Moonfleet by J Meade Falkner

Some months ago in one of my blogs I mentioned some of the inspirational teachers I had had. One was the English master at Grammar school who had introduced me to the novel Moonfleet by J Meade Falkner. (See “Education Policy - What Education Policy?” 02 July 2009) I still have a copy of this novel, and have re read it a few times since leaving school. The front of the book contains a shield with what looks like a large capital Y on the shield. This immediately triggers in me memories of the story.

If you have never read Moonfleet I have outlined the plot of the story below.

Moonfleet was written in 1898 by John Meade Falkner

John Meade Falkner

and it begins as a mystery and an adventure story, a tale of smuggling set among the cliffs, caves, and downs of Dorset. The novel is set in a fishing village in Dorset during the mid 18th century. The story concerns a 15 year old orphan boy, John Trenchard, who becomes friends with an older man who turns out to be the leader of a gang of smugglers. One night John chances on the smugglers' store in the crypt beneath the church.

Moonfleet Church

He explores the crypt, but hides behind a coffin when he hears voices. He finds a locket which contains a parchment, in the coffin belonging to Colonel Mohune. Unfortunately after the visitors leave, he finds himself trapped inside, and is only rescued two days later when two of the smugglers, Ratsey, the sexton and Elzevir Block, the innkeeper of the Why Not?, the local pub, investigate his disappearance. His aunt insists he leaves her house and Elzevir Block takes him in to live at the pub. The local magistrate, Maskew, is engaged in the struggle to put a stop to smuggling, and outbids Block for the lease to the pub when it comes up at auction. Maskew discovers the time and landing point of a smuggled consignment, and tips off the militia. Unfortunately for him, the smugglers become aware of the tip-off and change the time. During a struggle with Block, whose son Maskew had previously killed, Maskew is shot by the soldiers by chance. John is also shot in the leg, and is carried up the cliff path by Elzevir to safety in an old quarry on the Isle of Purbeck. John and Block are now outlaws, as they are believed to have murdered Maskew. John, with some inadvertent help from Ratsey, deciphers the coded parchment which allows him to locate a missing diamond of huge value. The diamond was obtained as a bribe from King Charles I during his imprisonment at Carisbrooke Castle and was hidden in a deep well by Colonel Mohune. Block and Trenchard recover the diamond from its hiding place. They flee the country to The Hague in Holland, where they are duped by a diamond merchant while attempting to sell him the diamond. They attempt to recover the diamond by burglary, but set off an alarm, are arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment. They spend over a decade at a prison camp at Ymeguen, where they are branded with a Y which strongly resembles the coat of arms of the Mohune family and a symbol often seen around Moonfleet. They are eventually condemned to be transported to Java. A storm breaks out and by coincidence, their ship is cast ashore in Moonfleet bay. Elzevir drowns in the surf on the beach after going back into the waves to rescue John. John recovers some semblance of his old life, marrying his childhood sweetheart, Maskew's daughter (Grace), and unexpectedly inheriting the diamond merchant's wealth which he spends on charitable causes to appease the spirit of Colonel Mohune.

The village of Moonfleet is based on East Fleet in Dorset by Chesil Beach. The headland in the book called The Snout is Portland Bill.

East Fleet Dorset

(The Snout in Moonfleet)

The book was filmed by Fritz Lang in 1955 and released under the same name, with a screenplay adapted by Jan Lustig from the novel, and starred Stewart Granger.

The movie altered the novel's plot substantially. Among other changes, its young hero was given a newly-invented aristocratic mentor (played by Granger),

while the role of the working class Elzevir Block was minimized. Lang's film has enjoyed some cachet among French film critics.

I have a copy of the film, and it is quite disappointing compared to the book, leaving out much of the story and altering the importance of the characters and inventing a new character (played by Stewart Granger). However I can thoroughly recommend the book. which is a rip roaring tale of adventure and triumph over the odds.