Enid Blyton
Enid Blyton was born in 1897.She spent her childhood in Kent. When she was a famous writer she lived in Buckinghamshire. Her homes were Old Thatch and Green Hedges.
She became a very famous authoress of children's books. Her books have been translated into many different languages and can be enjoyed by children throughout the world. Enid liked Dorset so much that she set many of her stories in the county.
This page is about a group of folk called the Fabulous Outsiders who came to Dorset to find out. Here is what they discovered. Click on the thumb nail to see a larger picture, even send a postcard and read additional information.
Tajkikistan's Famous Five Club Meet at Dushanbe International School. Here is the link to their page: (http://1www.dischool.8m.com/photo2.html)
|
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 belive 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.
|
|
Corfe Castle
Vivienne Endecott, author of The Dorset Days of Enid Blyton told the Fabulous Outsiders that Enid first visited Corfe Castle in 1931. She wrote about her visit in a Teacher's World article.
In 1942 she write the first Famous Five book. The ruined castle on Kirrin Island is really Corfe castle.
Enid worked with the Rank organisation in the 1950's. Their Children's Film Foundation made a film in 1957 about this book. Corfe castle and the village were used extensively in the black and white film. |
|
The Fabulous Outsiders
The Fabulous Outsiders are Dave from Middle England. Linda and Richard from Wales and 'just' William from the North. We were led by Viv Endecott from Dorset. Last but not the least there was 'C' a Sunday Express reporter. We were the ginger pop drinkers by day, Evening was cider drinking time. Oveltine and coco were our late night drinks before we turned in.
We celebrated Enid Blyton's birthday in grand style - a cherry cake containing 1 candle. A wish or two and the cake was gone.
|
|
The Grand Hotel Swanage Dorset
Enid Blyton came to Swanage in 1940. Her daughter had been ill and Enid thought the sea air would help her get better. Enid and her daughter stayed in the Ship Hotel. This was destroyed by a German bomb. She first stayed at the Grosvenor Hotel in 1943. Afterwards she stayed at the Grand Hotel. In the 1960's Enid stayed at the Knoll House Hotel in Studland.
The Fabulous Outsiders visited the Grand Hotel to remember, as they imbibed the local cider, the genious of Enid Blyton, a weaver of tall tales. |
|
Pool Harbour
There are many islands in Pool Harbour. Several of these have been the settings which Blyton choose for her stories.Brownsea Island was the setting for Whispering Island in the Famous Five novel, 'Five have a Mystery to Solve.'
There are several island here and Enid used another of them in an earlier book written in 1938. The book is called 'The Secret Island.
Even now, as the Fabulous Outsiders discovered this area on the south side of the harbour is still remote. There are less than 5 public footpaths to the waterside. It is not possible to walk far along the shore line because mud and the marshland make hiking impossible.
|
|
Abandend Railway Lines.
The Fabulous Outsiders walked along an old disused railway line that had taken Dorset Clay to the famous Wedgewood Potteries in Staffordshire.
This railway line inspired Ennid Blyton to use it in her 1954 Famous Five story called ' Five Go to Mystery Moor.'
The Fabulous Outsiders explored this and walked to the Blue Pool. This is also a setting for another Famous Five Story.
The train is often the way the Barnard children arrive at Kirrin to spend their holidays with their cousin Georgeina - er I mean George. |
|
The Fabulous Outsiders
They are: Dave, Linda, Richard and William. They were led by Vivienne Endercott of Ginger Pop Promotions
They stayed at the Swanage YHA hostel at Swanage and had a jolly gape as they hiked around the Isle of Perbeck searching out the Dorset of Enid Blyton.
Vivienne Endercott's book called ' The Dorset Day's of Enid Blyton' was the source book this page was based up upon and the thing's Viv told us as we went about our walks of discovery. Click on the picture to contact Viv and order her splended book.
|
|
