Literary Accommodation - Stay/Visit an author's home

[Katharine]

Literary houses I've visited that are not on the list:

Enid Blyton's home, Old Thatch, Well End, Buckinghamshire (I've also visited the site of Green Hedges in Beaconsfield, and seen Elfin Cottage and other houses Enid lived in in Beckenham, Kent, mostly from the outside. Oh, and I've seen Southernhay in Hook, Surrey - again from the outside). It was brilliant to see other forumites at these places.

Jane Austen residences, Bath, Somerset - mostly from the outside. I went to the Jane Austen Centre at 40, Gay Street, though Jane Austen actually lived at number 25.

....and it felt very special to be at Old Thatch after having been an Enid Blyton fan for as long as I can remember.

An interesting topic. Like Anita, I've visited Old Thatch, the site of Green Hedges and seen Elfin Cottage from the outside. I've also been inside the house where Enid lived as a baby (can't remember the address), plus seen the outside of a couple of her other childhood homes. I've also been to a wedding reception at Seckford Hall near Woodbridge where Enid stayed with her friends and many times I've walked past the Sunday school in Woodbridge where she helped out, plus walked past the buildings which were once the school in Ipswich where she did her teacher training. I too felt visiting Old Thatch to be a special event - I'm lucky enough to have been twice, the first time with my family, the second time with some fellow forumites.

I've probably walked past Jane Austen's house in Bath numerous times too, but have yet to actually visit the Jane Austen centre.

I've just realised that Greenway is a National Trust property, and I get staff discount on holidays - so maybe I can treat myself to a stay there some time.

[Courtenay]

I did once also see Elfin Cottage from the outside, since I used to live only a short drive from Beckenham, so I detoured there one day when I was in the area. I had found out by then that Elfin Cottage was in fact a large and modern (for its time) house, not the tiny little thatched dwelling in the woods that I'd imagined from the name Enid gave it, so it wasn't such a huge disappointment when I saw it. It just confirmed to me that it was really a very ordinary-looking early 20th century house — not ugly, but not eye-catching either, let alone exciting. I can't imagine what Enid saw in it, let alone why she felt there was anything "elfin" about it! (And yes, I have read her own account of what she thought when she first saw it — I can't remember where that was published, but I know someone shared it here once.) But she was obviously very taken with the place, so that's what matters, really.

I have also seen a couple of the houses where Jane Austen lived in Bath — her family moved several times while they were there, especially after the quite sudden death of her father (they'd moved to Bath when he retired from his post as a clergyman), which left the Austens in increasingly difficult financial circumstances. One of their residences, at 4 Sydney Road, has a small plaque on it, but it's not open to the public. The Jane Austen Centre in Gay Street is worth a visit if you're a fan. It has a very nice gift shop, though not as good at the one at Jane Austen's House in Chawton! (The latter has got to be THE best historical residence of an author that I've ever visited, honestly — I've been there repeatedly and absolutely loved it each time. When you're there, especially on a fairly quiet day, it's quite easy to feel that Jane herself might step in at any moment!)

[Katharine]

I've just remembered, I also stood outside the block of flats where Enid and Hugh lived when they were first married. I think it was called Battersea Buildings? It was in Chelsea.

[pete9012S]

Literary inspired places to stay
https://www.visitengland.com/short-brea ... laces-stay

I would love to stay in Arthur Ransome's Hill Top Cottage from the above list.
https://altounyan.com/

[Barnard]

Totally agree about wanting to stay in Hill Top Cottage.

[Anita Bensoussane]

The location of Arthur Ransome's Hill Top looks idyllic. The Lake District has been one of my favourite places since I was a small child - we sometimes used to go there for the day while staying with my grandparents in Preston.

I've just remembered, I also stood outside the block of flats where Enid and Hugh lived when they were first married. I think it was called Battersea Buildings? It was in Chelsea.

Ah yes, I've done that too. Enid and Hugh lived at 32, Beaufort Mansions, Beaufort Street. Hugh also lived at 84, Beaufort Mansions many years later with his third wife, Ida.

Another house I've seen from the outside is J. M. Barrie's house in Kensington, along with the house of Sylvia Llewelyn Davies (whose children inspired Peter Pan).

I'd like to say I've seen Lewis Carroll's house in Guildford from the outside too. However, although I was right outside it I couldn't see anything but the roof as it was being done up and was thickly covered in scaffolding and boards!

[Lucky Star]

The Jane Austen House in Chawton and The Bronte Parsonage Museum in Haworth are both fantastic. It's really hard to say which is better. They both look as though the absent authors just stepped out for a few minutes. They are both well worth visiting. Chawton also has Chawton House which was owned by Jane's brother and where she was a frequent visitor. It's open to the public and is an excellent example of a "Great House". It has a superb library as well although obviously you cannot touch the books. Haworth is a lovely little village; a bit touristy but lots of fun for shopping and there are plenty of cosy pubs which were there in the Bronte's time and which they would have known.