Literary Pilgrimages

Thanks guys!

I love reading these. 

Aside from poet's corner in Westminster Abbey which makes me teary-eyed just seeing where these legends are buried, I haven't done any literary tours yet.  However, I did go to a symposium in Cashel, Ireland a few years ago when I was gobbling up the Sister Fidelma historical mysteries.  Cashel is the setting for some of the novels and the character Fidelma's brother is the king there.  I really loved the symposium and got to chat with the author and some of his guest speakers.  Cashel is a really charming village which has the truly awesome Rock of Cashel.  Did another tour of the Rock with the author and some others and happened to run into a busload of Americans who were fans of the books.  It made their day to talk to the author!

Now I'd like to see Whitby where the synod of Whitby took place in the 7th century.  (a story in the book but a true event)

I had to visit Carlyle's House, 24 Cheyne Row in Chelsea, when I was in London -- because I'd catalogued a lot of the Carlyle Collection for Bowdoin College.  It was very interesting.

I had to visit Carlyle's House, 24 Cheyne Row in Chelsea, when I was in London -- because I'd catalogued a lot of the Carlyle Collection for Bowdoin College.  It was very interesting.

Have you read The Carlyles at Home? If not, I think you'd like it! 

Have you read The Carlyles at Home? If not, I think you'd like it! 

Cool!  That illustration is very accurate from what I remember.

Now I'd like to see Whitby where the synod of Whitby took place in the 7th century.  (a story in the book but a true event)

Whitby is also where Dracula first came ashore in the form of a great black dog - in Bram Stoker's Dracula novel. 

You can go to beautiful Marlborough and see William Golding's sweet little cottage. There's a poem posted there that he wrote about the view of the green in front of the property..

And Ian Fleming is buried on the outskirts of Swindon - I kid you not!  :PA little village called Sevenhampton..

Have you read The Carlyles at Home? If not, I think you'd like it! 

Looks good!

You can go to beautiful Marlborough and see William Golding's sweet little cottage. There's a poem posted there that he wrote about the view of the green in front of the property..

And Ian Fleming is buried on the outskirts of Swindon - I kid you not!  :PA little village called Sevenhampton..

That's not too far away from me. 

Still kicking myself that we didn't get to Whitby or Haworth when we were in Yorkshire last summer...

Still kicking myself that we didn't get to Whitby or Haworth when we were in Yorkshire last summer...

Guess you'll have to come back & I can give you a guided tour! 

This is an old thread, but a few new members to UKY have come along since then and maybe somebody has a good pilgrimage recommendation? 

Recently I discovered the villages of Swinbrook and Asthall in Oxfordshire where the famous Mitford sisters grew up.  Nancy Mitford wrote The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate among other books, and her inspiration came from her upbringing as a minor aristocrat living in the countryside.  The two houses are not open to the public but Deborah Devonshire (the youngest Mitford sister, now 90 years old) owns the pub in Swinbrook which has lots of photographs of the family.  Four of the six sisters (including Nancy) and their brother and parents are buried in Swinbrook churchyard.

Recently I discovered the villages of Swinbrook and Asthall in Oxfordshire where the famous Mitford sisters grew up.  Nancy Mitford wrote The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate among other books, and her inspiration came from her upbringing as a minor aristocrat living in the countryside.  The two houses are not open to the public but Deborah Devonshire (the youngest Mitford sister, now 90 years old) owns the pub in Swinbrook which has lots of photographs of the family.  Four of the six sisters (including Nancy) and their brother and parents are buried in Swinbrook churchyard.

That's very cool, Tin! As you know, I'm another Mitford fan so I'll have to investigate that part of the country one day.

I recently spent a lovely afternoon in the garden at Talland House, the house in St. Ives where Virginia Woolf spend her childhood summers and on which she based To the Lighthouse. It's exactly as she describes it.

I also keep driving past Eagle's Nest and wishing it were open to the public. That's an old house here in Cornwall that belonged to one of Rupert Brooke's lovers and hosted loads of parties by that whole D.H. Lawrence set. It was also later the home of Patrick Heron!

I haven't been yet, but I really want to do the Harry Potter Train http://www.westcoastrailways.co.uk/jacobite/Jacobite_Details.html and of course Cawdor Castle http://www.cawdorcastle.com/.

When we went to Savannah I insisted that we all go to see the statue of the young girl on the cover of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.  Also just to soak up the atmosphere of the place!

I haven't been yet, but I really want to do the Harry Potter Train http://www.westcoastrailways.co.uk/jacobite/Jacobite_Details.html and of course Cawdor Castle http://www.cawdorcastle.com/.

I would love to do both of these!

When we went to Savannah I insisted that we all go to see the statue of the young girl on the cover of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.  Also just to soak up the atmosphere of the place!

I did this too!

I recently spent a lovely afternoon in the garden at Talland House, the house in St. Ives where Virginia Woolf spend her childhood summers and on which she based To the Lighthouse. It's exactly as she describes it.

Is it possible to go inside the house too?

Is it possible to go inside the house too?

It's holiday lets at the moment but, from what I gather, the owners are having a tough time saying afloat financially. So it'll probably either turn into long lets flats or it'll be sold. None of us down here really understands why it doesn't have a blue plaque like all the other Woolf houses around the UK. It'll be such a shame if it gets pulled down.