Barsetshire
Encyclopedia
Barsetshire is a fictional British county created by Anthony Trollope
, which is featured in the series of novels known as the "Chronicles of Barsetshire
". The county town and cathedral town is Barchester. Other towns mentioned in the novels include Silverbridge, Hogglestock and Greshamsbury.
In Doctor Thorne
Trollope describes the way in which the county, formerly represented by a single Member of Parliament
was split into two parliamentary seats, the more rural East Barsetshire, which includes Barchester, and the more commercial West Barsetshire, by the Reform Act 1832
. The borough of Silverbridge, according to the Palliser novels, also elects a member of Parliament.
The novel Barsetshire Pilgrimage
, and some of the episodes in Let Dons Delight (1939), both by Ronald Knox
, refer to Barsetshire and its inhabitants.
Barsetshire was also used as the setting for a series of 29 novels by Angela Thirkell
, written from 1930 to 1961. Thirkell's stories blend social satire with romance.
Barsetshire is also used in some of the Pullein-Thompson sisters
books, usually referring to rival teams or as a nearby county.
Barchester and Barset were used as names for the fictional county in which St Trinians School was supposedly located in the original films.
The county is also mentioned in Michael Innes's "Appleby and Honeybath" where it is suggested that "the shifting of county boundaries has pretty well done away with Barsetshire." (p 27)
Anthony Trollope
Anthony Trollope was one of the most successful, prolific and respected English novelists of the Victorian era. Some of his best-loved works, collectively known as the Chronicles of Barsetshire, revolve around the imaginary county of Barsetshire...
, which is featured in the series of novels known as the "Chronicles of Barsetshire
Chronicles of Barsetshire
The Chronicles of Barsetshire is a series of six novels by the English author Anthony Trollope, set in the fictitious cathedral town of Barchester...
". The county town and cathedral town is Barchester. Other towns mentioned in the novels include Silverbridge, Hogglestock and Greshamsbury.
In Doctor Thorne
Doctor Thorne
Doctor Thorne is the third novel in Anthony Trollope's series known as the "Chronicles of Barsetshire".It is mainly concerned with the romantic problems of Mary Thorne, niece of Doctor Thomas Thorne , and Frank Gresham, the only son of the local squire, although Trollope as...
Trollope describes the way in which the county, formerly represented by a single Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
was split into two parliamentary seats, the more rural East Barsetshire, which includes Barchester, and the more commercial West Barsetshire, by the Reform Act 1832
Reform Act 1832
The Representation of the People Act 1832 was an Act of Parliament that introduced wide-ranging changes to the electoral system of England and Wales...
. The borough of Silverbridge, according to the Palliser novels, also elects a member of Parliament.
The novel Barsetshire Pilgrimage
Barsetshire Pilgrimage
Novel by Father Ronald Knox, published in London by Sheed & Ward in 1935, in which Knox picks up the narrative of the original Barsetshire Novels where Anthony Trollope breaks off. Knox follows the fortunes of the children and grandchildren of Trollope's characters up to the time of writing , with...
, and some of the episodes in Let Dons Delight (1939), both by Ronald Knox
Ronald Knox
Ronald Arbuthnott Knox was an English priest, theologian and writer.-Life:Ronald Knox was born in Kibworth, Leicestershire, England into an Anglican family and was educated at Eton College, where he took the first scholarship in 1900 and Balliol College, Oxford, where again...
, refer to Barsetshire and its inhabitants.
Barsetshire was also used as the setting for a series of 29 novels by Angela Thirkell
Angela Thirkell
Angela Margaret Thirkell , was an English and Australian novelist. She also published one novel, Trooper to Southern Cross, under the pseudonym Leslie Parker.-Early life:...
, written from 1930 to 1961. Thirkell's stories blend social satire with romance.
Barsetshire is also used in some of the Pullein-Thompson sisters
Pullein-Thompson sisters
The Pullein-Thompson sisters – Josephine Pullein-Thompson MBE , Diana Pullein-Thompson and Christine Pullein-Thompson – are British writers of many pony books, mostly fictional, aimed at children and mostly popular with girls...
books, usually referring to rival teams or as a nearby county.
Barchester and Barset were used as names for the fictional county in which St Trinians School was supposedly located in the original films.
The county is also mentioned in Michael Innes's "Appleby and Honeybath" where it is suggested that "the shifting of county boundaries has pretty well done away with Barsetshire." (p 27)
