the Sheffield Park station. Felicity had mentioned the National Trust and I suspect that she may be a member because her eyes lit up when I informed her that just outside East Grinstead town, in West Hoathly Road, will be found Standen House and Garden (www. nationaltrust. org.uk/


standen) filled with Morris textiles and furnishings. Standen was


built East Grinstead Museum (www.eastgrinsteadmuseum. org.uk) is a record of things past including the story of pioneering plastic surgeon, Sir Archibald McIndoe. It is a good starting point for those wishing to explore. The town itself borders Felbridge, which has an interesting link with Dick Whittington who served four times as Lord Mayor of London. East Grinstead was also home to the late Dr Richard Beeching, who was tasked by the Government to close unprofitable railways in the 1960s. The East Grinstead line was one that suffered and a section of it is now the town centre bypass, affectionately named Beeching Way. Fortunately, another section of the old East Grinstead line was preserved to become the now famous Bluebell Railway (www. bluebell-railway.com) running from East Grinstead, through Horsted Keynes and Kingscote, all the way to Sheffield Park. Coach parking is available at


the former home of the Beale family and certainly exudes the idyllic spirit of a 1920s family residence.


Tea at Pooh Corner Fans of Christopher Robin Milne and his childhood toys should drive south from East Grinstead along the A22 towards Eastbourne. Just a few miles from East Grinstead, pass through the village of Forest Row to the villages of Hartfield and Upper Hartfield, both of which nestle in the Ashdown Forest, also known affectionately as the Hundred Acre Wood.


At Hartfield, almost impossible to miss, is Pooh Corner (www.poohcorner. co.uk). When the Milne family lived in Hartfield, and Christopher Robin had virtually free reign of the Hundred Acre Wood, the cottage shop was the village candy store where Christopher bought sweets with his pocket money. Not surprisingly, considering the tourist popularity of the area brought about through A. A. Milne’s books, Pooh Corner is now a world famous monument to Christopher Robin, Pooh Bear, and the others! It is still a shop, but today it also houses the amazing Pooh Museum (the Pooh’seum!) and Piglet’s Tea Room which I am led to believe always has Pooh’s Honey Cream Tea on the menu. So visitors


really can enjoy tea at Pooh Corner!


The National Trust instituted a major restoration of the beautiful gardens. These, and the adjoining ancient woods, are a joy to explore. The on- site Barn Café serves a menu of tempting seasonal dishes, many using food grown in the adjoining Kitchen Garden.


21


Pooh Corner is an enchanting venue. Visitors come from all over the world for a surprising taste of their childhood idol. A short distance from Pooh Corner is Poohsticks Bridge which was rebuilt to its original style in 1979 for the benefit of the thousands of visitors who cannot resist a game or two of Poohsticks.


Continued on page 22


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