All bibliophiles wish to visit fictional places like Hogwarts, Narnia, the Shire, etc. If they could have it their way, bibliophiles would place these locations at the top of their vacation destination list. While authors have the fantastic gift of imagining entire worlds and putting them on pages, the other way around also stands true. Many writers were motivated to create stories by the places they travelled to, stayed in, or read about. So here are five actual locations that served as inspiration for classic books.
Bleak House in Broadstairs, Kent ("Bleak House" by Charles Dickens)
Charles Dickens spent his summers at the cliff mansion Bleak House (formerly known as Fort House). His book "Bleak House" is said to have been inspired by the location.
Moseley Bog in Birmingham, England ("The Lord of the Rings" by JRR Tolkien)
Many of Tolkien's descriptions of Middle Earth in "The Lord of the Rings" series were influenced by the marsh behind his childhood home, Moseley Bog.
Cavendish on Prince Edward Island, Canada ("Anne of Green Gables" by Lucy Maud Montgomery)
The "Anne of Green Gables" series author Lucy Maud Montgomery stated that her Cavendish home "is and ever must be consecrated ground to me." It's clear how the picturesque settings inspired the lighthearted series.
Mark Twain Cave in Hannibal, Missouri ("The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" by Mark Twain)
Mark Twain inspired MacDougal's Cave in "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" from Mark Twain Cave, formerly known as McDowell's Cave.
The Spaniards Inn in London, England ("Ode to a Nightingale" by John Keats)
It seems that this inn is really motivational. The inn's garden is said to have served as the setting for John Keats' "Ode to a Nightingale," and the location is also mentioned in Charles Dickens's "The Pickwick Papers" and Bram Stoker's "Dracula."