There was a bit of drizzle and a few rain showers after we left our Exeter hotel and headed toward Cornwall. I was excited because, along the way, we were stopping at Agatha Christie's vacation home called Greenway. This was a double whammy - two things I love - gardens and literary history - in one setting.
Along the way, Bruce mentioned that he almost did not include Greenway on the itinerary, thinking that it might be disappointing for us. What??? All I can say is that I'm glad he didn't change his mind because I found it totally fascinating.
Agatha Christie bought Greenway in 1938 for 6,000 pounds. It was a property she had admired for many years and was excited when it appeared on the market. She referred to it as "the loveliest place in the world" and she would use the house strictly for holiday getaways for the next forty years.
I will share photos of the interior of the Georgian house (built in 1780) in my follow-up post. There was so much to see, especially in the house, that I could have spent the entire day there.
The 36-acre estate sits on a bluff that overlooks the River Dart. The woodland-type garden features paths lush with mature trees, rhododendrons, and camellias. Closer to the house is a greenhouse with exotic plants, a Victorian fernery and a walled garden. Several families have lived at Greenway over the centuries and the original designer of the garden has been a mystery. However, National Trust sleuths now believe that Humphrey Repton may have played a hand when the estate was owned by the Elton family.
Christie and her husband, archaeologist Max Mallowan, were not that knowledgeable about gardening and plants but they were keen on learning. They asked the former owner, plantsman Charles Williams, to return to the estate to identify the trees and shrubs for them. After Christie's death, her daughter Rosalind lived at Greenway with her husband Anthony until 2000, when they donated it to the National Trust. The National Trust has spent two decades cataloging the plants at Greenway.
A popular feature among tourists at Greenway is "Raleigh's Boathouse" that sits in a recessed area on the cliff, a good distance from the main house. Christie used the boathouse as a setting for her novel "Dead Man's Folly". The TV series "Agatha Christie's Poirot" was filmed here.
The "Battery" (above) occupies a terrace next to the boathouse. The following photo shows Agatha Christie and Max Mallowan sitting in this same area in 1946.
Views of the River Dart from the Battery -
Exploring the woodland walks -
Heading back to the house, we come to the walled garden -
A greenhouse with cacti and other exotic plants -
On the hillside behind the greenhouse and walled garden is the Victorian Fernery -
And a quick bite at the little cafe - another sausage roll!
(Visited May 12, 2025)
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