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From London’s distinct character to the gothic ambience of Edinburgh, bustling cities make the perfect backdrop for novels. And for many, books can act as literary passports, whisking readers across the globe from the comfort of their own living space.
But which UK cities are the most written about in literature? The printing experts at Aura Print combed through the vast expanse of the Google Books corpus (a repository boasting 25 million books) to identify the cumulative mentions of 31 prominent UK cities across books spanning from 1920 to 2019.
20 most popular UK cities in books revealed:
Rank
City
Most popular decade
Total occurrences in books (1920-2019)
1
London
1960s
286,675,501
2
Cambridge
2010s
52,028,629
3
Oxford
2010s
51,723,380
4
Manchester
1920s
23,578,466
5
Birmingham
1920s
22,321,473
6
Edinburgh
1920s
19,169,975
7
Glasgow
1920s
16,127,504
8
Bristol
1930s
15,725,827
9
Liverpool
1920s
15,034,699
10
Worcester
1920s
11,808,009
11
Durham
1950s
11,514,229
12
Plymouth
1920s
10,261,300
13
Bradford
1920s
9,251,856
14
Newcastle
1930s
8,453,660
15
Sheffield
1920s
8,192,209
16
Leeds
1920s
7,919,754
17
Winchester
1920s
7,213,953
18
Portsmouth
1920s
6,862,315
19
Gloucester
1920s
6,462,949
20
Derby
1920s
6,345,864
For the complete data of all 31 UK cities analysed, please click here.
Coming as no surprise, London snags top spot on the list to be crowned the most popular British city in literature. Being featured an astonishing 286,675,501 times, this is nearly five times more than all other cities analysed. Dubbed by Charles Dickens as the ‘magic lantern’ that fired his creativity, the British capital has played host to a multitude of novels over the last century.
London book recommendations: A Tale of Two Cities, Sherlock Holmes, The House by the Thames
In second is Cambridge (52,028,629 mentions) with Oxford (51,723,380 mentions) trailing behind as the two age-old rivals clash once again. From the beautiful banks of River Cam to the well-trodden cobble streets, Cambridge proves itself as a more idyllic setting for authors compared to its historical counterpart, Oxford, in which both make a sound backdrop for crime and mystery novels.
Cambridge book recommendations: The Longest Journey, Death of an Expert Witness, The Versions of Us
Oxford book recommendations: Brideshead Revisited, The Last Enchantments, His Dark Materials
Manchester claims the fourth spot whipping up an impressive 23,578,466 mentions in books over the past 100 years. Infused by a revolutionary spirit, the great city in the ‘south of the north’, home to a rich industrial past and hidden quarters, serves as a wellspring of inspiration for Gothic and horror writers.
Manchester book recommendations: Mary Barton, Vurt, Sirens
Rounding off the top five most written about UK cities is Birmingham. Amassing a respectable 22,321,473 references in books, Birmingham has entranced novelists for decades, boasting a 74% greater share of literary attention than neighbouring city, Worcester in tenth (11,808,009 mentions).
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