Blytonesque Places

[Wolfgang]

There is a German audiobook about the Famous Five in Sherwood Forest, and as far as I remember Robin Hood gets an honourable mention. They also meet Jo again. It's ages since I've listened to it, so details escape me unfortunately.

[John Pickup]

I'd rather play Robin!

I could be Little John.

[Courtenay]

I'll be Maid Marian... but only if I can play her like she is in the utterly legendary send-up.

[number 6]

Oh yes! Good call, Courtenay! Think Tony Robinson is brill as the Sheriff as well.

[Courtenay]

You're a fan too, Number 6? All together now - Maaa - ri -aaan...

In an attempt to drag this back on topic, Enid's Tales of Brave Adventure was my first-ever introduction to Robin Hood. So Sherwood Forest - which is not near me, but never mind - is legitimately a Blyton place too.

[number 6]

Yes, i was a closet fan. I used to watch it when looking after my Nieces. Think I loved it more than they did! Great fun, but don't tell anyone I said so!

Yep! You're right, Sherwood has a legitimate connection with Blyton.

[Courtenay]

Aha, I just thought of a 100% genuine Blyton place near me! I live not much more than 12 miles east of Beckenham in Kent, where Enid spent much of her childhood. Never been there myself, though, and don't know if anything there was much of an inspiration for her later career...

[number 6]

I'm not sure whether or not Beckenham did inspire Enid, but I wouldn't bet against it having some kind of influence on her at some stage whilst She lived there. I think Anita or Tony would probably know.

[Anita Bensoussane]

I'm sure the people and places Enid Blyton knew in Beckenham must have fed into her work in some way, even if it's not possible to pin down specific locations. Enid said that Claudine in the St. Clare's series was based on a Belgian girl she knew at school, and Mam'zelle was modelled on one of her own French mistresses. Books like Rambles with Uncle Nat and similar were no doubt influenced by the many nature walks she went on with her father.

[Julie2owlsdene]

Wasn't it Beckenham that we did the tour of Enid's homes?

[Courtenay]

Nature walks in Beckenham. Oh, I wish... it's all drab fringe-of-London suburbia out there now. Fortunately, there's still lots of beautiful countryside to the south of where I live, with woods and fields and hills and charming villages and some beautiful historic houses and other properties - like Ightham Mote, which I mentioned before. And even a few castles! Bodiam Castle (in East Sussex) is another possible "Blyton place near me":



Not much like Kirrin Castle, perhaps, or even the Castle of Adventure, but I'm sure it would make a good setting for a Blytonesque adventure of some sort - whether set in the 1940s/'50s, in medieval times like some of her retellings of traditional tales, or even in one of her magical lands!

[Eddie Muir]

Bodiam Castle is wonderful, Courtenay. My first visit was a school trip in July 1957 and since then I have visited the castle on numerous occasions.

[number 6]

Stunning photo, Courtenay. Always been fascinated with Castles ever since my first to Caernarfon Castle when I was a kid!

[Courtenay]

I didn't take that one, I hasten to add - it's from Wikipedia.

I remember mentioning in another thread that the National Trust, which owns Bodiam Castle, provides an audio game you can play as you tour around the castle, listening to the voices of different characters from the past and trying to figure out who is plotting to murder the owner of the castle. Lots of fun and quite suspenseful - it struck me as something that could be done in a Blyton location somewhere with characters such as the Famous Five or Five Find-Outers. (Except, of course, there wouldn't be a murder attempt in a Blyton story. )

[number 6]

Sounds very interesting, Courtenay. I love the History of Castles, especially when it comes alive through visual & audio interpretations! I've never visited Bodiam Castle, but I'll put it on my 'must-do' list for the Summer!