Lyme Regis is the perfect UK holiday destination, and is loved across the country for its fascinating geology, beautiful beaches, and friendly atmosphere. What is perhaps less well known, however, is the town’s rich and impressive cultural heritage.
Its relationship with the arts can be traced back hundreds of years, with Henry Fielding taking a trip there in 1725. Although he was supposedly visiting Lyme on holiday, it is widely acknowledged that the author had gone with the intention of wooing Sarah Andrew, a local heiress. After his advances failed, Fielding later used Andrew as the basis for the character of Sophie in his classic novel Tom Jones.
The legendary Jane Austen, meanwhile, had a somewhat longer term connection with Lyme Regis, travelling there regularly from 1803 onwards. Persuasion, regarded by scholars as possibly her finest work, was written at a cottage in the town which modern day visitors can still see today.
John Fowles also drew inspiration from this beautiful location, penning his international bestseller The French Lieutenant’s Woman here; later turned into a blockbuster movie starring Meryl Streep and Jeremy Irons (and including many local residents as extras), this great tale owes much to Lyme, with the novel’s protagonist choosing to spend all her spare time by its famous Cobb harbour wall.
So, with more to this picturesque seaside retreat than perhaps first meets the eye, staying in a Lyme Regis B&B this year will give you the chance to learn more about the town and delve deeper into its many links with some of literature’s most recognisable names.
About Lyme Regis
LymeRegis.org is the official website for the charming seaside town of Lyme Regis.
You can find details on accommodation, upcoming events, the shops, cafes, restaurants and pubs around the town and much, much more, all at LymeRegis.org.
