Aldleigh

Aldleigh is the primary setting for the novel. It is a small town located in Essex, England, where all of the main characters reside. The town is also situated near the River Alder. At the novel's start, Aldleigh has a dreary atmosphere as it is "oppressed by clouds as low as a coffin" (3). Aldleigh is an insular community and little occurs or changes here over time. This is the town where both Thomas Hart and Grace Macauley have spent the majority of their lives. Because they often feel trapped and isolated in Aldleigh, they intermittently pursue new experiences in London, England. However, they always return to Aldleigh, as the town grants them the most familiar definition of home and belonging.

Bethesda Chapel

Bethesda Chapel is the church that many of the Aldleigh residents attend. It is located in Aldleigh and is "as fixed in time's flow as a...