Budmouth Races

Budmouth is the fictional name. Thomas Hardy gave to Weymouth, a seaside town in Dorset, southern England. 

Hardy's Wessex is a semi fictional version of southwest England where real places are given literary alter-egos.  The connection is so strong that the local secondary school is named Budmouth Academy after Hardy's fictional town. 

In the Trumpet Major Hardy uses the name Budmouth Regis to reflect Weymouth's history as a favourite holiday spot for King George III.  The description of Budmouth's seaside features --- like Esplanade, the harbour dividing the town, and the view of Isle of Portland (Isle of Slingers) align exactly with Weymouth. 

Budmouth races in Far From The Madding Crowd were inspired by the real horse races held at Lodmoor, just outside Weymouth. 

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