recognise this route as the one Hercule Poirot took to visit Devon in an investigation.
Finally, enjoy the beautiful Dartmoor National Park where Christie spent a two week writing holiday. The inspiring landscape prompted her to set four books here! Explore our article about the best national parks for more information about things to do here.
The Victorian Realist: Thomas Hardy | Dorset
Thomas Hardy was a highly regarded Victorian writer who penned some heartbreaking novels with the backdrop of Dorset, aka Wessex. Start at Puddletown Heath Cottage: Hardy’s birthplace. The house, now in the care of the National Trust, was built by his great grandfather in Higher Bockhampton, known as “Upper Mellstock” in Hardy’s Wessex. Hardy wrote his first five novels here, including Far From the Madding Crowd.
Spend some time exploring the town of Dorchester twinned with “Casterbridge” of The Mayor of Casterbridge fame. The town also inspired scenes from Tess of the d’Urbervilles and Jude the Obscure, such as Saint Peter’s Church, the Corn Exchange, and the King’s Arms Hotel. Journey out from the centre of town to the home he designed for his family and himself: Max Gate. He put his early life architecture training to use and built a quirky but beautiful Victorian house that he lived in until his death in 1928. Here, he hosted notable figures such as the Prince of Wales, poet W. B. Yeats, Rudyard Kipling (author of The Jungle Book), and Sir James Barrie (author of Peter Pan). To see the largest collection of Hardy artefacts, visit the Dorset Museum. You will find everything from his manuscripts and notebooks to his paintings and photographs.
Conclude the literary travel tour of Hardy’s life at Saint Michael’s Church where his heart is buried—the remainder of his ashes are interred at the Poet’s Corner in Westminster Abbey. Try and find the stained glass window dedicated to Hardy’s literary legacy inside the church.
Your Favourite Romance Author: Jane Austen | Hampshire
It’s a truth universally acknowledged that every Jane Austen fan needs to visit the author’s Hampshire home at least once. The medieval farmhouse, where Jane lived in her final years, was where she wrote and published all of her novels. Jane, her mother, and sister moved into the house in 1809 when her brother, Edward Austen Knight, inherited the impressive Chawton House and surrounding properties. The building was later purchased by the Jane Austen Society and opened by the Duke of Wellington in 1949 where it has been conserved, restored and restyled to look as it did during Jane’s residency. Here you will find an impressive collection of Jane’s letters, jewellery, the writing table where she wrote all of her novels, and rare first editions of her books.
Pay a visit to the elegant stately home of her brother Edward: Chawton House. Jane spent much time at the 16th century estate in the reading alcove of the Oak Room and the dining room where she would dine with her family. Chawton is also believed to be the inspiration for Donwell Abbey, Mr. Knightley’s home in Emma. To learn more about stately homes that inspired Jane Austen, read about the estate that inspired Darcy’s Pemberley in our article about the 10 stately homes you need to visit. Finally, take a turn about the Chawton gardens, specifically the Walled Garden commissioned by Edward himself. Keep an eye out for famous Austen quotes posted about, part of the Jane Austen Garden Trail.
Drive 30 minutes from the Austen settlement to Winchester Cathedral to see Jane’s final resting place. She was buried in the north nave aisle in 1817, aged 41. Though the original memorial stone did not acknowledge her identity as the author of Pride and Prejudice, an 1872 plaque was placed to assert her identity as the author of novels that touched the lives of many.
Your English Teacher’s Favourite Writer: William Shakespeare | Stratford-upon-Avon
Under the stewardship of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust (SBT), the house where Shakespeare was born (1564) and raised was the first building obtained in the public campaign to preserve Shakespeare-related properties. The SBT even enlisted support of Charles Dickens! Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway at age 18 and lived in this family home until he found success. Here, the couple welcome their three children into the world. Shakespeare’s father was the Mayor of Stratford, granting a young William a quality education at the local grammar school. On your way out, stop by the nearby King Edward VI School and Guild Chapel to see Shakespeare’s classroom. How does the Tudor classroom compare to the one you learned about the bard’s work? This building brings that history to life and the children are encouraged to participate in Tudor school lessons, dress up as a Tudor, and play games!
Anne Hathaway’s 500 year old dwelling is a wonderfully preserved home, still containing its original furnishings. Explore the cottage gardens, orchards, and sculpture trails inspired by the bard’s plays.
The final home of Shakespeare, until his death in 1616, is Shakespeare’s New Place. Although the original structure no longer exists, a garden has been planted by the SBT outlining the original floorplan. This garden gives you an idea as to the size of the home, being one of the largest homes in the area at the time of its construction.
No Shakespeare tour would be complete without seeing a play performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company. The world renowned troupe of Shakespearean actors perform for more than half a million people every year. Rebuilt in 1932 after a fire, the beautiful art deco building seats over 1,000 people.
Finally, pay your respects to the graves of Shakespeare, Anne Hathaway and Susanna Shakespeare at the Holy Trinity Church. Be sure to plan your visit according to opening hours on the church website. There is no access to the grave on Sunday mornings during services.
Gothic Literature’s Golden Trio: The Bronte Sisters | West Yorkshire
The gothic village of Haworth is settled amongst a dramatic landscape that inspired the equally gothic and dramatic novels of the Bronte Sisters. Visit the Bronte Parsonage Museum and step back to 1845, seeing the home as it looked when the family lived there. Conserved by the Bronte Society, you will find the largest collection of Bronte artefacts in the world. This includes the table where Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre, and The Tennant of Wildfell Hall were written. Look closely at the dining room table to see where a bored Emily carved the initial “E” into the walnut. Further items include the girls’ writing tables, childhood sketches and writing, their clothes, and more.
Move on to St Michael and All Angels Church, where their father worked and the family attended church service. You will find Charlotte and Emily’s graves in the graveyard.
The next stop is the school house built by Patrick Bronte. Here, Charlotte, Emily, Anne and Branwell taught the local children. Charlotte even held her wedding reception to husband, Arthur Bell Nicholls, here in 1854. Follow the road back to the sloping, cobbled main street that looks much as it did during the Bronte period. There’s plenty to entertain, including tea rooms, Bronte-themed bookshops and even Branwell’s favourite pub: the Black Bull.
No Bronte pilgrimage would be complete without rambling the Moors. The Bronte Way offers views of Oakwell Hall, an Elizabethan manor house that inspired Fieldhead in Shirley and Ponden Reservoir Hall that inspired Thrushcross Grange in Wuthering Heights. You will also spot the waterfall often visited by the sisters and now named in their honour, the Bronte Waterfall. Another worthwhile Moors walk includes Haworth Moor and Top Withens which allegedly inspired Emily’s Earnshaw House in Wuthering Heights.
Nostalgic Childhood Memories: Beatrix Potter | Lake District
The World of Beatrix Potter attraction in Bowness-on-Windermere should be the first stop on your Beatrix Potter visit. Beginning with a short film about Beatrix Potter’s life and her beloved stories, you then get to explore recreations of scenes such as The Tale of Tom Kitten, Peter Rabbit, and Jemima Puddleduck. Conclude your visit with a virtual 360 degree view of the Lake District scenery as Beatrix Potter would have seen it in the 1900s. You will also see a scale model of Hill Top farm to prepare you for your next stop.
Visit Beatrix Potter’s beloved cottage of Hill Top farm in Near Sawrey. Beatrix Potter, originally a London native, bought the 17th-century farmhouse in 1905 with the proceeds from her first book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Here she set many of her subsequent books. The cottage gardens have been restored to look as they did when kept by Beatrix herself. The head gardener parsed this information from letters, photographs, diary entries, and of course her books! Discerning visitors will spot Jemima Puddleduck’s rhubarb patch.
Though Potter later moved out of Hill Top when she married, it remained an important part of her life. Here, she continued to work, keep her collections, tend to the farm, and host guests. When she died in 1943, she left 4,000 acres of land, including Hill Top, to the National Trust. The Lake District and its heritage, such as the once endangered Hardwick Sheep, have much to thank Beatrix Potter for. To learn more about other fun Lake District stops, read our article on the best national parks here.
Make Your Next Chapter the Best One Yet
England’s landscape has inspired authors for centuries. Find inspiration with these wonderfully literary travel destinations, from Agatha Christie’s Devon to Beatrix Potter’s Lake District.
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