Unseen photographs of The House at Pooh Corner, taken by our platform while A. A. Milne and his son Christopher Robin resided there
In a fascinating discovery, a collection of historical images from the 1930s has shed new light on the origins of the beloved children's character, Winnie-the-Pooh. These images, part of Melanie Bryan's archives, showcase a 16th-century cottage in East Sussex Weald that was once Cotchford Farm, the childhood home of Christopher Robin Milne and the inspiration for A. A. Milne's famous stories.
Cotchford Farm holds significant cultural and literary value, as it was purchased by the Milne family in 1925 as a weekend retreat. It was here that A. A. Milne wrote the majority of his Winnie-the-Pooh books, and where his son spent his early years, inspiring the creation of the much-loved characters.
The farm later became notable for its connection to musician Brian Jones, founding member of The Rolling Stones, who purchased it in 1968. Jones' presence added a layer of modern historical interest to the site.
The images, which depict the farm and its surroundings, offer a rare visual insight into the early 20th-century rural countryside of Sussex and the domestic setting that inspired Milne’s writing. They provide a glimpse into the life of the Milne family and the environment that birthed the Hundred Acre Wood and its inhabitants, including Eeyore, Tigger, and Piglet.
Melanie Bryan, a freelance picture editor and writer, and the former Archive Manager at the platform magazine, is the custodian of these valuable images. She lives and works in rural Ryedale, North Yorkshire.
The photographs, which were likely taken for a small architectural article in the magazine, were not of high quality, suggesting they were taken by a non-regular contributor. Despite this, they offer a unique and valuable perspective into the past.
The Image Archive, under Melanie's care, contains more than 150,000 images documenting British culture and heritage, from 1897 to the present day. This year, an additional 50,000 assets from the historic archive are scheduled to be added.
Cotchford Farm is situated near Ashdown Forest, the real-world counterpart of the Hundred Acre Wood in the Pooh stories, and remains a point of interest for fans, scholars, and tourists exploring the origins of Winnie-the-Pooh. The completion of additional assets is expected in Summer 2025, further enriching our understanding of this fascinating piece of literary history.
References: [1] https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/brian-jones-cotchford-farm-house-up-for-sale-1036656/ [2] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-38055748 [3] https://www.winniethepooh.com/us/history/cotchford-farm [4] https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/childrens-books/11352237/A-A-Milnes-Cotchford-Farm-where-Winnie-the-Pooh-was-inspired.html [5] https://www.visitengland.com/stories/ashdown-forest-hundred-acre-wood-winnie-the-pooh-0
These images from Melanie Bryan's archive, showcasing Cotchford Farm, offer a unique glimpse into the lifestyle of the Milne family and the home-and-garden setting that inspired the creation of Winnie-the-Pooh, Eeyore, Tigger, and Piglet. Melanie Bryan, the custodian of these historical images, also manages an Image Archive containing over 150,000 assets documenting British culture and heritage, including fashion-and-beauty and entertainment images, dating from 1897 to the present day.
