On a recent trip to Devon we found ourselves staying in Dittisham and one day we ventured down to the village and realised that there was a ferry service over to the holiday home of the famous writer Agatha Christie. It was a beautiful sunny day and the ferry was a small boat which goes back and forth most of the day. We had not expected too much but were delighted to find that the grounds of the house were quite beautiful and the Camellia Garden was especially lovely at that time of year. We entered the House and were amazed by the amount of “stuff” it held; collections of china, snuff boxes, books and archaeology items. The family were obviously huge collectors and each room is packed with fascinating items. Unfortunately, because of COVID restrictions we could only look around downstairs but there was a knowledgeable NT guide in each room to answer any questions we had. It is as if the house has not changed one bit since the 1950’s and I recognised many items that I had in my own family home when I was a child. We took a stroll around the walled gardens which are home to the restored Peach House and Vinery and there is also an allotment cared for by local school children. We took a short walk through the romantic woodland and had we not arrived mid afternoon we probably would have spent longer in this lovely cool area. We also saw the Pet Cemetery with it’s inscribed headstones. The woodland drifts down the hill towards the River Dart and we even visited the Boathouse which was the scene of the crime in Agatha Christie’s book “Dead Man’s Folly”. There is also a Battery here complete with cannon. The views of the River from here and stunning. This must have been a wonderful holiday home as there is even a Plunge Pool and Saloon down by the Boathouse. For people who find it difficult to walk the trails up to the house there is a courtesy vehicle between the car park and reception or down to the ferry point. There is also an organised Garden Walk which takes place from the gift shop. We enjoyed a nice cake in the café before heading back to the ferry and we left with the feeling that we should have allowed ourselves more time to visit this lovely little place. The brochure we picked up called this “The Loveliest Place in the World” and I think they probably could be right as it is indeed an idyllic spot and we are planning to go back again when we can.
