The novel is set in a village in England in the eighteenth century. Most of the scenes take place in Shandy Hall, the estate of the Shandy family. Within this setting, the action mostly takes place in the parlor, where the men argue and philosophize about life. The other main setting is Toby's country house. At this house Toby and Trim build their fortifications on the bowling green outside. Widow Wadham lives next door to Toby, and in the final volume, Toby goes to her house to propose marriage. The main characters rarely move away from these settings—the only exception being in the third volume when Trim, Yorick, Walter and Toby visit the church lawyer.