Last modified on Mon 8 Mar 2021 10.44 EST
Agatha Christie
South Lodge at Greenway, Devon
The main house is so well preserved itâs as if Agatha Christie just stepped outside. In the drawing room it takes little imagination to picture yourself listening to one of her manuscript readings. If you are inclined to detective work, youâll work out for yourself that the scratch marks on the bedroom door were made by the family dog. Christieâs holiday house, Greenway, is gracious and beautifully proportioned. It sits high above the River Dart, amid extensive grounds that slope steeply down to the water. âThe loveliest place in the world,â is how she described it. Christie left it to her daughter, who passed it to her son, and he gifted it to the National Trust in 2005. Staying in South Lodge â once the gardenerâs cottage, and one of three NT cottages to rent on the estate â you could spend all day watching light dance on the river, boats passing and
No visitors, but the work doesn t stop at SBT Published: 16:30, 31 January 2021
Stratfordâs Shakespeare properties have always drawn in visitors from far and wide but sadly that s not been the case since last March, as the pandemic has seen the townâs tourist industry dwindle.
Mark Ratcliffe, Head of Estates for the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, outside ShakespeareâÂÂs Birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon.Photo: Mark WilliamsonS7/1/21/0137. (44029024)
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, which looks after the historic buildings, has suffered a hard year with a drop in income leading to redundancies.
The Birthplace on Henley Street was the only one of SBTâs properties able to welcome visitors for a period last summer, with special measures put in place to allow social distancing and prevent crowds.
Shakespeare s Birthday Celebrations expected to remain virtual in 2021
| Updated: 16:04, 13 January 2021
Stratfordâs annual Shakespeare Celebrations are likely to remain largely virtual this year after organisers conceded April may be too soon to hold such a large gathering in the town.
The event, which is organised by Stratford Town Council, regularly attracts thousands of visitors to Stratford in normal times.
The celebrations were the focus of huge international attention in 2016 on the 400th anniversary of the Bardâs death, with Royals and stars of stage and screen visiting the town.
It has been scaled back somewhat since that special year and with the pandemic sweeping the nation last Spring, the decision was quickly taken to move the event online in 2020 with the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and RSC taking part.
END OF YEAR REVIEW: The best books from 2020
| Updated: 12:55, 07 January 2021
Stratford Literary Festival (SLF) folk and other local reading enthusiasts share their favourite reads from
Gill Sutherland (43827353)
Wine Girl by Victoria James made very interesting if dangerous reading.
Subtitled âA sommelierâs tale of making it in the toxic world of fine diningâ, James gives amazing insight into what goes on behind the scenes in fancy restaurants.
Her love of wine is contagious and made me really appreciate the treat of a good bottle with all the homemade food being prepared during the spring lockdown.
It should come with a warning though â it does make you into a bit of a wine-guzzling bore!