Porthsennen, Cornwall, England

Porthsennen is a fictional town situated on the Cornish coast of England. It is a fishing village. Porthsennen is a small-minded place. The villagers love to gossip and tend to adhere to a strict social customs, especially when it comes to courtship. It is unseemly for a young man and woman to be spotted alone together. This creates tension between the lovers of the novel and the outside world. The village also fixes social roles. Pat is labelled as the local drunkard whereas Dr. Davenport is an esteemed individual among the villagers. These preconceived notions affect the way characters are treated and creates tensions between them.

Elizabeth’s house, Porthsennen

Elizabeth chooses to move to a new house after her split from James. The narrator says, "Home was a small cottage nestled on the very cusp of the Cornish coast, north of Land's End and south...