This is a list of specifically named locations in the Felicity Merriman book series and film.
Apothecary[]
The medicine shop, run by Mr. Galt and located on Duke of Gloucester Street. In Felicity's Surprise, Mrs. Merriman stops here to get something for her persistent cough. In Lady Margaret's Ghost, Felicity stops here for powdered willow bark to treat Penny's sores. Mr. Merriman hurts his back at the store one day and Mr. Galt gives him a pain powder and instructions for a good night's rest. Mr. Galt is based on a recorded citizen of Williamsburg.
Blacksmith[]
An ironworks shop, located on Prince George Street near Nassau Street and likely based on the (now closed) Deane Shop and Forge.
Bruton Parish Church[]
The Williamsburg Episcopal church and a real location, built in 1683. While not explicitly named in the Central Series, it is named in other books and labeled on maps. Williamsburg residents were required to attend church every Sunday.
Ben's best pair of breeches are usually worn on Sundays for church, and Felicity wears her best gown, which is a brown silk dress (and, without any other fine dress for the ball, she initially plans to wear her church dress to the governor's ball). The milliner once copied a blue gown pattern from a dress that Lady Dunmore wore at church. The Merrimans attend church here on Christmas Day, and Felicity enjoys the organ music, singing, and the minister's voice.
In Changes for Felicity, Felicity is able to sneak her sewing sampler to Elizabeth after church to remind her that they are still friends after Mr. Cole's arrest.
In Felicity Discovers a Secret, Felicity comments that Mrs. Burnie reportedly hates change so much that she disapproved of the new bell tower on the church and has frowned through every service since. The bell tower was added in 1769, about seven years before the story takes place.
In Traitor in Williamsburg, Felicity lures the person accusing her father of treachery to the Bruton Parish Church cemetery at midnight. The girls dress in Ben's breeches and wait behind a gravestone for their confrontation. They return the next day to find a cane the person left behind.
In Lady Margaret's Ghost, Felicity goes to the church to look through public records and figure out who Anne's guardian is. Reverend Mr. Ullfers helps her. He is fictional; the minister at the time was Reverend John Bracken. They find the information they are looking for and talk as they stand in the "long shadow of the churchyard wall."
Capitol Building[]
The seat of government in Virginia, located on the meeting of Blair and Duke of Gloucester streets. It housed meetings for the House of Burgesses.
The current building is the third building, a reconstruction and colonial interpretation built in the early 20th century from images on the Bodleian Plate; the structure from the colonial era (the second capitol) was completed in 1753 after the burning of the first building in 1747, and subsequently burnt down in 1832 with only the foundations remaining.
In Traitor in Williamsburg, Mr. Merriman is facing trial with the Committee of Safety in the chamber of the General Court. Felicity, Ben, and Walter enter and testify to Mr. Capps' actions.
Mr. Capps' Store[]
A rival general store on Blair Street next to the shoemaker's. It is a clapboard shop. In Traitor in Williamsburg, Felicity and Elizabeth visit the store to deliver a note to Walter. Felicity and Ben later return to look for evidence of Mr. Capps' dealings with the British.
Chowning's Tavern[]
In Traitor in Williamsburg, Felicity and Elizabeth pass Josiah Chowning's tavern when they walk to the church cemetery at midnight.
College of William and Mary[]
A real college, founded in 1693; it is second-oldest institution of higher education in the United States (after Harvard) and located at the far west end of Duke of Gloucester Street.
Felicity mentions the college in Felicity Learns a Lesson (though not by name) when talking about education with Nan and that she would like to attend and learn academic subjects such as Greek, Latin, philosophy, and geography like boys do. However, girls are not taught at the college.
In Traitor in Williamsburg, Mr. Merriman mentions that he once attended the college with John Sutherland. He nods toward the Wren Building, which along with the President's House and the Brafferton make up the original college buildings. Felicity observes that the Wren Building was visible from all over town.
During the Publick Times in Lady Margaret's Ghost, a horse-racing track is about half a mile outside of town, beyond the buildings at the college.
Cole House[]
Elizabeth Cole's house is located near the Governor's Palace, on the east side of the Palace Green (now called Palace Green Street.) The approximate real-life location would be the Everard House.
Their property has a picket fence and dogwood trees along it. Felicity also often takes a shortcut through their property and a pasture to return to her house. The Coles have a flower garden with a bench and arbor.
Courthouse[]
The courthouse is located on Duke of Gloucester Street between Queen Street and the Palace Green streets; it was constructed from 1770 to 1771. In Traitor in Williamsburg, Felicity and Elizabeth hide under the courthouse eaves after they run away from the church cemetery.
In Lady Margaret's Ghost, Felicity mentions there is a grove of sweet gum trees by the courthouse. She believes burrs were taken from there and intentionally put under Penny's blanket to hurt her.
Duke of Gloucester Street[]
The main thoroughfare through Willamsburg. The Merriman home, Merriman's shop, and Manderly home are some of the locations on the road.
Felicity mentions that Duke of Gloucester runs for a mile between the Capitol and the College of William and Mary.
Francis Street[]
A street in Williamsburg. In Felicity's Dancing Shoes'', Felicity runs to this street to find Mr. Halibut at the Milners' house so she can get her shoes back.
Gloucester Point[]
In Felicity Saves the Day, Ben plans to take a ferry from Yorktown to "Gloucester" so he can move north and join the Patriot army. The ferry would have gone to what is now called Gloucester Point.
Governor's Palace[]
The residence of the royal governor of Virginia, Lord Dunmore. It is located at the norther end of the Palace Green, a large open area.
Felicity describes this as the fanciest building in Williamsburg, and she is delighted when she is invited to attend a ball here in Felicity's Surprise. After Lord Dunmore and his family fled the city in June 1775, colonists raided the palace for weapons, and Patriot troops soon moved in to make it a camp.
Jail[]
The jail (spelled gaol at the time and based on the Public Gaol,) is attached to Mr. Pelham's home. It is located on Nicholson Street at the edge of Williamsburg. Jiggy Nye and Mr. Cole are taken here after they're arrested for different reasons; many others are also arrested for being Loyalists, but Jiggy is there for unpaid debt.
Mr. Merriman is taken here after he is arrested for potential disloyalty in Traitor in Williamsburg. Ben later delivers food and fresh clothes to him at the jail on Mrs. Merriman's instructions. The next day, Felicity walks with Ben to the jail on the condition that she stays outside.
King's Arms Tavern[]
A historical tavern in Williamsburg owned and run by Mrs. Vobe. Although it is not mentioned by name in text, in Meet Felicity the illustration shows the tavern's sign and says Mrs. Vobe by name. The tavern is also mentioned in Traitor in Williamsburg because a large crowd of people has gathered near there in the mob to attack Mr. McLeod.
King's Creek Plantation[]
A plantation halfway between Yorktown and Williamsburg located on the York River, approximately six miles from Williamsburg. It extends from King's Creek to "the old footpath that [leads] to Yorktown." It initially belonged to Grandfather and after his death becomes the property of Felicity's family. It is the primary setting for Felicity Saves The Day and Peril at King's Creek.
Felicity's grandfather enslaves multiple Black people on his plantation, among them Dinah and Judith.
Miss Manderly's Home[]
The home of Frances Manderly. It is located on the south side of Duke of Gloucester Street in the middle of the block between Centre Lane (Colonial Street) and Botetourt Street, slightly southwest of Merriman's Shop. Felicity, Elizabeth, and Annabelle Cole have their gentlewoman lessons taught to them here which are primarily held in the parlor.
The illustrations and location of her home are based on the Mary Stith House.
Market Square[]
A large open space for weekly markets, located behind the courthouse. The Publick Times fair is held here as well as regular market shopping. Felicity attends the Publick Times in 1774 in Felicity Takes a Dare and in 1776 in Lady Margaret's Ghost. In Changes for Felicity, she mentions that soldiers practice for war in the square.
Market Square Tavern[]
In Traitor in Williamsburg, Felicity and Elizabeth pass Market Square Tavern when they walk to the church cemetery at midnight.
McLeod House[]
The McLeod family lives on the opposite side of Palace Green to the Cole family, as Felicity and Elizabeth must cross the green to travel between them. They live on the edge of the green, because at one point crowds spill over onto the green. The house includes a formal garden and stables and has a brass knocker on the front door. The house is maintained by several servants and three enslaved people.
When a mob tries to tar and feather Mr. McLeod and the family flees, the Committee of Safety rules against him as a traitor and puts their house and store up for public auction. It is described as an unusually large house for Williamsburg, which makes it appealing to Alexander Ramsey, his wife, and his ten children. There are not many bidders for it, and he is successful in his bid.
Merriman's Store[]
The general goods store that Felicity's father Edward Merriman owns and where Benjamin Davidson is apprenticed. It is located on the north side of Duke of Gloucester Street in the middle of the block between Centre Lane (Colonial Street) and Botetourt Street, a block and a half from the home. According to the film, it was established in 1768. Items stocked include home and farm goods such as cloth, bowls, bottles, kettles, coffee pots, nails, horse bridles, sponges, rakes, and fishing hooks; amusements such as tin whistles; pantry and food staples such as rice, flour, and salt; sweets and spices such as ginger and rock candy; basic clothing and grooming needs such as aprons, nightcaps, and combs; books (printed ones would have been quite rare); and imports such as tulip bulbs from Holland, tea from China, and cotton from India. In the back is the storage room. Felicity loves to help there and is very disappointed that Ben's arrival means she must stay home more.
The store stocks all kinds of imported goods. After the news of the Yorktown Tea Party, Edward--despite social pressures from others in town--refuses to stock tea anymore. When the war actively begins and Edward becomes a commissary agent, Felicity is asked to help Ben in the store.
The store's illustrations and location are based on the Prentis Store.
Merriman Home[]
The Merriman home is a white clapboard house with two stories, located on the north side of Duke of Gloucester Street in the middle of the block between Queen Street and Centre Lane (Colonial Street). Along with the listed places, there is a small stable for the horses and a smokehouse. A white shell path leads to the street.
Felicity's Room[]
Felicity has a bedroom to herself, which she shares with Nan when her grandfather visits. Her window faces the back of the house; in Traitor in Williamsburg, Felicity is awoken by a noise and checks to see if it comes from the buildings behind the house. When she doesn't find anything, she assumes the noise comes from the street in front. In Lady Margaret's Ghost, her window is described as facing east.
Felicity's Garden[]
There is a large personal garden behind the house with plants in rows, including herbs and vegetables.
Felicity has a part of the larger garden she maintains, which she keeps planted with vegetables and herbs in tidy rows to impress Grandfather. In Happy Birthday, Felicity! a stubborn and spiky weed has rooted in and Felicity is unable to dig it up (though she does not completely mind it).
Kitchen[]
The kitchen is a building northeast of the house; as was historically done until about the late 1800s, the kitchen was a separate building to prevent the heat from cooking being attached to and overheating the main house in southern locations, as well as segregating enslaved cooks from the main house.
Parlor[]
The parlor has a fireplace and this is where the family meets together in the evening.
Garden[]
There is a large well kept personal garden behind the house and kitchen.
Milliner[]
The local hat and dress shop located on Duke of Gloucester Street west of Botetourt Street. Nan sees a hat in the window while making an errand with Felicity; Felicity later bribes Nan with looking at the hats to bribe her into going to the tannery. It is also where Felicity first sees the doll displaying the dress that Mother makes into her ballgown.
Norfolk[]
A city in Virginia, south of Williamsburg. It is described as a two days' journey from Williamsburg.
In Felicity Saves the Day, Mrs. Wentworth mentions that Lord Dunmore and his family have had to flee Williamsburg and are now on a ship in Norfolk, and Lady Dunmore and the children were preparing to return to England. (This is an actual historical event that happened in June 1775.)
In Changes for Felicity, Felicity mentions that there had been a recent battle as close as Norfolk; she is referencing Dunmore's attempted raid on Norfolk on January 1, 1776, known as the Burning of Norfolk. (The book takes place in January 1776). Lord Dunmore's fleet of three ships shelled the city for eight hours; this, combined with fires the British started and the Patriots spread, led to two-thirds of the city being destroyed. With no way for the city's Loyalists or Dunmore to return, Dunmore fled to New York and returned to Britain in July 1776. (See Norfolk during the Revolutionary War, on Wikipedia.)
Martha's aunt Aunt Prudence lives here, and in Lady Margaret's Ghost she and the children are going to visit her. However, this is an error, as the city had been completely destroyed shortly after the burning in January and was not restored until after the war, and the book takes place in fall 1776.
Oak Hill[]
A plantation owned by the Wentworths, located near King's Creek. Mrs. Wentworth invites the Merrimans to travel with her in Felicity's New Sister because their homes are so close.
Palace Green[]
The green in front of the Governor's Palace. The Coles' house is near here, as is the McLeods. Sheep sometimes graze here.
Portsmouth[]
A town south of Williamsburg. In Traitor in Williamsburg, Mr. Capp takes frequent business trips there. Mr. Merriman visited the town as well. He is accused of going there to sell supplies to British soldiers there, and he is supposedly overheard in a pub there. However, he was actually visiting to make a deal with a local farmer who pretended to be a Loyalist but was actually sneaking information to the Patriots.
Powder Magazine[]
A magazine (building) where the town's storage of gunpowder is kept in wooden barrels for safety. It is an octagonal brick building and located near Queen Street and Duke of Gloucester Street. The building was constructed in 1715 as storage for the arms and ammunition that was sent from London for the defense of the colony.
In Happy Birthday, Felicity!, Lord Dunmore attempts to have the governor's marines remove the gunpowder (known as the Gunpowder Incident), claiming fear of a slave uprising as the reason.
Widow Reed's Print Shop[]
A print shop where newspapers and books are printed. Its owner is Clarissa Reed and it is "around the corner" of Duke of Gloucester Street. It has a painted sign in front with a town crier holding up a gilded newspaper. In Traitor in Williamsburg, Felicity stops and stares in the window display to admire admire a leather-bound copy of Gulliver's Travels. Widow Reed also produces the Gazette newspaper here, which is Mr. Merriman's favorite because it has the most news of Patriots. Two apprentices work at the shop as a beater and puller to run the printing press.
Shoemaker[]
A shoemaking shop is on Blair Street by Mr. Capp's store. In Traitor in Williamsburg, Felicity describes the shoemaker as friendly in contrast to Mr. Capp.
Tannery[]
Owned by Jiggy Nye, this is on the far edge of the town, past the more maintained houses with out towards the pastures near the woods; on the map, it is on the far north end of Botetourt Street. It has a tumble-down shed and stinking vats filled with fish oil or sour beer which are used to tan animal hides; due to Jiggy's alcoholism, the place is a general wreck. There is a large fenced-in pasture. After Jiggy is released from jail, he returns to his tannery.
In actuality, the tannery would not have been this close to the town center. Tanning emits strong smells, which the townsfolk would not have wanted even a few blocks from their main street.
Wigmaker[]
A shop located on Duke of Gloucester Street that sells wigs. In Traitor in Williamsburg, Felicity and Elizabeth go here to see if they can figure out who in town wears a thick, old-fashioned bob wig. The shop is run by George Lafong, who is based on a historical wigmaker in Williamsburg. The shop is described at being near the Capitol and next to King's Arms Tavern; this is the location of the wigmaker's shop today.
Wythes' Stable[]
A nearby stable, owned by the Wythes. There is a new colt there in Happy Birthday, Felicity! and Felicity and Elizabeth go to see it before lessons.
Yorktown[]
A town about fifteen miles from Williamsburg. Ben is from Yorktown and his family resides there.
This is where the Yorktown Tea Party occurred, when colonists dumped two chests of tea into the York River on November 7, 1774. This leads to arguments in Williamsburg in Felicity Learns a Lesson. In Felicity Saves the Day, Ben tries to run away to Yorktown so he can cross the river and sneak off to the Patriots.
In Traitor in Williamsburg, the McLeod family goes to Yorktown with plans to board a ship to Boston, where they have relatives.
In Lady Margaret's Ghost, Anne plans to walk to Yorktown to find work and get away from her abusive guardians, the Yanceys. Dawson is offered an apprenticeship in Williamsburg, but he decides to sign on with another ship and sail out of Yorktown.