As many of you know, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling read at Exeter and reportedly based many of the locations in the book on places in the town. I've tracked down a few of those places to see how they compare with the beloved wizarding world locations. Did they really inspire one of the greatest authors of all time? I have my opinion, but I'll let you decide... (keep in mind that the stills below are from the films, which therefore might not accuratly reflect Rowling's orginial vision)
Pennsylvania, Exeter= Pivet Drive
The top picture is a street in Exeter called Pennsylvania Court while the one on the bottom is the infamous Pivet Drive, the street where Harry Potter is forced to live when not at school. The street is close to the school and I walk by it all the time, so its quite possible that J.K Rowling did get inspiration for the Dursley's street from the area. That being said, I can't say that its very different from many of the other streets I've seen in England, or even in America.
Gandy Street= Diagon Alley
Below are some pictures of Gandy Street, a quiet collection of shops right in the heart of Exeter. If you only stay on the main street, you will definitley miss this street, but if you know where to look you're in for quite a treat, rather like many shops of Diagon Alley.
While I couldn't find Ollivander's Wand Shop or Weasley's Wizard Wheezies, there is no denying that the two locations bear a very similiar resemblance to one another.
Thankfully, I left right before the Death Eaters attacked.
Firehouse Pub= The Leaky Cauldron
This excellent pub has great pizza and great drinks at amazing prices so its a pretty sure bet that J.K. Rowling visited here at some point. The dim lighting, long tables, and friendly service (one waiter come around the other day offering free drinks to everyone) are very similiar to the atmosphere of the the place where the wizarding world first meets the Boy who Lived. (The top picture is the Firehouse, the bottom is the Leaky Cauldron)
Well, what do you think? Did these really life places inspire J.K. Rowling when she was writing one of mankind's greatest achievements? Unless someone asks her ( I believe that she has confirmed Gandy Street, but that's about it) we won't ever know, but I wouldn't be surprised if she drew upon the University of Exeter for some of the locations. Indeed, she was friends with a kid named Harry Potter when she was young so it's not like she hasn't drawn inspiration from the real world before. If nothing else, it was great fun for me to visit the locations and wonder what Rowling was thinking as she looked at those locations, whether or not the wheels in her head had already began to shape the story of the boy with the lightening bolt on his forehead.
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