William Barnes Society Website Articles

Past contributions:


Maiden Castle
Jim Potts takes a look at Maiden Castle and the archaeologists, writers, poets and composers who where inspired by one of Dorset's magnificent prehistoric Hillfort

The 'Sun-Prints' of Rev. William Miles Barnes, Photographer
Photographs of Rural Life in the time of William Barnes

Barnes, Hardy and the Sea
Jim Potts has been wondering how little Barnes wrote about the sea or the Dorset coast. Thomas Hardy wrote much more.

Around the World with William Barnes: Part 1 - Greece
Jim Potts travels to Greece to explore Evangelistria Monastery and how the wall paintings relate to one of Barnes poems

AROUND THE WORLD WITH WILLIAM BARNES: Part 2 - Greece
Jim Potts returns to Greece to explore Athens and the Influence of Greek Culture in works of Byron, Barnes and Hardy

Around the World with William Barnes - Bermuda
Jim Potts travels to Bermuda to discover the islands connections with Dorset and William Barnes

William Barnes and Winslow Homer
Jim Potts examines the illustrations by artists Winslow Homer and Hammatt Billings for William Barnes book 'Rural Poems' published in Boston, America in 1869

Barnes, Hardy and the Law - “But still thiese laes da seem a little tight”
Regular contributor, Jim Potts examines social justice and punishment at the time of William Barnes

There but for the grace of God: The Execution of William Barnes, 1885
Following on from his previous article Jim Potts looks at case of another William Barnes

Christmasing and Wassailing
Regular contributor, Jim Potts looks at regional poetry surrounding Christmasing and Wassailing

Dr Richard Bradbury on William Barnes: What is the point of William Barnes in the 21st Century?
Dr. Richard Bradbury of the Open University, editor of the six-volume The Collected Prose of William Barnes, made a convincing case for the continuing relevance and social significance of William Barnes.