A CLASSIC scene from a Thomas Hardy novel has been recreated in the home where the Dorset writer was born.

National Trust curator James Grasby set out to re-enact a Christmas party mentioned in Hardy’s Under the Greenwood Tree at his birthplace at Higher Bockhampton.

The scene involves 14 villagers dancing in the parlour and Mr Grasby enlisted the help of local folk musician Tim Laycock to recreate the scene.

Trained dancers, all of whom were Hardy fans, took part in the recreation after Mr Laycock had written the screen play.

The project was designed to help discover whether Hardy may have based the scene in Under the Greenwood Tree on something he had witnessed himself.

Mr Grasby said: “The book describes a scene where a group of 14 sweating villagers dance in the parlour. We wanted to see if it was a scene from his imagination or in Hardy had based it on something which actually took place.

“The scene has 14 dancing in triumph and breaking some furniture so Tim wrote a screenplay narrative and we performed the scene. It turns out that you can have seven couples dancing in that room and some furniture does get damaged – although nothing of historic importance was in the room at the time.

“We know Hardy used story lines from reality and was an excellent observer and it seems this scene may have been from real life.” A 15-minute film of the recreated scene will now be shown to visitors at Hardy’s birthplace and his former home at Max Gate in Dorchester.

Earlier this year Dorset County Council and the National Trust was awarded £40,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to help improve visitor facilities at Hardy’s birthplace, with plans for a learning space for school groups visiting the cottage and a refurbishment of the toilet facilities. Access to Max Gate has also been increased this summer, with the room Hardy used as a study open to the public for the first time.

The properties are open from 11am to 5pm from Wednesday to Sunday until 30 October.

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