Thomas Hardy in 50 Places and Objects

The novels of Thomas Hardy continue to enamour his readers over a century after he wrote them. His beautifully observed tales of rural life in his native Dorset, which became his mythical setting of Wessex, have inspired readers and sold millions of copies worldwide and sparked numerous film and television adaptations.

Although his novels were published during the Victorian era, he was ahead of his time and his outlook upon society was at odds with the social mores of the time. Demonised for the themes of his final novel, Jude the Obscure, he was dubbed ‘Hardy the Obscene’. He was a complex man and despite showing empathy for his female characters, he treated his two wives poorly and did not endear himself to anyone who worked for him.

This book features the places where Hardy lived in Sturminster Newton, Wimborne Minster, Dorchester and London. It also includes places that inspired his writing and were incorporated into Wessex and featured in his poems.

Personal objects connected with Hardy are detailed here, such as his writing desk, pens, the locket containing his first wife’s hair and photo, a war memorial tablet he designed, his tombs in Stinsford Church and Poets’ Corner, Westminster Abbey, and his statue in Dorchester.

This book transports the reader to Hardy’s rural Dorset through objects and locations that celebrate the life and inspiration of one of England’s most celebrated authors.