Map: Caerleon, Pennsylvania, USA

Here’s a map of the (entirely fictitious) town where most of the action takes place in my work-in-progress (tentatively titled Grail Seems to Fit).; I drew this around 1991-92, when working on the book’s first draft.

Somewhere I’ve got a key/legend which explains what all the circled letters mean — they’re all street names — and if I find that I’ll add the information to the foot of the page. In the meantime, I’ll just list the ones I know from memory, re-reading earlier drafts, and so on.

And if you’re really, really a fanatic about seeing this close up, just click on the image for a more or less original-size, unaltered version.

Key:

General:

• Compass orientation: I always think of North at the top of this map. However, if you look at the actual configuration of Interstate 95 in the area in question — about halfway between Langhorne and Scudders Falls, on the Delaware River — you’ll see that this is possible only for a very short stretch. Which I think is closer to the river than I want it to be. So the top of the map, technically speaking, is more likely west. Nonetheless, I’ll use my imaginary “top is north” orientation when referring to directions below.
• Caerleon is surrounded by farmland — some of it working farmland, some of it slated for development; some of it within the town limits, some outside.
• Main areas: The Brecon Beacons Pike marks the main north-south dividing line; Interstate 95, the main east-west. (I-95 on this map is a wide strip of roadway — note lane markings :) — just north of and parallel to the railroad tracks, about halfway up.)
  • Across the very top is Wye Creek and a parade of high-tension power lines and their supporting towers.
  • Top left is an industrial park (an important one).
  • Top right — trapezium-shaped, with all the swirly streets — is a subdivision called “Cornwall,” containing 47 houses. All the main characters live here; their specific homes are labeled with their initials. Cornwall’s east, south, and west sides are wooded. Street names here all have significance in legend: Exeter Turn, Tintagel Way, Cadbury Circle…
  • Just south of I-95 and the railroad tracks, east of the Pike, is the so-called “village” of Caerleon. Important locations here are labeled, e.g., “Bank,” “Cem” (for “Cemetery”), “News Store,” and so on.
  • Across the Pike (west) from the village is a big car dealership, Shepherd Chevrolet.
  • South of the car dealership is a little strip mall (the Caerleon Village Shopping Center) containing seven stores. From north to south, these are:
    • a games store, The Gamekeeper;
    • Quick-n-Clean laundromat;
    • a vacant storefront;
    • the supermarket, called SuperFoodFresh;
    • a linens and housewares store (“Lynne’n’Stuff”);
    • a bookstore;
    • and a diner/restaurant/luncheonette, called the Groaning Board.

Street index:

(Note: streets lettered L through U all located in Cornwall subdivision.)

1. Brecon Beacons Pike. The portion of the Pike running through the village proper is known as Monmouth Street.
2. Main Street
3. Chepstow Street
4. Swansea Road (note: label isn’t clear in the copy, but Swansea runs east-west — forms southern boundary of village proper; known, for this stretch, as Swansea Avenue)
5. Railroad Avenue
6. Rhayader Street
7. Bank Street
8. ?
9. ?
10. ?
11. ?
12. Bamburgh Circle (character: LW)
13. Wrexham Road
14. Exeter Drive (Cornwall’s main thoroughfare, beginning right where the Pike makes that 90-degree turn, and then going roughly east)
15. Tintagel Circle (character: AC)
16. Falmouth Way (characters: PdB, W&HW)
17. Padstow Turn (characters in former farmhouse: G&BM)
18. Cadbury Road
19. Fowey Place
20. Helston Drive
21. Cambourne Gate

Other places/buildings of interest:

• At northwest corner of intersection of Wrexham Road and Brecon Beacons Pike is the Caerleon Industrial Park. Not much industry here, though; the principal occupants are a parcel-packaging-and-shipping firm called TLTC (for Tender Loving Third Class) and — the largest building, out at the westernmost side — the former headquarters (now just a branch office) of what is, to this story and its characters, a very important metal-working company.
• Main intersection (and only traffic signal) in the “village” is Main and Bank Streets. At  that intersection:
  • NE corner: First National Bank (second floor: office of weekly newspaper, the Caerleon Herald)
  • SE corner: Village Center News Store
  • SW corner: police station (municipal building to south, Spike’s Barber Shop to west)
  • NW corner: Armour’s Hardware Store
• Train station at SE corner of Bank Street and Railroad Avenue
• Firehouse at SE corner of Main and Monmouth Streets
• 7-11 convenience store N of firehouse
• Years ago, at intersection of Railroad Avenue and Chepstow Street (SW corner), was a luncheonette called Mr. Bill’s; just south of that, on Chepstow, was a tinsmith and toymaker.
• Library at SW corner of Main and Chepstow, across from cemetery
• Main cemetery on east side of Chepstow Street, entrance just south of Main Street