Thomas Hardy's Dorset

A lively wander through England’s southern coast, this guide paints Dorset as a patchwork of quirky characters, ancient sayings, and timeless scenery. From the jovial blacksmith’s forge to the cider‑making rituals of village barns, each vignette captures the region’s own brand of humor and hospitality. Readers meet colorful figures—a poetic tippler, a mischievous piskie‑spouting farmer, and a rector who swaps sermons for ale—while learning the roots of local proverbs and Anglo‑Saxon words that still echo in the wind.

The book also maps the literary footsteps that Thomas Hardy left across the landscape, linking familiar novel settings to real inns, market squares, and stone circles. Alongside the historic towns of Dorchester, Salisbury, and Weymouth, it spotlights hidden gems such as the Devil’s Card, the ancient Turberville manor, and the rugged cliffs of Swanage. Together, these snapshots invite listeners to step into a world where folklore and geography intertwine, offering a vivid sense of place that feels both nostalgic and freshly observed.