Mellstock Dorset

Hardy’s Mellstock (Stinsford Parish) has changed very little in the 179 years since he was born – the human population has dwindled although the number of dwellings has more than doubled. Mellstock is best explored on foot starting in the territory of his first novel, Desperate Remedies,where Knapwater House and the Old Manor still match Hardy’s descriptions. From here you can follow his childhood route from Dorchester to the farmyard of ‘The Oxen’, built by Hardy’s father, and then along Veteran’s Alley through the landscape of Under the Greenwood Tree to Hardy’s Cottage, Tranter Dewy’s home. Return across the heath to Rushy Pond and Lower Mellstock, following in the footsteps of the Mellstock Quire to reach Mellstock church and graveyard. Here his heart lies buried between the bodies of his two wives and beside his siblings and generations of his ancestors, close by the earthly remains of many of the ‘original characters’ from this ‘partly real partly dream country’. 

• Associated pages
• Egdon Heath
• Beyond Egdon
• Mellstock

Tess - A New Musical Adaptation

On 26/02/2020
Starts 13:00

When I set out for Lyonnesse

From 06/03/2020 until 08/03/2020
Starts 10:30 until 16:00

The Trumpet-Major Study Day

On 04/04/2020
Starts 10:00 until 18:00

Palm Sunday THS & STAND Walk

On 05/04/2020
Starts 10:30

Energy in Thomas Hardy and Joseph Conrad's Works

Jan2020

Inspired by Thomas Hardy - Students' Poetry Workshops

Dec2019

THS Patrick Tolfree Student Essay Competition 2020

Nov2019

New Publications: Objects in Hardy and Conrad

Nov2019