Canterbury Beaney Exhibition

[John Pickup]

To be honest, I don't consider any of our counties to be Enid's county. When I read her books I just see an imaginary place in my head where the adventures are happening.
Going back on topic, I should like to go to the exhibition in Plymouth whilst I am down there, I would be prepared to give you a lift, Cathy, if you're interested. Maybe we could meet Julie and others there.

[Rob Houghton]

going off topic again Until I visited Dorset I hadn't really associated it with Blyton Country, but there is definitely a lovely Blytonian feeling to that part of England, and so many locations that seem to echo her book locations, or inspired them. However, I can't see Dorset being marketed as 'Blyton Country' because it's already marketed (everywhere!!) as Hardy Country.

If I was to choose a place it would probably be Bourne End, as this has Old Thatch. Maybe one day the National Trust will buy it and set it up as a Blyton museum...

[Moonraker]

To be honest, I don't consider any of our counties to be Enid's county. When I read her books I just see an imaginary place in my head where the adventures are happening.

Exactly. Enid's locations were in the main, based entirely in her imagination. Obviously, her imagination was influenced from places she might have visited - she admitted she saw a little island/castle in the CIs, and this was her inspiration for Kirrin. I often wonder why people are so obsessed to turn every one of Enid's locations into a real place.

[Courtenay]

I often wonder why people are so obsessed to turn every one of Enid's locations into a real place.

I guess because people love her books and want the thrill of thinking, "Ooh, this is THE place where she visualised it all happening..." You only have to look at how many discussions there have been on these forums about Bourne End as the "real" Peterswood! Even though we know deep down that the stories are fictional and many of the locations are at least partly fictionalised, having a real-life place connected to those favourite characters is naturally attractive. It's also a good marketing ploy for local tourism, as has been mentioned.

[Julie2owlsdene]

I should like to go to the exhibition in Plymouth whilst I am down there, I would be prepared to give you a lift, Cathy, if you're interested. Maybe we could meet Julie and others there.

Yes, that's fine by me, John. Let me know when you plan on going and we can all meet up there.

[Courtenay]

Anyone else over this side of England who's interested in a meet-up in Canterbury, then? I know Plymouth is easier for many of our members, but I'd love to meet a few others from this area, if there's a date that suits several of us.

[Anita Bensoussane]

I'd really like to see people but March is a busy month for me and there are a few things happening in April which are still up in the air, so I'm not feeling hopeful about making it to Canterbury. I saw the exhibition when it was in Newcastle but it's always nice to meet up with fellow forumites when the opportunity arises.

[Rob Houghton]

To be honest, I don't consider any of our counties to be Enid's county. When I read her books I just see an imaginary place in my head where the adventures are happening.

Exactly. Enid's locations were in the main, based entirely in her imagination. Obviously, her imagination was influenced from places she might have visited - she admitted she saw a little island/castle in the CIs, and this was her inspiration for Kirrin. I often wonder why people are so obsessed to turn every one of Enid's locations into a real place.

Enid is the only writer, apart from Daphne DuMaurier (walking around the real life 'Rebecca' setting near Menabilly in Cornwall, with cove, beach and beach hut!) who has made me stop in my tracks when visiting a location and made me think 'wow! This is the place!'. I didn't really think it with Corfe although Corfe is definitely featured in The Adventure of the Strange Ruby, but walking across her golf course, looking down at the moorland and the sea beyond, or visiting Bourne and and walking across the railway line and along the river, surely anyone would feel these were real life inspirations for places in her books?! How can anyone not feel this?! Its obvious!

[Courtenay]

I did feel that the Purbeck region (around Swanage) was very naturally Famous Five-ish and Blytonian in general. Except for the stretch of coastline that was advertised as a nudist beach. I don't think that was the case in Enid's day - or if it was, I somehow doubt she would have included it in a book. (No, I didn't visit it - too cold at that time of year, for a start. )

[Katharine]

Well I'm pencilled in for another visit to Canterbury on 16th April which is the Thursday before the exhibition closes. That's not by any means a definite date for me, but it's probably the only time I'd be going back, if I do go.

[Moonraker]

I often wonder why people are so obsessed to turn every one of Enid's locations into a real place.

I guess because people love her books and want the thrill of thinking, "Ooh, this is THE place where she visualised it all happening..."

Not once as a child did I think like that! It is the same with other authors (Malcolm Saville is an exception, as he says where his locations really are in each book), reading a Christie, I never think, "Ooh, I wonder where St Mary Mead is?" All of the locations are as much in my imagination (which makes the so special) as they were in the authors'.

[Julie2owlsdene]

I think you can become a bit disappointed if you know where the author based her 'places'. With the F.O's and Peterswood - Peterswood is in my own imagination, and when I saw Bourne End, and knew that Enid 'roughly' based the F.O's here, it was a bit of a disappointment, as it wasn't how I imagined Peterswood to be. So for me, Peterswood is still in my own imagination.

[Rob Houghton]

I agree actually, even though I'm someone who likes to believe Peterswood etc are based on real places, and certain areas, such as the river, etc are real places, I also have a picture of Peterswood in my head where all the characters live. I think it's much more complicated than just blindly accepting that Bourne End IS Peterswood - at least, for me it is. I know Enid based some locations on real places, and its interesting, but I never imagine that every tree, blade of grass and stick of wood is real - its more the 'feeling' of a place than the location itself. Its nice to imagine Enid was influenced by areas, which is how I look at it, rather than presuming she based locations inch by inch on a certain place.

[pete9012S]

Don't read this article if you are easily geographically enraged!!

Swanage is Kirrin Town
In the Famous Five novels Enid created an English County called Kirrin. This is really the Island of Perbeck.

It was the English countryside at its best. It was a hilly, remote place with moorland, sand pits and woodlands. The principal town was called Kirrin. It was a seaside town. The sea is that stretch of water separating England and France.

Many in Kirrin town are dependent on the sea and agriculture for their livelihood.I believe that in reality Kirrin town is based on Swanage.

The Kirrin family were the landowners. They had fallen on hard times and much of Kirrin estate had been sold. In the novels all that remains of the ancestral lands are Kirrin Cottage, Kirrin farm and a small fortified island called Kirrin.

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[Katharine]

Well as they didn't even spell Purbeck correctly, then what can we expect?