Three things you may not have known about Winnie the Pooh

The original teddy crossed the Atlantic after the Second World War where he became a book-touring celebrity, eventually inspiring Disney to make him an international film star. He never returned and now receives about 750,000 visitors a year at his adopted home in the New York Public Library, where he lives in a bullet-proof glass case!

The forest, where Pooh lived, is based on Ashdown Forest, near Hartfield, East Sussex, close to where the Milnes lived. It has its own Five (not Four) Hundred Acre Wood, and although much of the area is now privately owned, a local shop sells maps of the walk to Poohsticks Bridge, where you can still play the game of racing floating sticks through the arches according to the strict rules. In the ‘sport’ of Poohsticks, competitors drop sticks into a stream from a bridge and then wait to see whose stick will float across the finish line first. This game was played for real by Christopher Robin it was also played by Pooh and his friends in the book The House At Pooh Corner.

Pooh’s friend Tigger’s favourite food was extract of malt, which Kanga gives to Roo as medicine in the books. Spoonfuls of the thick syrup, a by-product of brewing, were given to school children every morning just after the Second World War to build them up after food rationing.

Winnie the Pooh was 90 this year – Happy Birthday Pooh (maybe that's four things you didn't know?)

Are you a Winnie the Pooh fan?

Thanks for calling in.

Five on Kirrin Island again or a day at Corfe Castle

We recently enjoyed spending time with our family from Australia. Our daughter-in-law is Australian so we wanted to show her some of the lovely places in England and one such place is Corfe Castle, popularly believed to be the inspiration behind Kirrin Castle in the Famous Five books written by Enid Blyton.

Enid Blyton first visited Dorset in 1931 and quickly fell in love with the area. She made regular visits to Swanage where, in the 1950s, she bought the old Isle of Purbeck Golf Club featured in Five Have a Mystery to Solve. She and her husband later acquired Manor Farm at Stourton Caundle, near Sturminster Newton (just up the road from where we live) where Five on Finniston Farm is set.

We hadn't visited Corfe for several years so imagine our surprise and delight when we happened across the lovely Ginger Pop Shop - a tiny shop bursting with Enid Blyton books and memorabilia. Situated next to the Post Office in the village square the shop has a wonderful view of the castle from its window.  We may well have walked right past the shop (on our way to a pub lunch) if it hadn't been for the ‘Wishing Chair’ sitting outside the shop – what a brilliant piece of advertising – whoever thought of it should be congratulated!  Next to the chair is a stack of Enid Blyton paperbacks – how could we not stop and go in?  Once inside we were not disappointed, there are so many lovely things to see including books, toys, games, jigsaws and (of course) Ginger Beer. Check the website for details of opening times.

We picked a beautiful sunny day in October for our visit and suitably refreshed we set out to walk around the castle.  Corfe is managed by the National Trust - this from their website - a favourite haunt for adults and children alike, you can’t fail to be captivated by these romantic castle ruins with breathtaking views. With fallen walls and secret places, there are tales of treachery and treason around every corner. Feel history come to life and see the wildlife that has set up home in these fascinating castle ruins.

The only thing we didn’t see was much wildlife, probably because several school parties arrived at the same time as us, but if you visit between February and May you might be lucky enough to see the Ravens.

The photograph on the left shows four of the "infamous five!" exploring the castle ruins (I took the photo). I'm not sure Georgina would approve of so many visitors to her castle - this from Five on Kirrin Island Again -

Everyone knew about the little island off Kirrin Bay that belonged to George. Kirrin Island was a tiny place with an old ruined castle in the middle of it: the home of rabbits and gulls and jackdaws. It had underground dungeons, in which George and her cousins had had one or two amazing adventures. It had once belonged to George's mother, and she had given it to George - and George was very fierce where her precious Kirrin Island was concerned! It was hers. Nobody else must live there, or even land there without her permission.  
Sorry George but we will be back!

Thanks for calling in.

Added Value: Things found in books part thirteen

Help to keep young children from road dangers. Lovely old bookmark published by the Royal Society for the prevention of accidents, Terminal House, Grosvenor Gardens, London.

I used to have one of these but had forgotten all about it until this one turned up in Worrals on the war-path by W. E. Johns
Worrals on the war-path is now sold, thank you for your interest.



I wonder if they were given out in schools, do you remember them?

Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble, Grubb!

Published in 1968 these Camberwick Green books were produced as spin offs from the children’s animated TV series of the same name.

First aired in January 1966 each episode began with the words;

Here is a box, a musical box, wound up and ready to play. But this box can hide a secret inside. Can you guess what is in it today?

The very first episode featured Peter Hazel the Postman emerging from the music box. Over the course of the series the other twelve characters emerged from the same music box.

Finding the books reminded me of watching Camberwick Green, Trumpton and Chigley with my son when he was a little boy. I was surprised to find I could still remember the names of the Trumpton Fire Brigade (Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble, Grubb!)

Do you remember Micky Murphy the baker, Windy Miller, PC McGarry and Mr Crockett the garage owner? And what about Mr Dagenham the salesman in his red sports car and Mr Robinson the window cleaner?

If you are interested in finding out more a visit to The Trumptonshire website is a good place to start.

The books featured in this post are now sold, but we do have other TV related items here
or browse our entire stock at  March House Books

Update - Enid Blyton’s Magic Faraway tree found!

You may remember a previous post concerning a 'little door' and how it reminded me of Enid Blyton's Magic Faraway tree. (See the original post here). The door was created by local artist Simon Sinkinson in remembrance of ten people who left their mark on the Larmer Tree gardens.  Several people left comments on the original post (thank you) and then last week I received an email from Simon with a link to his lovely Tinydoors website.

The illustration on the left shows another of Simon's tiny doors.This quote is from the website; As you amble through woods keep your eyes peeled for signs of tiny life - a little wooden wheelbarrow filled with acorns or a tiny napkin left after a fairy tea! 

Helen from PogosPlaceBooks sent a link to Urban Fairies where there are lots more little doors (thank you Helen) and a friend in Holland sent this photograph of a little house she found while out walking her dog.



I had no idea there were so many tiny doors waiting to be discovered!

How about you - do you have fairies at the bottom of your garden? Or have you ever found a tiny door?




The Magic Faraway tree is now sold, thank you for your interest.

Six spooky stories to scare you silly!

A spooktacular selection of scary books!

Sir Marmaduke Baldwin is not a very good ghost and, when he suddenly appears in the middle of a wood, Bobby Brewster thinks he looks far too jolly to be frightening. But a large white sheet, a spell that doesn't quite work, and two terrified criminals prove Bobby quite wrong!

The silly silly ghost; Story told by H. E. Todd illustrations by Val Biro. Published by Hodder and Stoughton in 1990.

A young boy is spooked right out of his skin when the old woman with the black cat catches him spying on her. She takes him into her home and demands that he help with the household chores. Her house is so full of creepy treasures that the boy starts imagining midnight gatherings of witches and spooks. Beautifully illustrated picture book with the story told in rhyme. 

Witch Watch; Story told by Paul Coltman illustrations by Gillian McClure. Published by Farrar Straus & Giroux in 1989.

Our copy is signed by both the author and the illustrator.
Witch Watch is now sold thank you for your interest.

Two cousins spending the night in a tent in the garden decide to play the ‘scare yourself to sleep’ game. They take turns telling the scariest stories – from flying cats, to dustbin goblins and invisible men.  It all ends happily with one little girl falling fast asleep and the other little girl enjoying a midnight feast with her brother. 

Scare yourself to sleep; Story told by Rose Impey illustrations by Moira Kemp. Published by Ragged Bears in 1988.

Wizzil the witch is bored so she turns herself into a housefly and sets off to Frimp Farm to cause a little trouble. Wizzil; Story told by William Steig with illustrations by Quentin Blake. Published by Bloomsbury in 2000.
The worst witch, the worst witch strikes again and a bad spell for the worst witch - three stories in one book. Adventures of the worst witch; Story told and illustrated by Jill Murphy. Published by Viking in 1994. Wizzil and The adventures of the worst witch are now sold thank you for your interest.

Last but certainly not least a poem relating the events of a frightening evening when Granny, as a young girl, was chased by Tog the Ribber's vengeful ghost. Each picture shows a new stage in the child's panic, only partly relieved when she crosses the Fozzle ditch and frees herself from her pursuer.
Tog the ribber; Poem by Paul Coltman illustrated by Gillian McClure. Published by Andre Deutsch in 1985.
This copy of Tog the ribber is now sold, but we do have a second copy in stock - full details here

These are six of my scary favourites – do you have a favourite?