While on
our hols in glorious Devon we visited 'Greenway', the summer holiday home of
Agatha Christie and her family from 1930. The house was then given to the
National Trust on the death of her daughter and was opened in 2009.
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View from the gardens of the river Dart
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The
property is built on a steep hillside and the gardens have been tiered with
amazing flora & fauna (I've always wanted to write that!!), including lots
of varieties of Magnolia tree, Camellia, Rhododendron and even a few
Eucalyptus. My 10 year old was our family photographer and did an amazing job
of it!
The house
itself was bought in the 30s by Agatha and her second husband Max Mallowan. The
National Trust have set it up more or less as it would have been in the 1950s
with lots of family photos, souvenirs from the couples many travels and family
paraphernalia. Agatha's bedroom has an amazing chest of drawers originally from
Damascus! (complete with woodworm apparently until it was removed after Agatha
could hear scratchings coming from it at night!!)
We took a
family picnic (although it does boast not one but 2 tea shops!), and enjoyed an
unusually warm afternoon moseying around the grounds. I wore my Heyday 1940s
swing trousers as they are so my go-to outfit for dodgy weather this Spring!
(Think I need a suitably vintage alternative to the Ikea bag though?!)
As a
family we do love the National Trust; how amazing to have so much of our
history made available to us and future generations to enjoy; and how wonderful
of these great houses original owners to bequeath their own heritage for the
benefit of others- I can see so many principles of generational transfer in that;
passing on ideals, standards and values to future generations and the
recognition that however beautiful, amazing and enormous houses are, at the end
of the day they're just 'stuff'! People should never be remembered for where
they lived or even what they did, but rather who they were and what motivated
them.
What
would you be remembered for?!
Here's a
few more photos......
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The house from the upper terraces
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And even
a retro 1950s style Agatha Christie tour bus to take you from the nearby
village!
If you
get the chance to join the NT or visit one of their historic house, parks or
gardens, just think again... what will you be remembered for?!
x
