The Mayor of Casterbridge
by Thomas Hardy
The Mayor of Casterbridge is a Wessex novel by Thomas Hardy, serialised in The Graphic from January 1886 and issued in two volumes by Smith, Elder & Co., London, on 10 May 1886, in a print run of 750 copies. Casterbridge is based on Dorchester.
- Editions tracked
- 1
- First edition
- Smith, Elder, 1886
- First published
- Smith, Elder & Co., London, 1886
The first edition of The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy was published in London by Smith, Elder in 1886. We track 1 edition.
Which edition do you have?
First edition
- 1st Smith, Elder1886 Hardback Sold £800 · Jun 2024 I own The Mayor of Casterbridge, Smith, Elder 1886 Log in to want this
We have not yet researched the issue points for this book. If you know how to tell the first from later printings, tell us and we will credit you once it is checked against a second source.
Awards, adaptations and setting
Adaptations
- The Mayor of Casterbridge film, 1921
- The Mayor of Casterbridge television series, 1951
- The Mayor of Casterbridge film, 1978
- The Claim film, 2000
- The Mayor of Casterbridge television film, 2003
Read next
- Comes after
- Two on a Tower
In print
- Editions recorded
- 676 on Open Library, 578 in English
- Wikipedia
- Articles in 17 languages
- Free to read
- Project Gutenberg (out of copyright in the US)
From Wikidata and Open Library, both CC0. A prize or a new adaptation often lifts demand for the first printing.
Pictures of the book
Freely licensed pictures of the work. They are not necessarily the edition you hold: check the points on each edition's page.
More by Thomas Hardy
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How to Identify a First Edition
To identify a first edition, check that your copy is the first printing of the first edition. Read the copyright …
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Read the guide →Frequently asked questions
Who published the first edition of The Mayor of Casterbridge?
The first edition of The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy was published in London by Smith, Elder in 1886.
How many editions of The Mayor of Casterbridge are there?
We track 1 edition of The Mayor of Casterbridge, including 1 first edition. Each has its own page with how to identify it.
Has The Mayor of Casterbridge been adapted?
Yes, including The Mayor of Casterbridge (television film, 2003), The Claim (film, 2000), The Mayor of Casterbridge (film, 1978), according to Wikidata.
What should I read after The Mayor of Casterbridge?
In order, it follows Two on a Tower, according to Wikidata.
Can I read The Mayor of Casterbridge for free?
Yes: the text is out of copyright in the United States and free to read on Project Gutenberg. Collectors still pay for the first edition, which is the physical object, not the words.
Where these facts come from
- The Mayor of Casterbridge, Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
- Sensation Novel Elements in The Graphic's Serialisation of The Mayor of Casterbridge, Victorian Web, 2024 (victorianweb.org)
- The Mayor of Casterbridge (Q2343169), Wikidata (wikidata.org)
Every fact on this page was checked against the sources listed. Checked 26 October 2026. Reviewed by Harriet Ellis; read how we check facts.