Bitchery Reader Taylor has illuminated the BitchSignal to ask for help with an innovative request for assistance. Alert, Bitchery at Large: It’s Road Trip Time!
I was hoping the Bitchery could help me out. I’m planning a driving tour of the UK next spring and am stopping at all the places featured in some of my favorite historical romance novels. However, I would love to add another three or twelve books to my list of places to visit. Right now I’m researching locations in: the random, un-pinpoint-able Highlands of Julie Garwood; Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander; Gaelen Foley’s The Duke and Lord of Fire; Mary Balogh’s stories set in Bath; whatever area I find in some Judith McNaught books (haven’t read those in awhile, so I don’t know if there is anything useful in them or not); all the normal places in London like Almack’s and Gunter’s and White’s. I’m also going to Sherwood Forest to see how spooky it really is(n’t).
So, my question is…does the Bitchery have some omgFAVorite historical romances that include some interesting locations other than London? I’ve emailed some of the authors whose books I’m referencing and they have been great about giving me additional ideas and suggestions. If the Bitchery can help out, that just makes it so much better!!!!
If I could drive for more than an hour without having to make a pit stop, I’d be on that trip myself. That sounds awesome. So get out your Bitch Map – where would you send Taylor?
Go out on the wild and windy moors! Dartmoor or the Pennines (“Bronte Country”). Wuthering Heights or Lord of Scoundrels (Loretta Chase) are the reference here.
A big second for the Dartmoor suggestion. And although you mentioned Gabaldon, make sure that highland trip includes Culloden.
There’s entire BOOKS written about following Austen’s trail through England. This one is especially good. I’d certainly add Lyme Regis to the list: as Tennyson said, “Show me the exact spot where Louisa Musgrove fell!”
I’d third Bath and the Assembly Rooms there, and London and Almacks and Tattersalls, etc, if you can get in to them, if they still exist. I’d also do the Yorkshire moors of the Brontes.
Very cool idea! Have lots of fun!
Judith Ivory’s Untie My Heart was set in Yorkshire sheep country, otherwise famous from All Creatures Great and Small.
Mr. Darcy’s house is in Derbyshire. In the recent P&P movie, it is Chatworth House itself.
A little bit of my own debut book is set in Devonshire, not the wild west country side, but closer to the east coast, near Torquay, known as the English Riviera.
And don’t forget Oxford and Cambridge. I can’t remember which is Judith Ivory’s Sleeping Beauty is set in, but just visit both!
Or Manchester, if you are a fan of Mrs. Gaskell’s North and South.
And I would so seriously visit Eton and Harrow, since 90% of our English historical heroes must have come through there.
There you go, suggestions.
Dude, mentioning ‘untying’ and ‘sheep’ in one sentence is all it takes to make me giggle before caffeine.
Hatchard’s is London’s oldest bookseller, featured in many historical romances. I believe the storefront now says Waterstone/Borders/Hatchard’s.
84 Charing Cross Road is no longer a bookseller 🙁 but I still smile when I walk past.
I’d definitely recommend going to Haworth in Yorkshire. You can visit the Bronte parsonage and take a hike up to “Top Withins” which is supposed to be the inspiration for the house in “Wuthering Heights”.
If I’m not wrong, Rosamunde Pilcher’s books tend to take place in Cornwall. Her descriptions of that area make it sound so enchanting.
OMG…Go, go, go to Scotland. Culloden is a must, definitely. But find your way to Sterling and Edinburgh. And while the highlands are lovely (and Loch Lomond is gorgeous), the Isle of Skye is breathtaking.
Sorry I can’t help with any of the romance references, though.
Ooh, Pat Gaffney’s historicals are set in Cornwall, too, aren’t they? It’s supposed to be really pretty. And I can vouch for the White Cliffs of Dover as being impressive, but you have to see them from the sea. Good reason to go to Paris, if you ask me. The Hovercraft is a wonderful trip!
“Miss Wonderful” by Loretta Chase is set in Matlock which is supposed to be a lovely town. It has a cable car up to the Heights of Abraham and is not far away from the Derbyshire Peak district or Chatsworth House.
When you’re in Bath don’t miss the wonderful museum dedicated to historical costumes.
Can’t help much with the locations, but I know if you email Catherine Coulter, she’s wonderfully responsive and would no doubt have some good suggestions.
Scotland, homeland of Dorothy Dunnett’s Francis Crawford. Okay, so he spends much of his time on the continent. The first book is entirely in Scotland and northern England.
Lake District from PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. I just saw the film.
Now I will go swoon.
Wherever you go and whatever you see, please take pictures and share! Sounds like a wonderful trip!
I hope you’re planning on including Ireland in your travels. Nora Roberts has several books set there, especially in County Clare.
My word is going47, at this rate you’ll end up going to at least 47 places!
I live in Edinburgh but my husband is from Yorkshire so I know the UK pretty well and all I can say is that I hope you’re allowing plenty of time for this trip because if you visit all of these places, you will be literally travelling the length and breadth of the British Isles!
I’m a Scot, but for my money, the Lake District (Wuthering Heights) is the most beautiful scenic area in the UK. It is also relatively easy to travel to and its a fairly quick drive to Scotland from there. If you do the Lakes on the way to Scotland, you can visit Gretna Green (where all those eloping couples head!) on the way up.
Also, if you go to Scotland, I would suggest a trip to Edinburgh. There is lots of Regency-type architecture and a good historical feel (although I struggle to come up with a historical novel set here – there is probably something by Sir Walter Scott though). I am of course biased because I live here and love it.
Enjoy your trip.
I second or third the motion to check out Lyme Regis and Bath. Lyme Regis is a great seaside town,with a couple of really good bookstores to boot(some of my best buys in England were at Lyme).
Bath is so old world and modern at the same time,that it’s a must see. The costume museum is excellant and they have a wonderful Jane Austen Center there as well. I also did some fab shopping there. One of the stores I found was a Paddington and Friends,which had talking Dangermouse and Penfold dolls,perfect for my sister! You must do Bath,it is so congenial:)
so i shall repeat everybody else…the Yorkshire Moors for Wuthering Heights…..Lyme Regis for Then French Lieutenant’s Woman….the WEST RIDING for Thomas Hardy(but that place never really existed,did it?)…and the Borderlands of Scotland…lots of nasty stuff went on there, to be sure. but i bet plenty of bosoms heaved when them Scotty Lads showed up….
The heck with 84 Charing Cross Road. Go to Foyles in London at 135 Charing Cross Road—five floors of books. I was tempted to spend one whole vacation inside the store.
Apparently they’ve renovated in the past couple of years and
“Now, not only are there five floors of books with fifty-six specialist subjects, but we’ve installed new lifts and air conditioning, and there’s also an art gallery, a café, Ray’s Jazz shop and, in the children’s department, a piranha tank.”
Seriously, what more could you want?
Oh, go to the Yorkshire moors. It’s a long trip (from anywhere), but it’s completely breathtaking. As Jeremy Clarkson put it, “God must have been very proud of North Yorkshire.”
Ditto Cornwall (also a long trip, but you can fly from a London airport to Newquay on the north coast). Especially if you’re into King Arthur myths. The brave (and fit!) can climb the cliff to Tintagel Head and go down to Merlin’s Cave. While you’re there, try a Cornish pasty from Pengenna’s, they’re gorgeous.
Pretty much every Cornish fishing village has a smuggling history. Of course, if you can get to the Lizard Peninsular on the south cost, you can actually visit Frenchman’s Creek. On your way down to Cornwall, stop off at Jamaica Inn. Yes, the places in Daphne duMaurier’s books are real, and they’re breathtaking, too.
Unfortunately, most of the historicals I can think of are set in fictional places! I remember Jude Deveraux sending characters to Bath in a Knight in Shining Armour, but that’s the only real place I can think of. I’m trying to remember about Judith McNaught, but it seems I did too good a job of blanking Whitney, My Love from my brain.
How did I not remember Gretna Green, the Reno of Britain?
Thanks, Joanna!
Cornwall??? Daphne DuMaurier”s JAMAICA INN!!! who didn’t read that at age 13/14???? i apprecaite the cooments i have received but….the mention of Serious Bookstores kinda breaks my heart since i live in Nowhere, Ohio and the only bookstores here are-gasp-CHRISTIAN…..not wishing to offend anyone but….Foyles vs.??????is no contest….anyone interested in just talking BOOKS?
Definitely go to Hatchard’s. I was there this past May. I also went to Bath and tried to have the cream tea in the Pump Room but it was too early. But I was there and had a glass of water, tap – not mineral.
Whilst at Bath, you must try the waters. The real ones—the ones that smell like boiled eggs and taste like crushed metals. It’s part of the expirience. And do the whole tour, from the Ancient Roman things to the Regancy—stunning!
Edinburgh is also fun—it has a bunch of twisty little streets, just off the main ones, that you can really picture a dark, cloaked figure sneaking down. When I was there, the whole city was dark with accumulated smog from the Industrial Revolution, but I’ve been told that it’s all cleaned off, now, and it should be lovely. Especially good if you like novels about Mary, Queen of Scots, or even about warring clans and ach! begorrah! haggis! and all the other stuff that they throw into those books; Edinburgh is a very historical city.
Since nearly everywhere else in the UK has been mentioned, I’d also like to mention the Cotswolds. Most beautiful place that I’ve ever been. Ever.
I having trouble thinking of a literary connection, for the Cotswolds, however. Was that where Barton Cottage was? Anyways, it will give you a good feeling of what a small English country town is like, for Marples or romances, or anything, really. And it’s cute, even though you wouldn’t think of a place being cute.
Lyme Regis – for Persuasion and The French Lieutenant’s Woman
Bath – for Lady of Quality by Georgette Heyer, Northanger Abbey and countless others
and my favourite – Oxford – for Gaudy Night by Dorothy Sayers
There is always Brighton, and the Prince Regent’s Pavilion. Site of many a Regency novel.
And there’s Leeds,where some of the action from Heyer’s The Nonesuch takes place.
Sleeping Beauty was set in Cambridge, but Oxford is a bit closer.
I second Cornwall (am obsessed with the area thanks to Victoria Holt), and did anyone mention Brighton? What about Hastings—where William the Conqueror helped begat the many, many aristocrats running through romance novels.
Oi! The Lake District—Wordsworth and Southey and the lot!
Don’t forget some of the castles and manor homes like Blenheim in Oxfordshire or Kedleston Hall and Chatsworth in Derbyshire or Knole in Kent.
You bitches are fantastic!!!! Thanks for all the suggestions!!!! If I get into a Waterstone’s while I am there, I may never come back out again. There is one a couple blocks from the British Museum that I love…I always buy too many books there then end up dragging them back across London to my friend’s flat out on the India docks.
Sandra D—I’ve been to Ireland three times and London six, but I haven’t really seen the rest of the UK, so I’m focusing on that for this trip. While in Ireland, though, I did stop for lunch and some shopping in Ardmore, one of Nora’s towns, and I have pictures of some of the same scenery she has in Sligo.
Joanna—I’m spending at least three weeks for this trip, but I can slide it out to five if necessary. I’ll be between jobs at the time and I’ve been saving for it for six months now.
Cat—I’m reading “A Knight in Shining Armour” for this as well and the church that sucks chickie (Danielle, Davida, some male name that starts with a D) into the past is in a town called Ashburton…it’s on my list.
Bella—Don’t pick on Reno! I got married there 😉 But then I got divorced, so go ahead and pick after all!
Angela—I’ve got Blenheim and Chatsworth on the list, thanks for adding Kedleston Hall and Knole.
When I have all this finished next spring and have photos and stories available, I will plead with the Head Bitches to let you all know.
Thanks again for all the great suggestions!
wordver is “test”…as a test of Bitchery knowledge, you all get an A+
Elizabeth—are you kidding? The Cotswolds are Romance Central for anythin written in the last ten years. I think every romance author in the UK lives there, ‘cos that’s where they set all their books. Jilly Cooper’s last couple were, a lot of Katie Fforde’s are, Catherine Alliot’s tend to be, even Fiona Walker went that way.
From what I hear, it’s impossible to enter the Cotswolds without either meeting an aged rockstar (had a hit in the Seventies? Move to the Cotswolds!) or a rugged man with snapping eyes who’s going to turn out to rescue you in the middle of the night from angry cows. Or something.
The only trouble is this: I don’t actually know where the Cotswolds are. Somewhere west-ish of London. Still, I figure Bridget Jones didn’t know where Germany was, and it idn’t seem to do her any harm.
Oh, where’s the love for Winchester?! Jane Austen is buried in the cathedral there, and it’s just a stone’s throw from Chawton (where the Austen Cottage is).
They also have awesome and very interesting tours of the Wykeham boy’s college during summer.
Oh, and if you go to Haworth you really should stay at the Haworth YHA (even if you’re not one for bunk beds and communal showers). It’s this awesome Victorian mansion and it’s set on the opposite side of the village of Haworth. Great views and great location!
Because HTML hates me:
http://www.yha.org.uk/find-accommodation/yorkshire-dales-south-pennines/hostels/haworth/facilities.aspx
Sometimes writing a thesis on Brontë and Austen Country is a great cover for fun traveling!
A proviso on visiting Leeds: it’s a great city now, but I’m not sure how much of Heyer’s world there is left. A lot of northern cities were badly bombed in WW2 (they were industrial cities, manufactured lots of munitions) and what you see now is mostly modern.
As for Ashburton…yes, I found one on a map but whether it’s the actual place JD used or not, I don’t know. I remember thinking when I read it: Seriously? A small pretty village that just happens to have a coin collector, gentlemen’s outfitters, bookshop and ladies clothing store? Hmm. My village doesn’t have that!
Oh, and I’ve just remembered. The Colin Firth Pride and Prejudice and the Gwyneth Paltrow Emma were both filmed in a Wiltshire village called Lacock. It’s heartbreakingly pretty, and you can walk around and see all these locations they used. Plus, the local pub (Red Lion? Black Lion?) does great food.
I don’t think there’s a Romance taking place at the Hadrian’s Wall, but if you’re going from Yorkshire to Scotland anyway, you should take a stop at one of the places like Housesteads or Vindolanda.
Well, it’s not a romance, but there is plenty of smut in Jack Whyte’s historical THE SKYSTONE.
A big chunk of that takes place at Hadrian’s Wall.
Yikes, that’s an 8 books series. Again. :rolleyes:
Ordered the first two from Amazon.de, since they’re a price-reduced offer. Let’s see how this series goes.
Thanks for the tip. I’m writing a book with a Hadrian’s Wall setting as well, but there won’t be any romance or smut, only lots of fighting. 😀
What am I doing wrong with those smileys?
I agree with the Cornwall/Yorkshire enthusiasts. However, if you don’t find time to go to Sherwood Forest, don’t be too upset. It’s pretty small, and quite busy. The Major Oak (a huge oak tree which Robin Hood used to hide in*)is held up by props to keep it alive.. Laughs, however, can be had at men in tights jousting badly. Also they do great dogsledding there in summer, if you’re lucky enough to go then.
*not guaranteed.
The heck with 84 Charing Cross Road
No, no, no! No heck for 84!
It’s a great book to read in prep. for a trip to England.
It’s an awesome wartime correspondence between a cranky New Yorker (Helene Hanff) and an antiquarian bookseller at 84 Charing Cross Road, London. She’s hilarious, and the relationship they develop is touching.
It’s also a film starring Anne Bancroft, Anthony Hopkins, and Judi Dench.
Hanff planned her visit for 20 years, then spent an incredible few weeks seeing as many literary sights as possible. Her visit is described in another book, The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street. My copy of 84 Charing Cross has both books in one.