West Country

According to one account, the West Country was that part of England where Mummerset — and therefore Stockbridge — was found. (AUDIO: Castle of Fear) Indeed, the Fifth Doctor indicated that he had "saved a village in the West Country from annihilation by blowing up the church and destroying an alien representation of the devil". (PROSE: The King of Terror; COMIC: The Tides of Time) The Seventh Doctor once told Ace that it was "Thomas Hardy country", the "way to Camelot", the home of the Isle of Avalon and of Wessex. (PROSE: The Hollow Men)

It was also the name of a broad classification of English language accents. People were said to have "West Country accents" when no more specific region was given. (PROSE: The Hollow Men, Interference - Book Two, Reckless Engineering, Ghost Ship)

Sometimes people were also said to be from the West Country when generalities sufficed. Julia Franklin was said to be a "West Country girl", for instance. People from the West Country were sometimes characterised as being traditional and somewhat superstitious. (PROSE: The Devil Goblins from Neptune)

Behind the scenes

Although some sources seem to agree that Stockbridge was located generally in what might be called the West Country, they disagree as to exact county. And other sources don't even place Stockbridge in the West Country at all, but instead insist it's in Hampshire or even Norfolk. Still, the "West Country" is the general location initially offered by Stars Fell on Stockbridge's specific declaration that it was in Gloucestershire.