In terms of 2023 period dramas, today is a big day for me. Firstly, Marie Antoinette is finally premiering here in North America. (I will be able to discuss it with all of my lovely European followers who saw it months ago!) And secondly, the final season of Sanditon is premiering tonight. (This post is publishing on 19 March.) Sanditon has been quite the journey for many of us. Three seasons, spanning the pandemic, with one of the most unique production backstories. So in honour of Sanditon, I’m going to look at the history of the real-life Sanditon, Lyme Regis!
What is Sanditon?
If you have not seen all of Sanditon, or you were too busy trying to work out the romantic entanglements, Sanditon is a seaside town. It is Tom Parker’s idea; with the help of Lady Denham’s money, he is working to build Sanditon into a premier resort on the seaside.
Bath was the destination for relaxation and recuperation for decades. (Bath was, after all, named for the baths, aka the hot springs.) While people would claim to go for the baths and healthy airs, it was quite busy socially. And Sanditon represents the next iteration of this idea.
Want to know more about Regency society in Bath? I’ve got an introduction to the social laws of Bath!
What is Lyme Regis?
If you’ve not been to Bath, it is nowhere near an ocean or a sea. Hot springs can occur anywhere, and the city dates back to the Roman period. And like any other period, the Regency sees things come in and out of fashion. The ton, aka the fashionable 10,000, decided that Bath was out and seaside resorts were in.
Lyme Regis and many of these other seaside towns existed prior to the Regency period. However, many grow exponentially during this period when the rich and famous decided that this was the best place to relax. (If you are the wealthiest of society, you obviously need appropriate housing, no?) Much like in Bath, the fashionable set would promenade (go for walks), spend evenings at the Assembly Rooms for dancing and card playing, and generally just be seen in Lyme Regis. However, instead of the hot springs, they would bathe in the ocean. You can see the very noticeable bathing machines in the first episode of Sanditon!
Jane Austen and Lyme Regis
Much like Bath, Lyme Regis plays a role in Jane Austen’s novels- specifically in Persuasion. Anne Elliot and her friends and family visit Lyme Regis in the novel. It is where Louisa Musgrove falls down the stairs and Wentworth catches her, obviously a crucial setting.
While the Austens were not a particularly wealthy family, anyone who could afford to go to one of these seaside towns would. The family visited twice, with the first visit in November of 1804. Historically the ton visited Bath in the winter, so this timeline makes sense. (Although I have to think it would lead to some very brisk bathing…)
My Sanditon S3 Thoughts
If you want to know my thoughts on Sanditon S3, you can find them in a few places. My Twitter is the best place to find my thoughts immediately- I will be live-tweeting each episode again this season! (If you do not want to see anything, I would block #SanditonS3 and #SanditonPBS .) It airs in North America on Sunday evenings- if you are in Europe, you can find it on Monday mornings.
I will also have a full S3 review (and my thoughts on the series as a whole) up at the end of April after the final episode airs on 24 April. This show has been on such a rollercoaster. From airing in the UK in later 2019 with immediate news that there would be no season 2, to a North American/global campaign to bring it back throughout 2020 and 2021. The #SanditonSisterhood campaign was so successful that writers and producers created a second and a third season. While I am sad that we will be leaving Sanditon for good in April, it has been a wonderful visit over the years.
If you want more Sanditon-esque books, I have the perfect Sanditon reading list for you!
Were you familiar with the history of the real-life Sanditon?
Cheers,
The Historian
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Sorry, I’m confused. I thought Lady Danbury was in Bridgerton not Sanditon? Were both referred to as The Ton?
Oh, great catch, thank you!