Elfin Cottage - For Sale!

[Eddie Muir]

They’re great. I hadn’t realised that you could buy ‘joke’ blue plaques.

[Fiona1986]

I love the DIY blue plaques! Endless possibilities, though at £90 you'd have to think long and hard about a really good joke for one.

[Courtenay]

And be sure that whoever you gave it to would appreciate the joke!

[Rob Houghton]

I love the blue plaque which says 'absolutely nothing happened'.

[Courtenay]

So do I, but that's one of the ones for 90 quid! The smaller square one is a lot cheaper and still amusing, but doesn't look like a "real" blue plaque. Would still consider it if I had a home of my own to stick it on.

[Fiona1986]

There's a little brown plaque, shaped like a shield on a wall near me that says nothing happened on that spot. I'm always torn between thinking it's quite funny and that it's a completely rubbish non-joke.

[John Pickup]

I like the time travel one.

[Fiona1986]

Well the house has sold! I've had a comment on my blog from the mother of the lady who has bought it. She is looking for any photos of Enid in the garden of Elfin Cottage, but has only been able to find one grainy one online so far. Has anyone ever seen any others?

[Rob Houghton]

The only photograph of Enid at Elfin Cottage that I've ever seen is one where she's wearing a chequered dress, seated on the ground next to a pond. Its in Barbara Stoney's biography - but I can't find it online.

[Rob Houghton]

The only photo I've seen online that purports to be taken at Elfin Cottage is this one -



Which was actually taken at Old Thatch.

[pete9012S]

There is a poem from 1924 entitled 'An Elfin song' from 1924. I'm not sure if it relates to Enid's house, but it may be of interest to the new owners if it does.

I haven't got the poem to post a scan here. Does anybody else have it?

An Elfin Song
Poem: Specially Written

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/book ... f+Gladness" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Aussie Sue]

From Songs of Gladness

An Elfin Song

Oh once there lived a little elf,
Hey, derry down a!
He wrote a song all by himself,
Hey, derry down a!
He sang it to the poppies red, "The sweetest song we've heard"
Hey, derry, derry down a!

He sang it to a speckled thrush,
Hey, derry down a!
And round the wood there came a hush,
Hey, derry down a!
And when the thrush had heard the elf, He cried, "I'll sing that song myself"
Hey derry, derry down a!

And in the morning, sweet and strong,
Hey derry down a!
The speckled thrush began his song,
Hey derry down a!
And sweet he carols by himself, The song he borrowed fromm\ the elf,
Hey derry, derry down

[pete9012S]

Thank you so much Sue - what a lovely poem!

[Anita Bensoussane]

Well the house has sold! I've had a comment on my blog from the mother of the lady who has bought it. She is looking for any photos of Enid in the garden of Elfin Cottage, but has only been able to find one grainy one online so far. Has anyone ever seen any others?

I don't recall seeing any photos except the one mentioned by Rob (it can be viewed by Society members in the Secret Passage), but Tony was also contacted by the mother of the buyer and he sent her three 'From My Window' articles which talk about Elfin Cottage - which he has now added to the Cave:

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/blyt ... &perid=217" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

At first sight Enid Blyton describes Elfin Cottage as "an ugly little duckling of a house, which will turn into a swan some day." She can see its potential, saying, "...this little house, new as it was, had a distinct and delightful personality of its own. The primrose-coloured walls and the big brick fireplaces, the dark oak cupboards and the criss-cross windows with their blue shutters, all seemed to exude cheerfulness and homeliness, kindliness and good humour."

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/blyt ... &perid=224" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

We feel Enid Blyton's excitement at creating a garden of her own (with the help of Hugh!), especially when she writes, "Imagine a garden which is just an enclosed piece of meadow-land - a garden for which you can make your own plans, mark your own paths, plant your own flowers. Never in my life has there been such an exhilarating moment, not even when my first book came out!"

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/blyt ... &perid=231" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Enid Blyton obviously had great fun arranging all her furniture, becoming acquainted with the wildlife and attaching the name "Elfin Cottage" to the gate. She waxes lyrical about her new home - "Flowers 'belong' to Elfin Cottage. They look at home there - and that confirms me in my secret belief that fairies and elves, brownies and gnomes have visited the house and left some of their flower-loving, sunshiny personalities behind. It's such a happy, cheerful, elfish little house, the right place for poetry and fairy stories, dreams and laughter. I love it and love it, the darling."

Interesting stuff!

[Fiona1986]

I knew someone (or someones) here would know if there were any photos. It's nice that the house has gone to someone who is interested in its history.