Coastal Attraction
Tucked away beside the peaceful woodland of Higher Bockhampton, Hardy’s Cottage is the birthplace of celebrated Dorset author and poet Thomas Hardy. Built from cob and thatch by his great-grandfather, the modest family home provides an intimate glimpse into Hardy’s early life and the rural landscape that shaped his imagination.
Hardy was born at the cottage in 1840 and spent much of his childhood there. Visitors can explore its simply furnished rooms, including the bedroom where he was born and the room in which he later wrote early novels such as Under the Greenwood Tree and Far from the Madding Crowd.