This map plots the settings and references in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
To start exploring, click a red pin
Surrey, England - Credit:
EnglandSurrey.png
Harry Potter's aunt and uncle live in Little Whinging, a fictional town in the county of Surrey, situated in the south of England. Although the major part of Surrey lies to the south of the River Thames, there is a small part on the north side. Little Whinging is in this small northern part.
The Highest Point in Surrey - Leith Hill Tower - Credit:
Jimseviltwin
Being close to London, Surrey became popular in the twentieth century when people started to move there and commute to the capital for work.
Surrey is also the setting of H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds, Jane Austen's Emma and Ian McEwan's Atonement.
The Dursley's perfect house is one of a small community of detached houses situated in Privet Drive.
A Typical Meadow in Devon - Credit:
MPF
Ottery St. Catchpole is a small fictitious town in Devon, a county situated in the south west of England. Devon is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the North, Dorset and Somerset to the East, the English Channel to the South and Cornwall to the West.
Devon - Credit:
EnglandDevon.png
The Weasley family live in the Burrow, a small house hidden behind hills, surrounded by meadows.
The Scottish Highlands - Credit:
Laurent Espitallier
Edinburgh - Credit:
Alan Ford
J.K. Rowling was living in Edinburgh when she wrote the first Harry Potter book. So it is to be expected that she set the wizard school, Hogwarts, in Scotland. A beautiful country, filled with mountains, lakes (lochs) and forests, it makes a wonderful setting for the magical castle that serves as boarding school for witches and wizards.
Scotland is part of the United Kingdom. The capital city is Edinburgh, an important historical, cultural and financial centre.
The flag of Scotland dates back to the 9th century and is one of the oldest national flags still in use today. It is known as the Saltire, or St. Andrew's Cross.
Eilean Donan Castle, Scotland - Credit:
conner395, Flickr
The name Severus means ‘severe’ in Latin. It is also the name of the Roman Severan Emperors, one of whom – Septimius Severus – was notorious for his persecution of Christians.
According to Rowling, the surname Snape is taken from the village in Suffolk, although the word is also an English verb meaning ‘to be hard upon’ derived from the Norse verb ‘sneypa’ (to disgrace).