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?
I agree with Kate – Sherwood Forest could be a bit of a disappointment, but if you happen to be in the area you could visit the small Minster town of Southall; pretty olde worlde and used for filming of various costume dramas. Also near the town, you could check out a surviving Workhouse (owned by the National Trust)- see how the other half lived! Am pretty sure Workhouses (or the threat of) appear in a number of romances (Carla Kelly springs to mind).
A bit further south (of Leicester) you could stop off at Foxton Locks on the Grand Union Canal and watch the boats go up and down (H/H in MJP’s Angel Rogue take a trip on a canal boat here).
A big thumbs up to Cornwall – a holiday there a few years ago started me on Poldark, Du Maurier and then hooked on romance.
I’m actually heading to England at the end of August/beginning of September to conduct research for an upcoming book. We have a *very* limited amount of time, and our main interest is in seeing National Trust properties with specific attributes (I can’t go into them here—don’t want to spoil the suprise for readers), so we’ll be in Shropshire for a few days, then Bath for three (costume museum! eee!), and wrapping up in London. Maybe our paths will cross?
I hate to be a buzzkill, but I think I read somewhere that Almack’s no longer exists. (burned down, maybe?)
Georgette Heyer’s The Unknown Ajax is set near Romney Marsh and Rye. Rye is supposed to be a perfect medieval town, although v. touristy.