Crime & Safety
Exploring how Sherlock Holmes was inspired by its setting
Cumnor writer Christina Hardyment has delved into the places which have inspired the likes of Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, Colin Dexter and Arthur Ransome in her new book Novel Crime Scenes: Twenty Deadly Landscapes.
Educated at Cambridge University, but settled near Oxford with her husband, Mrs Hardyment spent two years roaming across Britain from East Anglia to Dorset, the Outer Hebrides to the streets of the City of Dreaming Spires.
READ MORE: Oxford professor’s world record marathon in academic dress
She explained: “I have always loved literary geography books. I have written several books and I thought about crime novels and how a country house or the setting can be important for the book.
“I sought out authors who are attracted by the setting.”
Her first chapter examines how Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles was created through a chance encounter in Cromer on the North Norfolk coast where the writer heard about the tale of a black hound which tore the throat of a would-be-rapist in the wilds of Dartmoor.
Conan Doyle told his publisher The Strand Magazine, “I have a real creeper for you” and set off to explore the moor himself.
Mrs Hardyment said: “I found Conan Doyle very surprising as a character during my research for the book.
“He killed off Sherlock Holmes as he grew tired of writing stories about him. He fell down the falls with Moriarty.
“But after a journalist told him about the Legend of Dartmoor he then had to bring Sherlock Holmes back as a result to fit the narrative to the setting.”
The book also examines how a beautiful Georgian house inspired Agatha Christie’s Dead Man’s Folly. The author says Christie was “profoundly domestically minded” and “country houses, preferably with a body in the library, recur in her novels”.
Yet, the legendary crime writer also penned books which were inspired by the landscapes in her Devon heartland.
For those with a love of Colin Dexter’s work, a popular presence on the Oxford literary scene, there is a chapter on the Inspector Morse author’s exploits.
Wytham Woods and Park Town are among the spots at the heart of the classic tales which are the scene of mystery and intrigue for so many readers.
As Mrs Hardyment writes, Oxford itself “is more visited because of Inspector Morse than because of its famous university”.
She adds that although the television series inspired thousands to immerse themselves in the Oxford-set stories, it was “no substitute for the evocative descriptions and historical background which the actual books provide for the settings of the novels”.
In the process of creating this insightful book, Mrs Hardyment followed in the footsteps of many authors to work out what the landscapes meant to them.
Her book, which is packed with illustrations and maps, gets to the heart of the places which have been pivotal for those who enjoy playing detective from the comfort of their armchair.
The book ranges from John Buchan’s Galloway Hills and Gwen Moffat’s Cape Wrath to Ellis Peters’ Shropshire, Margery Allingham’s Essex and Sam Llewellyn’s Isles of Scilly.
Speaking about who the book will resonate with, Mrs Hardyment said: “The book appeals to a wider audience as it gives you an understanding of why an author wrote a book.
“It is an approach you can apply to any novel or book. It’s for people who enjoy knowing or discovering a place where a book is set.”
Mrs Hardyment herself knows the importance of getting to understand a place which she found out through her own career.
She explained: “I came to Oxford in 1983 with three daughters and we really chose here because my husband was going to teach and my daughters needed a good school.
“I went to Cambridge University so Oxford was all very new to me.
“I started writing a book for Blackwells and then I was the editor for the alumni magazine Oxford Today.
“This was a wonderful way to find out more about Oxford and I realised how knowing a place really well helps you to understand it better.
“Having that insight into a community creates a whole new world and layer of understanding.”
For the author, locations are just as essential to a masterful piece of writing as the characters we have grown to love such as Sherlock Holmes or Inspector Morse themselves.
Novel Crime Scenes: Twenty Deadly Landscapes by Christina Hardyment is published by Bodleian Library Publishing and it is 192 pages. It is available in hardback for £25.
Mrs Hardyment is also the author of Novel Houses (2019) and Writing the Thames (2016), both published by Bodleian Library Publishing.
Plum Tree Cottage, a detached property with Victorian origins, is located in the centre of Oakley.
The house is described as offering an ‘appealing balance of period character and practical modern living’.
It sits back from the main road and is situated just a short distance from the local pub, The Chandos Arms.
Inside, the accommodation is arranged around a hallway.
There are two reception rooms, both described as ‘well-balanced and light-filled’.
The sitting room has a dual aspect and a log burner, which is said to create ‘warmth and atmosphere’.
The dining room is intended for family meals and social gatherings.
The kitchen provides storage and work surfaces and is accompanied by a separate utility room.
Upstairs are four bedrooms.
The main bedroom has dual aspect windows and an en-suite which has been ‘stylishly refitted’, according to the listing.
The other bedrooms are served by a modern family bathroom.
A west-facing rear garden is noted as a highlight, being described as ‘bathed in afternoon and evening sunlight’.
Outdoor space is intended for dining, gardening, or quiet relaxation, according to the listing.
An attached single garage comes with an electric door and off-street parking. Wiring has been installed for an electric vehicle charging point.
Oakley is surrounded by Buckinghamshire countryside with transport links to Bicester, Thame and Oxford.
The listing describes the location as ‘prime central,’ with village amenities and a community spirit.
Daniel Wadsworth has been named independent chair of the Greater Leys Pride in Place Neighbourhood Board in Oxford.
He will guide the delivery of a 10-year, government-funded scheme focused on strengthening and improving the local area.
Mr Wadsworth said: “This is a once in a generation chance to make a huge difference to the Leys.
“It’s a chance for people to come together and have their say on what they feel is needed and what they’d like to have in the future.
“I’m very honoured to be playing a part in this and look forward to working with everyone to make this happen.”
A resident of Greater Leys since 2015, Mr Wadsworth has lived in Oxford for 30 years and brings significant experience to the role.
He is director of Jessop and Cook Architects and has served as a parish councillor for Blackbird Leys and chair of several organisations, including the children’s charity Parasol Project.
He currently chairs The Leys CDI.
Mr Wadsworth will lead the Pride in Place Neighbourhood Board in developing a long-term vision and investment plan for Greater Leys.
The 10-year plan must be approved by central government to unlock phased funding under the scheme.
He will also ensure the programme remains community-driven.
Recruitment for the chair position involved an extensive engagement process.
A selection panel conducted interviews and included Anneliese Dodds MP, Oxford City councillor Linda Smith, and the locality manager for the Leys.
A community advisory panel, including representatives from youth groups, community organisations, and the Tenant Involvement Panel, also contributed to the process.
Ms Dodds said: “The Pride in Place programme gives local residents control over a pot of £20 million to spend on their priorities, in their area, over the next ten years.
“As the Chair of this programme we needed a Greater Leys resident who was in touch with and committed to the local community.
“Our open and thorough recruitment process has found exactly such a person – Dan Wadsworth.
“I’d like to thank everyone who has been involved and look forward to the next stages of the programme and what it can achieve.”
The next step will be to recruit members for the Neighbourhood Board.
It will be largely made up of local residents, community members, and representatives from voluntary organisations, and will also include at least one councillor and the local MP.
Councillor Smith said: “Dan Wadsworth is a local resident of Greater Leys with a track record of commitment and involvement in the local community as well as the necessary skills to lead this major programme of investment in Greater Leys.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how he delivers real improvements and benefits for local people.”
The kids arrived on Monday, May 18, and are already proving popular with everyone who visits the farm.
One of the farm’s original goats, donated by Norton & Yarrow Cheese, gave birth to the healthy twins at around 10:00am and 10:20am.
Bradley Soule, community grower at Oxford City Farm, said: “It was great timing.
“The kids were born on Monday morning, and later that day we welcomed a new group for our monthly goat milking training.
“It meant trainees got to meet the farm’s newest arrivals straight away, which is a really special introduction to life on the farm.”
Oxford City Farm is a community-led urban farm in East Oxford that offers people of all ages the chance to connect with food, farming and nature.
The farm runs regular goat-milking training sessions and welcomes visitors to learn more about animal care, small-scale farming, and food production.
Nicole Titera, farm lead at Oxford City Farm, said: “As a registered charity, Oxford City Farm relies on donations, fundraising, and income from produce and activities to continue delivering its community programmes.
“Every visit, purchase and donation helps us keep the farm open and accessible to the community.”
The farm is open to visitors and volunteers from 10am to 1pm every Friday and Saturday.
-
Crime & Safety4 weeks agoYoung farmers club hosts fun farm competitions in Bicester
-
Crime & Safety4 weeks agoMajor UK firm collapses in administration with nearly 700 jobs at risk
-
Oxford united FC4 weeks agoOxford United chairman statement to fans after relegation
-
Crime & Safety4 weeks agoChinese takeaway forced into 'bitter' closure after 'hatred and resentment'
-
UK News4 weeks agoWoman murdered sister and took her Rolex watch
-
Crime & Safety2 weeks agoMan arrested in connection with rape in Oxfordshire town
-
Crime & Safety4 weeks agoOxfordshire father ‘bitten’ by man who approached his daughter
-
Crime & Safety2 weeks agoBanbury woman jailed after lying to police about kidnapped children