The Backstory of Greenway House, Agatha Christie's Holiday Home in Devon

00:00 It seems only fitting that the drive to Greenway House in Devon England meanders through emerald pastoral countryside. The very name Devon is said to come from the Celtic word meaning "valley" and there is a sense of magical timelessness as you travel through lush rolling fields on narrow lanes enclosed by centuries-old hedgerows.
00:48 While the landscape looks pristine, it very much bears the mark of man. Originally home to wild woodland, 5,000 years ago settlers began clearing, ploughing and cultivating. Today, more than 70% of Devon is farms.
01:35 It's certainly no mystery why the beloved crime writer Dame Agatha Christie chose Greenway as her holiday home. But the history of her longtime holiday home has been obscured by her fame. We delve into who else played a role in how the house and property evolved over time.
01:45 Greenway and its surroundings were the setting for many of her novels including the ABC Murders, Five Little Pigs and Dead Man's Folly. Agatha and her husband bought the property in 1970s.
02:00 The atmospheric Georgian house is situated in a large and romantic woodland garden which sweeps down the hillside towards the River Dart. Originally built in the late 18th century for a successful sea merchant, Greenway was acquired by the ‪@nationaltrustcharity‬ in 2000.
02:21 One of the criteria of Agatha's heirs in opening the house to the public was that it be presented as the family home that it was. Despite the grand architecture, there is a relaxed and comfortable ambiance. One of the most fascinating dimensions of Greenway is the esoteric collection of memorabilia and artifacts, which present a window into Agatha Christie's life.
02:40 Some deeper history of Greenway is revealed by an early 17th century plaster overmantel in one of the rooms, said to have come from the Tudor mansion that had been on the site going back to the 1530s, and owned by the Gilberts, a family of soldiers, politicians and adventurers.
03:05 Greenway was requisitioned during WWII by the U S Navy in preparation for D-Day. During that time, Lieutenant Marshall Lee, who was a graphic artist, painted a decorative frieze in the library. Dame Agatha decided to keep the mural, considering it a piece of history.
04:15 The sense of being a guest in Dame Agatha's home even includes getting a peek at her stylish wardrobe!
04:20 The grounds are set on about 300 acres, which were extensively developed by two other previous owners, Richard Harvey-a Cornish copper and tin magnate-and his wife Susanna, and Thomas Bedford Bolitho, an industrialist also from Cornwall. These Cornish owners constructed two greenhouses and introduced plants such as camellias, magnolias, rhododendrons and laurels. The Harveys can also be credited with the creation of Fernery behind the walled gardens.
05:15 In the mid-19th century, Victorian England developed "fern fever", deigned a suitable hobby in this prudish era for young women because unlike many other plants, ferns do not have conspicuous reproductive parts. The Fernery also has a quirky dimension--it's home to the family's pet cemetery.
09:01 Greenway's owner in the 16th century, Sir John Gilbert, was knighted by Elizabeth I in 1571. He was Vice Admiral of Devon and responsible for defense against the Spanish Armada. Gilbert is said to have had 160 Spanish prisoners level the grounds of Greenway.
09:48 The middle path leads from the house to the boathouse on the River Dart, about a 20-minute walk through woodlands. Two generations of Eltons owned the property from 1791 -1832. Father Edward, a merchant adventurer, paid 9,000 pounds for the estate--that's about $2.7 million U.S. today.
10:42 Edward's son James took possession of the property in 1811, and part of his legacy is the boat house. The Boat House is the scene of the crime in a few of Dame Agatha's murderous plots. That gruesome notoriety is belied by the spot's sunny tranquility
11:12 A short walk from the Boathouse is the Battery, a platform enclosed by a low stone wall with extensive views of the #RiverDart, believed to have been constructed as part of the defenses of the estuary during the Napoleonic wars.
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[@marks.5502]

This video is a delightful ode to the wonders of garden and nature. It's like stepping into a peaceful sanctuary where each frame whispers tales of growth and beauty. Thank you for sharing this enchanting journey!

[@Magicplaces1]

Thank you Mark for the kind comment! Making and sharing these videos is my small way to contribute to more beauty and peace in the world! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!