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Chaucer

Eastbridge Hospital – an inspiration for Unlawful Things

October 3, 2018 by Anna Sayburn Lane

Eastbridge Hospital in Canterbury

I get a lot of inspiration from visiting real places and learning about their history. One of the most enigmatic places I visited while researching Unlawful Things, which eventually played quite a big part in the novel, was Eastbridge Hospital in Canterbury.

Eastbridge is not a medical hospital, but an ancient place of hospitality, or hostel as we would call it today. It has been welcoming pilgrims and visitors to Canterbury for an astonishing 828 years, ever since Saint Thomas Becket was murdered in his own cathedral. It was set up to cater for the thousands of pilgrims who walked to Canterbury to visit the saint’s shrine in the cathedral, until its destruction during the Reformation. You can easily imagine Chaucer’s less wealthy pilgrims finding shelter here.

I first visited after walking the 60 miles from London to Canterbury, a walk that partly prompted the story that became Unlawful Things. Footsore and weary, I could well imagine stretching out on the tiled floor of the undercroft, chatting to my fellow pilgrims, eating in the dining hall and falling asleep to the sound of the river which runs under the bridge.

The undercroft of Eastbridge Hospital

I’ve been back since to learn more about its fascinating history. I learned about some of the figures who became Masters of the Hospital, about their links to Canterbury Cathedral, and about the hospital’s time as a school. I can’t tell you much more, because lots of this wound up in the book. Of course, I designed my own version of historical events to fit my story. I was a little nervous about how modern-day Eastbridge might react to this version of history, but happily the present-day clerk to the hospital is a crime fiction fan and has been very understanding!

Eastbridge today remains an almshouse, continuing its tradition of hospitality. It has two chapels, and also welcomes visitors to events and exhibitions. It’s well worth a visit next time you are in Canterbury.

Filed Under: Unlawful Things Tagged With: Canterbury, Canterbury Tales, Chaucer, Eastbridge Hospital

Walk through Helen Oddfellow’s Southwark

September 10, 2018 by Anna Sayburn Lane

The George Inn, Southwark (Shakespeare’s local)

Have you got your free map of Helen Oddfellow’s Southwark? Every subscriber to my newsletter is sent a downloadable PDF of a hand-drawn map, drawn by Crystal Palace artist David Vallade. The map shows some of the key locations from Unlawful Things, enabling you to recreate the guided tour to Southwark that Helen gives near the start of the novel. I include background information about the sites, which formed part of the research I did for the novel.

Southwark and the Bankside area have been the heart of London’s entertainment district for hundreds of years. From the inn where Chaucer’s pilgrims set off to Canterbury, to the sites of the Rose Playhouse and Globe Theatre, they reflect the ways that people enjoyed themselves in days gone by. Part of this history is because theatres and other places of entertainment were banned from the city centre, so moved south of the river, where the authorities took more relaxed approach.

To get your copy of the map, sign up for the newsletter. You’ll receive regular updates on my books and events, and of course you can unsubscribe at any time.

Filed Under: Unlawful Things Tagged With: Bankside, Chaucer, David Vallade, Globe Theatre, Helen Oddfellow, Rose Playhouse, Southwark, Unlawful Things

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