A NEW exhibition will celebrate the special relationship between Dorset’s famous novelist Thomas Hardy and the Isle of Portland.

This half-term, from February 21 to 27, the Portland Museum will be showcasing a new display that highlights the inspiration the building and island gave to the poet and writer.

It also reveals two previously unpublished letters signed by Dorchester’s Hardy, which came to light in the museum archives following a request by leading Hardy scholar Professor Michael Millgate.

Museum co-ordinator Lisa Gravett said: “It was a very exciting moment to see the signature of Thomas Hardy and the address of Max Gate and realising it was the original letter.

“Professor Millgate had contacted the museum asking for a copy of the author’s draft letter to Eleanor Elder - a leading figure in a group of actors in the 1920s and 1930s known as the Arts League Travelling Theatre Company.

“We had a photocopy of the letter which has been in a folder for a while, when we started to search out our collections we came across the original. In the letter to the theatre company, Hardy comments on the style of dress worn by one of the actors in a picture postcard which had been sent to him by Elder.

“She had dressed the character of ‘the farmer’ in a smock frock and Hardy states, ‘he should wear an old fashioned jacket with large side pockets.’”

She added: “In searching for that we came across another letter that Professor Millgate had never seen before, written to museum founder Dr Marie Stopes by Hardy two years before he died. It was so pertinent to the Portland Museum because it speaks of Hardy having been past the building before it was a ruin.

“It talks about the museum and about Portland and himself. Dr Stopes obviously wanted him to come over for a meeting and he said he’s far too old to be coming to meetings and doesn’t do anything much these days.”

Professor Millgate is going to publish a copy of the new letter in his eighth volume of Hardy letters and attribute help to Portland Museum.

Among the new exhibits is a 1922 copy of Hardy’s novel ‘The Well-Beloved’ which was donated and signed by Hardy’s second wife Florence.

The exhibition will also focus on the friendship between Florence and Dr Stopes who were close in age and shared much correspondence, copies of which have been provided by Professor Millgate.

A previously unknown photograph of Hardy will also be on show.