A.A.Milne

Alan Alexander Milne was born in Hampstede, London on 18th January 1882.

In 1913, Milne married Dorothy de Selincourt, also known as Daphne.

Although a noted pacifist, Alan Milne enlisted in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and served in France. Whilst serving in France he developed trench fever and was sent home.

Milne spent his time at home with his wife Daphne, and writing poetry and plays.

On August 21st 1920, his first child was born, Christopher Robin Milne.

When Christopher was 5 years old the family moved to Cotchford farm, Hartfield East Sussex. Hartfield is on the outskirts of Ashurst Wood.

In 1925 Milne wrote a Christmas story for the Evening news. The story was for children, about his son and his teddy bear, "Winnie The Pooh".

Ashdown Forest provided the perfect location to set the Winnie The Pooh stories. Milne & Sheppard walked through the forest, and Sheppard sketched all the enchanting places that are in the books, Pooh bridge, Roo's sandpit, Eeyore's dark & gloomy place, etc.

Winnie The Pooh was published in London 14th October 1926 and broadcast by the BBC on Christmas Day by Donald Calthrop.

Christopher Robin Milne

Christopher was born 21st August 1920.
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On Christopher's 1st birthday he was given a teddy bear "Winnie The Pooh". His collection of toy animals grew and Eeyore soon followed. Piglet was a gift from a neighbor and Owl and Rabbit were not real toys, but were invented for the stories. Kanga, Roo and Tigger soon became part of the Milne family home.

In Christopher's teens he forged a close friendship with his father. His relationship with his mother deteriorated as she was more interested in spending her husbands money on fashion then spending time with her son. Soon after his fathers death Christopher did not see his mother again. She spent her last 15 years without a son.

Christopher shared with his a father a passion for pure mathematics and took up a scholarship to Trinity college in Cambridge.

The coming of World War 2 made it impossible for him to enjoy his success and he soon enlisted in the Royal Engineers.

After four years of enjoyment and satisfaction in his career it abruptly ended due to a serious head injury at Salerno in Italy.

After this Christopher found himself stuck in dead-end jobs and very un- fulfilled. It was then that he and his wife Lesley opened The Harbour Bookshop in Dartmouth, Devon.

After his mothers death, Christopher felt able to write freely about his life. He wrote his first autobiographical book "The Enchanted Places". This book was a critical success and set him on his way for a career in writing.

After his first success, a second followed"The Path Through The Trees - The Story Of My Non Pooh Life", shortly followed by "The Hollow On The Hill" and finally Christopher's favorite "Windfall."

Christopher died on April 20th 1996, of a neurological disease called myasthenia garvis.

Ashurst Wood

You can find all the enchanted places from the Winnie The Pooh stories in Ashdown Forest. By going to Pooh Corner Ltd, you can get a free map and take tour in the forest. Or you can pay for a guided tour.

Pooh Corner Ltd
High Street
Hartfield
East Sussex
United Kingdom
TN7 4AE

Tel: 01892 770456
Email:shop@pooh-country.co.uk