Did Dickens pick our Pickwick for his book from Corsham? (From Wiltshire Times)

Did Dickens pick our Pickwick for his book from Corsham?

9:00pm Friday 10th February 2012 in Latest News

The 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens’s birth held particular significance for one Wiltshire town.

It has often been claimed a Corsham man was the inspiration for Dickens’ first novel The Pickwick Papers published in 1836.

Stories have persisted that Dickens, born on February 7, 1812, used the name of the Pickwick, now a part of Corsham, to help develop the idea for the novel, but some go further and suggest he may have been inspired by local man Moses Pickwick following a visit to The Hare and Hounds.

As a youngster Mr Pickwick was discovered in a basket outside a Pickwick house and given the place name as his surname.

He grew up to run a coach business from The Hare and Hounds and it is claimed Dickens may have visited the pub as he travelled between London and Exeter to stay with relatives.

Landlord of The Hare and Hounds, Mark Foster, said: “Most locals are aware of the story of Moses Pickwick and Charles Dickens, but we do get a lot of tourists who follow Dickens’ trail.

“It is common belief Dickens wouldn’t have had much money at the time and would have been travelling by horse and carriage, so it would have made sense for him to have stayed here rather than in Bath, as he stopped on the way, as it would have been more expensive there.”

Mr Foster said the pub has called the room where the author was alleged to have stayed The Dickens Room.

He said: “Moses Pickwick and Samuel Pickwick, from The Pickwick Papers, did seem to share much in common too, especially in terms of appearance, so it is likely Dickens did stay here.”

Anne Lock, of the Corsham Civic Society, said that there aren’t any documents to suggest Dickens did visit The Hare and Hounds, but stories of his stay are infamous.

She said: “We are like so many places which are supposed to have links to Charles Dickens, but it is hard to prove. I’d imagine there must be some basis of truth to them as this story never seems to go away.”

Nationally, a series of events were held on Tuesday to celebrate 200 years since Dickens’ birth.

Prince Charles laid a wreath on the author’s grave, in Poets’ Corner, Westminster Abbey, where he was buried in 1870, while Ralph Fiennes, who plays Magwitch in a new film of Great Expectations film, read an extract from Bleak House.

The Royal Mail has also celebrated the event by unveiling two new Dickens- inspired stamps one of Samuel Pickwick, from The Pickwick Papers and the other of Nicholas Nickleby from another of his classic works.