Another of Mr Rochester's homes, a small property within a wooded area. He moves here after the fire at Thornfield.

Wycoller Hall view
Wycoller Hall in Lancashire

Inspirations

It is believed that the now ruined Wycoller Hall was the inspiration for Ferndean. It is about 6 miles (10 kilometres) from the Brontës' home and was visited by the sisters. It has a similar remote wooded location to Ferndean.

Location

In the novel, Ferndean is noted as 30 miles (48 kilometres) away from Thornfield:

Chapter 36. "At Ferndean, a manor-house on a farm he has, about thirty miles off: quite a desolate spot."

If we assume that Thornfield is Rydings Hall (see the Thornfield page), it turns out that the distance from there to Wycoller is actually 26 miles (42 kilometres) which supports the idea that Charlotte used both the building and its location as Ferndean.

The entrance to Wycoller Hall now
The entrance to Wycoller Hall (present day)
The hall at Wycoller Hall now
The hall at Wycoller Hall (present day)

There are no new characters in the Ferndean section of the novel. Mr Rochester's only servants there are John and Mary who came with him from Thornfield.

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