Jane Austen's novel
Persuasion, which tells the story of love lost and refound, is set largely in
the leafy countryside of the West Country, and in the elegant town of Bath. However, the most dramatic scene in the
novel, and the most pivotal to the story, takes place in Lyme Regis, where one
of the characters has a nasty accident on The Cobb, the sturdy stone quay which
encloses one side of the town's harbour, and is forced to extend her stay there
while recovering from the incident. Even
today it is easy to imagine such an accident; I had to exercise great caution
walking up and down the Cobb's steps on a recent visit. In fact there is one set of steps on the Cobb
nicknamed "granny's teeth", presumably for their unevenness.
The Cobb |
Lyme Regis, one of the loveliest towns on
the Jurassic Coast, so named for the rich fossil
content in its cliffs, is an attractive small resort, with a harbour and beach
area backed by restaurants and pubs. The town is very hilly, and every street
seems to offer a view of the sea. This
was well illustrated by Jane Austen in Persuasion, when she described "the
principal street almost hurrying into the water". However, she was less charitable about the
architecture, declaring that "there is nothing to admire in the buildings
themselves", a fact I would personally dispute, especially in the case of
the lovely little promenade lined with elegant Georgian buildings.
The seafront, with views towards Golden Cap |
In Jane Austen's era
Lyme Regis was a fashionable place to head for during the summer season
(although the action in Persuasion takes place in November, "too late in
the year for any amusement or variety").
Those who wanted to take to the water had bathing machines at their
disposal. The machines were hired by the
hour and were wheeled out to sea by an attendant. Sea bathing in those days was not just for
fun: it was widely believed that a dip in the briny would cure a range of
illnesses. Dances were held in the
Assembly Rooms, sadly now gone and occupied by a car park on the seafront at
the bottom of the main street. As for
Jane herself, she is known to have enjoyed at least two summer breaks in the
town, in 1803 and 1804, and she evidently became very fond of it, judging from
her affectionate descriptions of Lyme and the surrounding area, talking of
"high grounds and extensive sweeps of country" and "its sweet,
retired bay". She visited the
Assembly Rooms on her second visit, and in a letter to a relative described how
she was passed over for the first two dances, but danced with a Mr. Crawford
for the second two. There is an
unassuming building in the main street called Pyne House which is believed to have been the one
where Jane Austen stayed.
Pyne House |
Jane Austen fans who
want to follow in her footsteps can join a walking tour courtesy of Literary Lyme, who also do French Lieutenant's Woman tours for fans of John Fowles whose
novel of the same name was largely set in the town.
Lyme Regis is on a
regular bus service between Weymouth and Exeter, but does not have
a train station. The nearest station is
at Axminster, while Weymouth is reachable by a
direct rail service from London.
Official Tourist Information website.
Map of the town.
Official Tourist Information website.
Map of the town.