The Geographical Context

The setting of the novel is Fowey and the Fowey valley. A few actual place names appear, but most locations carry a pseudonym. An identification of these locations is necessary for a full appreciation of the novel.

• Troy is based on Fowey, the Cornish town where Q lived.
• Alma Villas cannot be identified as particular buildings, but they were probably in an area directly above the Polruan ferry terminal.
• St. Symphorian’s Church is based on St. Fimbarrus Church, Fowey.
• The Dearloves’ cottage – Henwood on Penpol Creek. Their land probably stretched from Penpoll Creek south to Mixtow Pill, hence Tamsin Dearlove’s discovery of Mr. Fogo in Chapter X. Peter and Paul Dearlove would probably have been the church wardens of Lanteglos and it must have been there that Tamsin Dearlove and Philip Fogo married in Chapter XXV.
• Five Lanes Corner is known today as Four Turnings. It is the junction of the A3082 and the B3269, just north of the lane to Lankelly farm,  south of Newtown. On the night of 18^th June, the chaise carrying the Goodwyn-Sandys would have travelled from Troy along the A3082 to the station at Five Lanes junction for Par.
• Kit’s House and cottage and the ‘Seven Sisters’ hulk can be identified as Mixtow and Mixtow Pill
• Lambeg in the novel is based on Pont.
• Penpoodle is based on Polruan and the Penpoodle ferry is the Fowey-Polruan ferry.