John Wyndham’s The Day Of The Triffids spans the globe in its backstory, mentioning South America, Russia, and Africa, but the majority of the book is set in southern England – especially London. Starting in the capital, the tale expands outward as the survivors move away from the city and the smell of decay. On this page, RavensWatch has collected the Day of the Triffids locations visited in the story, giving fans a sense of geography and history. The post follows on from the popular The War of the Worlds Battle Map.
This map is created using Felt. The map images are screenshots from that site, but you can visit the site for an interactive experience.
Unsurprisingly, there are spoilers on this page. Most of the pictures in the post were created using prompts given to Microsoft Copilot.
1. St Merryn’s Hospital, west London
Our story starts on a surprisingly quiet Wednesday. On the morning of May 8th, we find Bill Masen recovering from a triffid attack that has required his eyes to be bandaged up. Triffids have been farmed for their oil for the entirety of Bill’s life. The plants are renowned for their aggression and their ability to move.
The previous night, he had listened to the excitement caused by a meteorite display as Earth passed through a cloud of comet debris.
St Merryn’s hospital does not exist, but it could be based on one of the following west London hospitals: Chelsea and Westminster, Royal Brompton or Royal Marsden. It is certainly in that area of London, and Bill is in room 48.
2. The Alamein Arms
During a time of crisis, it is no surprise to hear that the first place a British man heads is the closest pub. As Bill meets more people, it begins to dawn on him just how global this catastrophe may be. The board hung aside the pub has a likeness to Viscount Montgomery, and it is from here that Bill decides to head into central London.
3. The West End of London
Arriving in Piccadilly Circus, we find the newly blind trying to cope. One group are being led chain-gang-style by a sighted man. Bill makes the mistake of trying to enforce old-world standards in a completely different new world.
4. Regent Palace Hotel
Taking a moment to ponder how everything has changed, Bill heads to the Regent Palace Hotel. The hotel was seen as the height of luxury and was situated opposite the statue of Eros in Piccadilly Circus. You can find out more about the hotel at this website run by a former general manager.
5. Golden Square
This Soho square is located just north of Piccadilly Circus. This is where Bill first meets Josella Playton. He assists her in escaping her blind captor, and the two agree to team up.
6. St John’s Wood
This is a residential area of north London where Josella and her family live on the fictional Dene Road. Bill and Josella return in the hope of helping, but find the now blind family has been attacked by triffids. This is our first glance at the danger that has been unleashed on an unsuspecting world.
7. Clerkenwell
As they head to Clerkenwell, they see more triffid activity. Their goal in this region of London is a well-known shop that makes the best triffid-guns and masks. Bill has spent his life working around triffids, and he and his colleagues have always felt the plants were biding their time – waiting for an opportunity to strike.
8. Senate House, University of London
As night falls, Bill and Josella see a beacon of hope. A light atop Senate House sends a message to people who can see. This Art Deco building is part of the Bloomsbury campus of the University of London. The 19-floor building is linked to Graham Greene’s novel The Ministry of Fear (1943) and to the Ministry of Truth in George Orwell’s novel Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949).
In the novel, Michael Beadley is trying to set up a working community.
9. Russell Square
A Bloomsbury garden square that is mentioned a few times in The Day of the Triffids. It is located very close to Senate House and is seen as a place of normality for people dealing with the collapse of civilisation.
10. Swiss Cottage
Wilfred Coker raids Senate House with a firm belief that the sighted should be doing more to support the blind. Bill and Josella are taken to an unknown location and split up. Bill is assigned a group of blind people to look after in Swiss Cottage, in the Hampstead area of north London. He sets up his group in a glorified boarding-house made up of four Victorian terrace-houses knocked together.
While here, the group gets trapped in Hampstead Heath bus terminus by triffids, and we see the first occurrences of a strange new plague.
11. Westminster
As his group falls apart, Bill decides to head to Westminster in the hope of finding Josella. He visits a gun shop on St James’s Street, but fails to find Josella. He heads back to the University of London, where he finds a message: TYNSHAM MANOR. TYNSHAM. NR DEVIZES, WILTS. He also meets Coker in Russell Square, and they agree to work together.
12. Tynsham, Wiltshire
Devizes is a market town in Wiltshire, England. Tynsham and its manor do not exist. Wyndham describes the manor as surrounded by a high wall and with massive wrought-iron gates – an ideal stronghold. At this location, we find that a split has occurred, and Miss Durrant is in charge. She runs a more religious group with high moral standards. Bill and Coker feel this group will not survive for long without stronger leadership.
13. Steeple, Dorset
Described in the story as Steeple Honey, Steeple in Dorset is one of the places Bill and Coker drive through. Each of these locations shows signs of society collapsing and triffid activity.
14. Beaminster, Dorset
The group that Bill and Coker meet at Beaminster are worried about gangs from the city carrying out food raids. They have set themselves up in Charcott Old House, a fortified manor. Included in their defences is an attempt to refill the moat. But Bill and Coker inform them that city gangs are very unlikely.
The group spent time searching the area, including with a helicopter, but didn’t find Michael Beadley group. Coker decides to go with that group back to Tynsham, but Bill wants to find Josella.
15. Sussex Downs
Bill’s trip to the Sussex Downs is described as a journey of hope. The South Downs are a range of chalk hills that stretch across the south-eastern coastal counties of England. The Western and Eastern Downs are often collectively referred to as the Sussex Downs.
On the journey, Bill meets Susan, a nine-year-old girl whose brother, Tommy, has been killed by a triffid. Tommy’s grave was the only one Bill dug during the disaster. After a long search, they spot a light on the Downs and find Josella.
16. Shirning Farm
The story remains at the farm for several years. They set up protection from triffids, but find the plants becoming more dangerous thanks in part to their never ending patience. There’s mention of Brighton, which has been turned into a stronghold with barriers and “Keep Out!” signs. There are even visits to a crumbling London.
From here, they are visited and told about a community being set up on the Isle of Wight. This news is quickly followed by threats from Brighton, and the decision is made to leave.
17. Isle of Wight
On the Triffid-free Isle of Wight, Michael Beadley is building a colony for the future. There is also a dream to take back the mainland with an annihilation of the triffids. The community started by setting up camp in a big country house near Godshill. They then used flame throwers to clear the island of triffids. Coker has also found the island colony.
If you know of other real‑world locations connected to the novel, or have walked any of these routes yourself, feel free to add them in the comments.
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