How does Tennyson create a sense of place in 'Mariana'?

There are lots of things to look for in this poem that can help you answer this question. The most obvious is the language he uses: the very first stanza is groaning with adjectives signifying age, decay and desolation. Tennyson also uses Victorian 'Poetic Diction' - that is, an archaic vocabulary that would have sounded strange in conversation - which makes the setting seem mythical and otherworldly. Think not only about what the words mean - although that's important - but also about what sort of words they are: are they longer, shorter, more archaic, or more abrupt than you might expect them to be? A good example is the word 'unlifted'. Think about why Tennyson chose that instead of, say, 'closed' - what does it say about the poem's setting? You should also think about why he's chosen the rhyme scheme and meter that he has. The stanzas, at twelve lines each, are quite long - why might this be, and what does it add to the sense of place? The rhyme scheme is very regular, but the way it's sandwiched in each stanza - ABAB, followed by CDDC, followed by EFEF - gives it a particular sense of uncertainty. Think about how this changes how you perceive the setting Tennyson is describing.