Gallery: The Golden Sword

Welcome to this page!

This page is dedicated to the characters and settings of 'The Golden Sword'.
Maybe you've read the book already and formed your own opinions of just what my characters look like. If so please ignore these pictures! However, in my mind, Tamar, Arthur and Michael Jolly look pretty much like this.

Meet Tamar

And then Michael Jolly

Not forgetting Arthur Penhaligon!

Maybe it would be a good idea to pop in the map at this point, you can find it at the front of the book ...

The map shows Pendrym, Lyskeret and Bodmin Moor.

This photo of the path to the quarry is situated right at the top of the map on Bodmin Moor.

On the moors...heading towards the quarry.

You can see for miles as you approach the quarry - on a clear day. It's fairly high up, well above the surrounding countryside.

From the top of the moors, looking out over an old mine.

Herds of wild ponies roam the moors, there are flocks of sheep and some cattle too.

A moorland foal.

One of the Highland, long-horned cattle.

When we want some space, Pete and I drive up there, it's about ten minutes from our house, and no matter how often we go, we never tire of the views. The moor is probably one of my most favourite places on earth.

So with that glimpse of Bodmin Moor and its inhabitants, I'll lead you on down into Lyskeret town. This is Liskeard, my home town. It's a small market town - yes we really do have a farmers' market here during the week.
I've got some of my watercolour paintings spread around in a variety of houses of aspects of our town; paintings I completed some time ago, well before the writing took centre stage.

Lyskeret High Street.

A street in Lyskeret, but not Station Road.

Station Road as in Chapter One.

And then from Lyskeret, or Liskeard, you can hop on the train and head down towards the sea and the ancient fishing port of Pendrym. For some of the way the track clings to the side of this tidal river and negotiates its way through the woods.

The river winding down through the valley to Pendrym and on, out to sea.

The train usually only has a couple of carriages and just chunters from Liskeard to Looe - or Pendrym - and back again. One of the most captivating commutes you could choose to have.

The train from Lyskeret to Pendrym

Once you're in Looe, there's the beach, winding lanes... and crabbing. Crabbing might sound a bit weird but it's just trying to see how many crabs you can lure onto a piece of dangling string and deposit in your bucket. Then at the end, you can let them carry on with their lives in the river.