Learn more about Portsmouth literature through new interactive map

But it doesn’t even really take much of a scratch to see that the city’s influence on and portrayal in literature stretches much further than most would imagine. Current poet laureate Simon Armitage studied at Portsmouth Polytechnic, as was (even if it was in geography); Goodnight Mr Tom author Michelle Magorian was born here and would spend as much time as possible at The Kings Theatre – she still lives in the region; renowned fantasy writer Neil Gaiman was born in Portchester and would often visit family in Portsmouth, and there are many others with ties to the city.

And now, a project by the University of Portsmouth’s literature department has created a fascinating interactive literary map, allowing you to delve into our rich writing heritage – and its present. You can explore notable locations; locate quotes from poetry, novels and plays in the cityscape; search biographical locations and details across the city; use the map for a walking tour or simply appreciate the depth of literary talent of the region.

The map reveals that Portsmouth is rich with connections to writers already mentioned as well as Jane Austen, Nevil Shute, Olivia Manning, Jonathan Meades, former News’ columnist Graham Hurley and more. It also highlights the city’s strong poetry community including Sam Cox, Maggie Sawkins, George Marsh and the university’s own creative writers, such as Will Sutton, Alison Habens, Tom Sykes and Tessa Foley.

Dr Mark Frost and Dr Maggie Bowers have been working on the project over the past year

‘It is fun, isn't it?’ says Maggie as we talk about getting lost in the map. ‘It started out as just a small project idea. It gained a bit of interest, so the university put some money into it, that paid for a website and Mark started the work of developing it. As it's developed, the interest in it and the potential for it has just grown and grown and grown. It's really exciting.

‘I've been going out and talking to the writers in the region, making contacts, gathering material from them, taking leads – someone will say: “Have you read so and so?” And then off we go.’

The map aims to help redress the popular notion that Portsmouth is somehow lacking in culture.

‘There's such a rich heritage in Portsmouth and it gets slightly swallowed by the idea of Portsmouth as the naval city, or Southsea as the Victorian seaside resort. There's actually this very rich heritage in the city that's still very active and influential today, and we thought it needed highlighting.

‘If you were to say to someone who isn't from Portsmouth, or even someone who is from Portsmouth but hasn't been so exposed to literature: “Where was Charles Dickens born?” They'd probably say London.’

The map is intended as a continuously growing entity, and with more than 100 entries right now, there are still many more to come.

‘The wonderful thing is that there's is much, much more to be added because there are so many more writers who are not yet included on it and have actually produced a lot of work.’

There is also an active writing community here – Portsmouth Writers’ Hub has nearly 1,000 members online, and poetry page Tongues and Grooves has more than 500.

'The level of potential for this is huge – it's opening up an awareness of quite how creative this city is, and that's something which even shook us, even though we've seen it and could hear it, and we meet writers all the time, to see the extent of it is phenomenal.

‘We don't want to get to the point where we're not adding, because the whole point of this is to link the heritage of Dickens, Kipling, Jane Austen, etc, through to writers like Michelle, and whoever the next ones are to produce work, and to keep showing the creativity of the city as it thrives.’

Mark, who is the project-lead says: ‘There's loads and loads still to put on. At the moment I'm trying to get the Conan Doyle entries done, and it's quite an involved process. For each of the authors you have to find out about their background, understand their works, so each entry has a biography for the various authors, some of which are quite simple, some of which are quite involved.

‘And then there are entries for particular locations in novels, so you have to go through novels, find the section, and then get in touch with living authors to get their permission to use quotations – people like Graham Hurley, he's been amazingly helpful, and I think he's one of the most sensitive writers about Portsmouth.

And he too sees this as a chance to raise the city's literary profile: ‘It's essentially an opportunity to show how important Portsmouth is as a literary city, which is something which isn't fully recognised. Not just in terms of the names – the Dickens and the Conan Doyles and the Rudyard Kiplings – but with contemporary authors too, all kinds of interesting people, and poets like Lynda O'Neill and Maggie Sawkins.

‘There was a wonderful volume of poems, This Island City, and I've been trying to get in touch with as many of those people as possible because there's some really rich evocations of particular places.

‘One of the things I hope might be of appeal to people is to look at what's near their street.’

Any suggestions for inclusion on the map can be emailed to [email protected]

To see the map go to litmap.nautoguide.com.