Locations
Locations
London
London is the ideal location for some of the main events in the first three books because it has a sufficient complexity, size and population to accommodate unusual events without causing any great furore. Being a centre of population it will have a large number of witches and wizards. It also has iconic buildings and history which are familiar to a wide audience gained either from personal experience or Hollywood.
In any story set in the past, the historical continuity of the scenery is important. London has a great advantage here as many of the locations and institutions have been in place for hundreds of years. Of course their uses have changed over the years and new buildings have replaced old ones. Hence the maps of London that I've used in the books are the ones existing during WW2. The maps themselves may be found on various websites and the information on wartime transport and the ‘Tube’ may be found HERE.
Much of the action is centred around Whitehall in the City of London and, in particular, the Ministry of Supply. The Ministy of Supply does not exist today , and did not exist in the real world during WW2 either.
London is the ideal location for some of the main events in the first three books because it has a sufficient complexity, size and population to accommodate unusual events without causing any great furore. Being a centre of population it will have a large number of witches and wizards. It also has iconic buildings and history which are familiar to a wide audience gained either from personal experience or Hollywood.
In any story set in the past, the historical continuity of the scenery is important. London has a great advantage here as many of the locations and institutions have been in place for hundreds of years. Of course their uses have changed over the years and new buildings have replaced old ones. Hence the maps of London that I've used in the books are the ones existing during WW2. The maps themselves may be found on various websites and the information on wartime transport and the ‘Tube’ may be found HERE.
Much of the action is centred around Whitehall in the City of London and, in particular, the Ministry of Supply. The Ministy of Supply does not exist today , and did not exist in the real world during WW2 either.
Ariel view of the (fictional) location of Old Beck Farm in Pendle Courtesy Google Maps
Pendle
The district of Pendle in Lancashire provides some of the locations in books two and three. The village of Sabden exists although Old Beck Farm is fictitious and the reader can check that there’s really nobody there. The closest towns of any significance that would have rail links would have been Clitheroe or Blackburn.
In my opinion, the best fictional witches come from Lancre (Lancashire?) on the discworld. Whether it’s the no nonsense attitude of Esmerelada Weatherwax or the playful mischief of Gytha Ogg or any of the dozens of other witches, a reader may be assured that they will find a witch with whom they resonate.
The district of Pendle in Lancashire provides some of the locations in books two and three. The village of Sabden exists although Old Beck Farm is fictitious and the reader can check that there’s really nobody there. The closest towns of any significance that would have rail links would have been Clitheroe or Blackburn.
The location has a rich history of magic and was the home of the celebrated Pendle witches. There have been many books written about these real life people who were tried and executed for murder in 1612. The establishment at the time of their existence tarred them all as evil. However, in recent times this reputation has been diluted to make them less formidable. Indeed one bus company in the area in modern times uses a witch on a broomstick as its logo. My favourite real Pendle witch, Alice Nutter, was unusual in her being silent at her trial except for a plea of not guilty to the murder of Henry Mitton. The Nutters were practicing Catholics, and it is suggested that Alice was protecting her religious beliefs.( catholic was not a good thing to be in the time of James the first's persecution of them c.f. the gunpowder plot).
Alice Nutter appears in modern fiction as a somewhat enigmatic character linked to Dr John Dee: the royal astrologer to Queen Elizabeth the First. (The Bones of Avalon by Phil Rickman and The Daylight Gate by Jeanette Winterson.) There is a statue of her in her home village of Roughlee. Agnes Nutter who may, or may not, be a relative is another witch that appears in modern fiction. (Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman).
In my opinion, the best fictional witches come from Lancre (Lancashire?) on the discworld. Whether it’s the no nonsense attitude of Esmerelada Weatherwax or the playful mischief of Gytha Ogg or any of the dozens of other witches, a reader may be assured that they will find a witch with whom they resonate.