Throughout Austen's novels, certain cities and regions of England have become increasingly iconic in the ways we recognize and think of them. Janine Barchas claims that "[t]o a significant extent, Jane Austen creates her novels out of the 'real solemn history'" and her delightful narratives "flow from historical fact" (115). Northanger Abbey is a prime example of how Austen's "minute attentions" (Barchas 116) to the location actually play into the gothic satire and help to "embolden . . . Austen's irony" (Barchas 117).

Even just gleaning from the way Northanger Abbey's narrative, it is clear to see that Bath is viewed as "the epitome of the urban renaissance" and was perceived as "one of the most civilizing influences" (Byrne) because of the plethora of social activities to be enjoyed there. The set up of this social scene helps Catherine's character development as she comes to the city a young girl and essentially comes of age through her adventures with the Thorpes and the Tilneys while going on her own gothic adventure. However, the buzzing of this socialite city is not the only thing that aids the novel in achieving its gothic tone. Barchas draws the connection between Farleigh Hungerford Castle, "a medieval castle with a bloody history of murder and poison" that was "already a popular tourist site in Austen's time" (116) to Northanger Abbey itself. Austen has used this real place to her advantage with this being a titillating topic of conversation that existed just outside of Bath in order to further "trump [...] the gothic novel" (Barchas 117). 

Barchas goes even deeper into the scandal surrounding the ruins of this castle. They mainly took place in the Tudor-era; Agnes, the lady of the house at the time, bid her two servants to strangle her husband in the kitchen and then put his body into the furnace in order to "'burn and consume' his remains" (Barchas 121). Barchas also draws our attention to the frequency with which kitchens and furnaces are mentioned in Northanger Abbey in relation to General Tilney while he is giving Catherine a tour of the house (122). Agnes is rumored to have murdered her husband to make room for a new and improved one, so when General Tilney discusses "improvements" to the stove and fireplace, his character becomes full of even more malice because of the rumors and stories associated with it. 

In addition to this gruesome tale about burning a corpse, a "wife-killer" was also rumored to have lived in Farleigh Hungerford Castle, Sir Walter Hungerford, who was executed for being caught poisoning his third wife in a row. He continued to marry and kill them off to gain more wealth and marry up to climb the social ladder but his third wife, "aided by local villagers," (Barchas 122) broke free from her locked room and he was arrested. This directly ties with the relaitonship Catherine imagines General Tilney had with his wife. We come to find out from Henry later in the novel that their relationship was one that was very unhappy and murder was not involved, but Austen has certainly used these tales to her advantage in order to darken General Tilney's character. With all of this "cryptic history" (Barchas 124), Austen has used so many minute details that match with her own fictional narrative to perhaps make this lighthearted novel a tad bit more dark for her readers, further reinforcing many of the gothic tropes that had so much influence at the time and playing to the same nature of excitement that gothic novels inspired. 

Sources: 

Barchas, Janine. “The Real Bluebeard of Bath: A Historical Model for Northanger Abbey.” Persuasions: The Jane Austen Journal, vol. 32, Jan. 2010, p. 115. EBSCOhost, https://search-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.uvu.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=e....

Byrne, Paula. “‘The Unmeaning Luxuries of Bath’: Urban Pleasures in Jane Austen’s World.” Persuasions: The Jane Austen Journal, vol. 26, Jan. 2004, p. 13. EBSCOhost, https://search-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.uvu.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=e....