A Map of Peterswood

[pete9012S]

I was wondering if that's the same wind mill from the Secret Seven prequel?

Well that's a good question indeed Chrissie - perhaps one for our 'Winter Hill' experts: Is the windmill in the Secret Seven prequel the same as one in Hidden House???

[Chrissie777]

I visited the model village back in 2003 and really enjoyed a day there. I bought a little book in the gift shop written by Enid especially about the village, and asked the ladies there where I could find the real house. I was gobsmacked to discover it had been demolished. I wonder if the councillers who gave permission are kicking themselves now. I'm sure it would have been a massive pull tourist wise if they had let it be turned in to a museum. I know when I was growing up in the 1970s there was a certain amount of prejudice towards her books, as I was told off by a teacher for reading too many!! I hadn't realised though how unfashionable she must have been back then though. Makes me laugh that all these years later her books and characters are still being enjoyed so much.

Katharine, I went to Beaconsfield in May 1981 and was very sad to find out that Green Hedges was destroyed.
I was shocked when we went to a pub in Beaconsfield that same evening and none of the older local people whom I asked knew anything about EB or remembered that she had lived in Beaconsfield.

[Anita Bensoussane]

I was wondering if that's the same wind mill from the Secret Seven prequel?

Well that's a good question indeed Chrissie - perhaps one for our 'Winter Hill' experts: Is the windmill in the Secret Seven prequel the same as one in Hidden House???

I know Enid Blyton places the Secret Seven in "Peterswood" in Fun for the Secret Seven but I've always considered that to be a slip-up. Are you suggesting that the map of Peterswood may need to include all the Secret Seven locations as well as the Find-Outers ones, Chrissie? Whew - quite a task!

It's ages since I read Secret of the Old Mill or The Mystery of the Hidden House, so the descriptions of the mills may well be completely different in any case! To be honest, I can't remember anything about the mill in Hidden House. Is it definitely a windmill or could it be a water-mill?

Also, isn't the hill called Christmas Hill?

[Splodj]

My attempt at a basic outline ...



The intimation in ‘Burnt Cottage’ that Larry/Daisy lived near Pip/Bets will have to be put down to an introductory generalisation.

Apart from that, I would be interested if anyone could spot a passage in any book that contradicts this layout.

[pete9012S]

A great depiction Splodj - much better than my childish attempt!

[Splodj]

Thanks Pete.

I believe it would have enhanced my enjoyment of the books if there had been a map in them. The earliest book I had with a map was Milly Molly Mandy. I liked the way they were included in the Malcom Saville books - which sadly I see are now out of print.

[pete9012S]

I too love maps in books - would make a great thread that.

I was, dare I admit it, an avid reader of the Milly Molly Mandy books too...
I loved the map in those books. Why can't we have a Peterswood map like that!!




Map of the village from the Milly-Molly-Mandy books

[pete9012S]

Tongue in cheek!
Of course it won't take long for Enid Blyton aficionados to realise which book this is from!!

[Chrissie777]

I too love maps in books - would make a great thread that.
I was, dare I admit it, an avid reader of the Milly Molly Mandy books too...
I loved the map in those books. Why can't we have a Peterswood map like that!!

Pete, I also love the MMM books and have them all.
And I always liked the map of St. Mary Mead in the Miss Marple crime novels:

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/aga ... 0810165716" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Chrissie777]

These maps are most interesting and will be quite helpful too, I think. Having discovered the river Wye running through Bourne End, this makes some references to riverside scenarios more difficult. I always assumed it was the Thames which featured but maybe sometimes it isn't? Oh dear!!

Daisy, I'm convinced that "the long long path from Marlow to Peterswood" refers to the path between Marlow and Bourne End.

[Eddie Muir]

I too love maps in books - would make a great thread that.

I was, dare I admit it, an avid reader of the Milly Molly Mandy books too...
I loved the map in those books.




Map of the village from the Milly-Molly-Mandy books

I’ve been a Milly-Molly-Mandy fan since I first read the books in my infants school at the age of seven, Pete. I still have a full set of the books in my collection and I absolutely love the map of the village in the front of the books. As an infant, it inspired me to draw a map of my own district and I have loved maps ever since.

It would be great to have a map Peterswood in each of the Mystery books.

[Chrissie777]

I liked the way they were included in the Malcom Saville books - which sadly I see are now out of print.

Each of the (very hard to get) Norman Dale books has a map.

[tix]

That map of 'Peterswood' was a puzzler.

Definitely familiar but in which book does it feature? 'Family at Red-Roofs?' Nope! One of the houses looked a little like those found in 'Rubbalong Tales,' but that also drew a blank.

'Hollow Tree House,' 'Six Bad Boys,' 'Buttercup Farm Family' books, 'Four Cousins,' 'Put 'em Rights,' 'Children at Green Meadows?' Where was it? The picture had to be located ....

Just because .......

Finally the elusive tome was run to earth and found to be illustrated by Grace Lodge rather than Norman Meredith. Better not state the title in case someone else is enjoying the hunt.

Incidentally, the road sign reads: "To Enid Blyton."

[pete9012S]

Well deduced Tix - glad it gave you a slight challenge!

Regards

Pete

[Splodj]

When plotting my map the one feature of Bourne End that did not seem to apply was the church. St Mark's in Bourne End appears to bear no relation to the church in Peterswood which is in a pivotal position and rings out the time all over the village. This suggests it is a more prominent and traditional looking church with a proper tower.

Looking around Bucks for such a church I couldn't help noticing the one in Burnham village called St Peter's. With the Burnham Beeches woodland nearby, which features in the books, is it possible that there is a bit of Burnham in Peterswood?