Tilling is the setting of all of EF Benson's Mapp and Lucia novels except Queen Lucia and Lucia in London. It is based on the south coast cinque port of Rye and all the houses and location featured in the books still exist, with the exception of the Garden Room which was destroyed by a bomb in World War II.
In Desirable Residences, the Benson short story, it's referred to as “Tillingham” but is clearly the same place.
The Martello Bookshop in Rye have made published a leaflet mapping of places in Tilling with real places in Rye on which our table below is based (links take you to Google Streetview or Flickr where you can look at the actual locations):
| Tilling | Rye |
|---|---|
| Mallards | Lamb House |
| Captain Puffin | Little Sussex House1) |
| Major Flint | Opposite Little Sussex House |
| Poppits | The Old Customs House |
| Padre | The Old Vicarage |
| Grebe | Playden Cottage, Military Road |
| High Street | High Street |
| Diva (Wasters, later Ye Olde Tea House) | The Mariners |
| The King's Arms | The George |
| Twistevant's (Greengrocer) | No 97 |
| Tremlows (Grocer) | No 99 |
| Worthingtons (Butcher) | No 100 |
| Stationers | Barclays Bank |
| Mr Rice (Poulterer) | No 21 |
| Post Office | No 19 and No 18 |
| West Street | West Street |
| Irene (Taormina) | No 2 |
| Hopkins' (Fishmonger) | Santa Maria |
| Fruiterer | The Other House |
| Porpoise Street | Mermaid Street |
| Dentist | First house on the left |
| Wyses | Harsthorn House |
| Malleson Street | Market Road |
| Dr Dobbie | |
| Woolgar & Pipstow | |
| Curfew Street | Watchbell Street |
| Trader's Arms | Hope Anchor |
| Suntrap | Watchbell Corner |
| Norman Tower | Ypres Tower |