The Enid Blyton Society

Cor thanks Pinkmoon

I spent 4 holidays searching for Kirrin cottage over the years and only recently been pondering as to where it is, and now we know, this is great as I was thinking of having hols in forest this year and having another look, now I know, isn't it amazing this find, didn't know so many fans were also trying to find it, so this is excellent, thanks for taking the photos for us. I honestly believed I'd go to my grave not knowing!
Its amazing what occurs when you least expect it.

Would be easy enough to find out who own the place, am sure they are totall oblivious to their home being used 30 years ago and still having credence today.
So the mystery is solved.

I'd like to know who owns if anyone the watch house at Lepe cos I fell in love with that place years ago and every time I visit the area it seems empty.
Does anyone know? or is it used as a summer holiday place rather than lived in all year?

This is fantastic!

Melinda (Jo the Gypsy)

A fantastic piece of detective work, pinkmoon; where would we be without the moon!

Thanks also to Keith (?) or whoever, for re-sizing the pictures!

This picture of Blackwater House was taken last summer.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3 ... 8102969354" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The guy who took the photo wrote: “That’s how Kirrin Cottage looks today. I was there this summer – a great experience!”

I don’t want to know how he got that close...

Thanks for posting the picture, Timmy 254. How lovely to see the cottage again.

Julie2owlsdene wrote:Thanks for posting the picture, Timmy 254. How lovely to see the cottage again.

Where is the cottage actually situated?

You're welcome, Julie! Although the owner has remodeled a few things, it still is a beautiful house.

Wayne Pyer wrote:Where is the cottage actually situated?

Here is a description

"I am confident that the building in those screenshots is Black Water
House. It is next to Warren Farm on Warren Lane, a private (gravel) lane
on the Beaulieu Estate that leads from St Leonards to Needs Ore Point.
The grid reference is SZ413973 and you can view a fairly detailed aerial
photograph at the following link:

http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=50.77375" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... =0&src=msl "

I found this website by accident while looking up Blackwater House. My name is John Keeble, I live in the Blue Mountains which is west of Sydney Australia. My uncle Bert Keeble used to own Blackwater House, he bought it in 1957 and lived there with his wife and 2 sons and his father in law until 1970 when he sold up and moved to West Farleigh, a farm near Tiverton in Devon. His two sons Roger and Peter still live there with their families, Uncle Bert died on 3rd February this year which is what prompted me to look up a bit about the family history. He bought Blackwater House because he was a sea Captain and it was close to Fawley where he used to load. We had a family Christmas there once in the early 60’s when I was a teenager and I remember going out to the beach with a tractor and trailer to pick up driftwood for the huge fireplaces in that house. I remember the huge grand staircase in the main hall and the smaller one at the other end in the servants’ area where Bert’s father in law lived. I didn’t know the house had been used for the Famous Five until some time in the 1980’s when my Aunt who had visited her brother in England told me and since then I have been trying to find the whole series but only have a few video tapes so far. Another bit of useless information about the area back then is that Lord Montague was just starting his car museum then and you had to pass his place to get to Blackwater House, likewise he had to come past us to get to his beach house and he quite often had Diana Dors and other celebrities with him.

John K wrote:I found this website by accident while looking up Blackwater House. My name is John Keeble, I live in the Blue Mountains which is west of Sydney Australia. My uncle Bert Keeble used to own Blackwater House, he bought it in 1957 and lived there with his wife and 2 sons and his father in law until 1970 when he sold up and moved to West Farleigh, a farm near Tiverton in Devon. His two sons Roger and Peter still live there with their families, Uncle Bert died on 3rd February this year which is what prompted me to look up a bit about the family history. He bought Blackwater House because he was a sea Captain and it was close to Fawley where he used to load. We had a family Christmas there once in the early 60’s when I was a teenager and I remember going out to the beach with a tractor and trailer to pick up driftwood for the huge fireplaces in that house. I remember the huge grand staircase in the main hall and the smaller one at the other end in the servants’ area where Bert’s father in law lived. I didn’t know the house had been used for the Famous Five until some time in the 1980’s when my Aunt who had visited her brother in England told me and since then I have been trying to find the whole series but only have a few video tapes so far. Another bit of useless information about the area back then is that Lord Montague was just starting his car museum then and you had to pass his place to get to Blackwater House, likewise he had to come past us to get to his beach house and he quite often had Diana Dors and other celebrities with him.

Welcome John K. Very interesting. Do you have any photos?

Welcome to the forums, John and thanks for telling us something about Blackwater House!

Welcome to the forums, John K.

welcome to the fourms john, you acually lived in blackwater house!

what was it like?


Leila.

Regarding photographs, I have inherited my late mothers' colour slides from the 50's and 60's and I am busy scanning them on to the computer. I have found a couple so far that were taken at Blackwater House. When I find some more I will make them available here. Regarding living at Blackwater house, I was only about 14 at the time (around 1960) and the strongest memory from then is all the local farmers getting together to shoot rabbits! I have a strong memory of being used to carry all the dead ones home over my shoulder and my mother complaining of the blood all over my coat. I am in to animal rights now so this is not a fond memory!
John Keeble.

John K wrote:I have inherited my late mothers' colour slides from the 50's and 60's and I am busy scanning them on to the computer. I have found a couple so far that were taken at Blackwater House. When I find some more I will make them available here.

That's great, John. Thanks - it would be lovely to see them.

Thanks John, I'm really looking forward to seeing those photos!

I know this reply is a bit late, but I have only just found this thread!

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is that Blackwater House was only ever used for external shots - none of the inside scenes were filmed there. My grandparents bought the house in 1970 and lived there until about 1992 when they sold it to the current owner, a naval architect who builds some fantastic yachts.

I spent many, many holidays there over the years, except sadly when they were filming. My brother was there though and he managed to earn the princely sum of five pounds for being an extra - both he and my grandmother were passengers on a bus in one of the episodes.