Authors and Storytellers

This memorial to the creator of Winne the Pooh in the heart of the Five Hundred Acre Wood is inscribed with a quote from The House at Pooh Corner: And by and by they came to an enchanted place on the very top of the Forest called Galleons Lap. The plaque continues to proclaim that here at Gills Lap are commemorated A. A. Milne 1882-1956 and E. H. Shepard 1879-1976 who collaborated in the creation of “Winnie-The-Pooh” and so captured the magic of Ashdown Forest and gave it to the world. Address: Ashdown Forest, Uckfield, UK Visitor Information: Conservators of Ashdown Forest

Cotchford Farm was the country home of author A. A. Milne from 1925 to his death in 1956. It was here that Milne wrote the Winnie-the-Pooh stories, inspired by the surrounding forest’s Five Hundred Acre Wood. Recently sold, the home’s gardens feature original statues of Christopher Robin and a sundial with carvings of Pooh, the author’s initials, and the following quote: This warm and sunny spot belongs to Pooh, And here he wonders what it’s time to do. Unfortunately, the property is not currently open to the public. This location is mentioned in our blog post: Meeting the Original Winnie-the-Pooh (and Tigger, too) Address: Cotchford Ln, Hartfield TN7 4HA, UK Visitor Information: Private residence, not open to the public

The Five Hundred Acre Wood is a section of Ashdown Forest in southern England, 40 miles outside of London. It was here that author A. A. Milne was inspired to write his Winnie-the-Pooh stories, naming the area the Hundred Acre Wood in his books. Within this public park, you can find a number of Pooh-related sites including Gill’s Lap (called Galleon’s Lap in the Poohniverse), Pooh Bridge, and a teashop devoted to our favorite pantless bear. It was on the nearby Cotchford Farm that Milne wrote all of the Winnie-the-Pooh books. A pamphlet and detailed map of these and more Pooh sites can be downloaded from the Ashdown Forest’s website for a small donation. This location is mentioned in our blog post: Meeting the Original Winnie-the-Pooh (and Tigger, too) Address: Ashdown Forest, Uckfield, UK Visitor Information: Conservators of Ashdown Forest

Known as “the most haunted house in Ireland”, this medieval manor on the south coast of Ireland was the inspiration for Fowl Manor, home to the main characters of the Artemis Fowl book series (published in the US by Disney Publishing Worldwide) and Disney film of the same name. Unfortunately, no scenes from the movie were shot here – the Fowl Manor seen in the movie was constructed on the Longcross Studios lot, outside of London. Artemis Fowl author Eoin Colfer appeared on the sixth episode of the first season of the Disney+ series Disney Insider to give fans a look at this tourist attraction where he once worked as a dishwasher. “It always seemed to me that it would be an excellent house with all its wonderful staircases and passages and corridors and peepholes, to have a family live; A family that had a life of adventure. So when I started to write Artemis Fowl and I was looking for a place for them to live, it seemed obvious to me, of course, the most haunted house in Ireland: Loftus Hall. So that’s where I put them.” – Artemis Fowl author Eoin Colfer Loftus Hall is now a tourist […]

Deep in the Five Hundred Acre Wood lay Pooh Bridge (or Pooh Sticks Bridge, as some call it). This bridge was originally built in 1907 (and rebuilt in 1999) and a favorite playspot of Pooh author A. A. Milne and his son Christopher Robin. As told in The House at Pooh Corner, Pooh and friends would play a game of “Pooh-sticks” from this bridge. The bridge and game are prominently featured in the 1983 animated short, Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore. Address: Ashdown Forest, Hartfield TN7 4DN, UK Visitor Information: Conservators of Ashdown Forest

Sunnyside was the home to the “Founding Father of Literature”, Washington Irving. Irving described his home as “capable of being made a little paradise” and lived here from 1835 until his death in 1859. Irving was the writer behind The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, written in 1820 and adapted by Disney for the second half of the 1949 animated film, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. Following Irving’s death, he was laid to rest in the burying ground, just a few miles away at Sleepy Hollow’s Old Dutch Church. Irving’s house, nicknamed Sunnsyside, was the architectural inspiration for Sleepy Hollow Refreshments at the entrance to Liberty Square in the Magic Kingdom. During Halloweentime, you can see Irving’s creation of the headless horseman as he gallops across the park to kick off the Boo-to-You Parade at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Today, the real house is just a few miles from Sleepy Hollow, designated as a National Historic Landmark, and operated as a museum by Historic Hudson Valley. Address: 3 W Sunnyside Ln, Irvington, NY 10533 Visitor Information: Historic Hudson Valley