³ÉÈËÂÛ̳

This week The Verb comes from Belmont House in Lyme Regis, the former home of the best selling novelist John Fowles.

Belmont House is an 18th century maritime villa that has recently been restored to its original appearance by the Landmark Trust. The villa was owned by the businesswoman Mrs Eleanor Coade, and more recently by the writer John Fowles, who set his famous novel 'The French Lieutenant's woman in Lyme Regis.

Ian's guests include the up and coming folk trio Wildwood Kin, who have been attracting attention for their close-harmony vocals. Sisters Beth and Emillie Key and their cousin Meghann Loney are working on their debut album and perform songs inspired by writers such as CS Lewis and Tolkien.

Professor of Contemporary Literature and Thought at Royal Holloway Robert Eaglestone examines the changing fortunes of John Fowles literary reputation.

Jane Feaver is a prose writer whose novels try to find the human in the landscape. She says finding the authentic voice of a place can be harder for the outsider, but it also allows a writer to observe things that people who have lived there all their lives might not see.

The poet Annie Freud's latest collection is 'The Remains' (Picador), a book inspired by the china she found whilst digging her Dorset garden.

Producer: Cecile Wright.