Danielle McCarthy
Books

Inside the house that inspired Winnie the Pooh

The classic country farmhouse which served as British author A. A. Milne's inspiration for the beloved Winnie the Pooh stories has been put on the market.

Located in the small English village of Hartfield in East Sussex, the famous Cotchford Farm has been listed by Savills for £1.895 million ($3.2 million).

Milne purchased the property in 1925 to escape the hustle and bustle of London with his wife Dorothy and their young son, Christopher Robin Milne. It was on his walks to nearby Ashdown forest that Milne was inspired to write the famous adventures of Christopher Robin and his friend Winnie the Pooh.  

The marks left by the farms former owner are etched across the property, most notably in the form of a sundial in the garden which is inscribed with Milne's initials and uses a quill to tell the time. It features Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, Eeyore, Rabbit and Owl carved into the stone.

The classic home is also famous for being the final home of the Rolling Stones founding member Brian Jones, who died at the property in 1969.

The grade II listed, 351-sqm farmhouse dates back to the 16th century and boasts six bedrooms, five bathrooms, an oak-panelled dining room and a split-level drawing room, which features a Inglenook fireplace and a wood burning stove.

Spread over 3.8 hectares, Cotchford Farm also features a heated swimming pool, an ornamental fish pond, landscaped gardens, which includes a stone statue of Christopher Robin Milne as a child, and a private woodland.

The new owners of the property won't have to wander far to stumble across a few familiar locations, as famous places in the books including Hundred Acre Wood, Galleon's Lap, Poohsticks Bridge and Pooh Corner are all based on local landmarks.

Cotchford Farm's picturesque surrounds held a special place in Milne's heart, and judging by the pictures of the property, it's no wonder why the author wrote the famous line: “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”

See inside the stunning property above and tell us in the comments, were you a fan of Winnie the Pooh as a child?

Written by Natalia Didovich. First appeared on Stuff.co.nz. Image credit: Savills.

Related links:

10 famous authors reveal their favourite books

10 lessons from children’s books to rediscover as an adult

8 things you might not know about Anne of Green Gables

Tags:
Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Pooh, eeyore, tigger, A A Milne