Significant Wessex locations, with their appearances in Hardy’s novels

Bare Peakminster
Jude Fawley’s libido is murdered by a group of remorseless itinerant Methodists heading west.

Rawbrickham
Eustacia Gristlethrust’s pony collapses and dies of sexual grief here.

Reticedston
Clarendon Ditterwad committed a vicious act of physical cruelty under the spreading greenwood tree here one fine spring morning. His son’s growing up into a fine man. Looks like his father, too. Trees grow in the direction you plant them.

Sexlessbury
Sue once called desperately for water here. No one heard. No one came.

Churlhaven
Waggon-loads of bright flowers in scarlet bloom were being steered nimbly into the great hall, covered in bunting and streamers and blue cloth. Village girls with arms full of gay decorations nodded to one workman and another, ascending the great staircase without fear. Bathsheba would never dance again after this day.

Dismal Park
Mrs. Stroppenhurst imprisoned here after smiling in a bakery.

Griefstock
A thriving town of freethinkers who live in fear of their abusive husbands’ eventual return from Australia.

Isle of Choler
It is here that young Graceless Philistine stands up to his vicious schoolmaster and announces to the senseless turnip fields that there is no God.

Reservecombe
After Grimgaw’s death, the Darby family takes refuge here under the iron gaze of the church.

Spleenhurst
Where Suzy Frownsmire murdered her abortionist the year the poppies bloomed twice.

Rancormouth
‘Twas on the town’s green, green haying field that little Dormouse Newson was crushed by the institution of marriage.

Little-Cruelty-To-Animals-On-The-Wold
Wee Bernard Meniscus fails to become a mason’s apprentice and drowns himself in the Little Sorrowing River.

Suicide Newton
Thorncombe Bristlethwaite waited three and one-quarters of an hour before ringing for the sexton at the death of the Lady Edhin. She wasn’t getting any deader, and he wasn’t going to miss the boat-races for anything.

Sorrowchester
Where Frank Trumpet-Major-And-Also-Weeping lost his entire family betting on horses. Lady Trumpet-Major-And-Also-Weeping did not survive the crossing to Newfoundland.

Port Windless
Uuuuuuuuugggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Desertioncester
whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

Spiteborough
I don’t know, someone got married and it was terrible