Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930)
In his late forties Sir Arthur Conan Doyle settled in Crowborough with his second wife, where he spent the last 23 years of his life. Although best known as the creator of Sherlock Holmes, he also wrote novels, short stories, plays and non-fiction.
Where Conan Doyle lived
Born in Scotland in 1859, Conan Doyle first studied medicine at Edinburgh University and worked as a ship's doctor before setting up a medical practice in Plymouth in 1882. Here he began writing stories in his spare time. He worked as a physician in the Boer War and was knighted in 1902.
After his first wife Louise Hawkins died, Conan Doyle married Jean Leckie in 1907. Later that year they bought a house called Little Windlesham in Crowborough, close to Jean's family. After adding a billiards room and other extensions, they renamed it Windlesham.
Sherlock Holmes first appeared in ‘A Study in Scarlet’ published in 1887, but several of the later stories were written at Windlesham. Like Conan Doyle, Dr. Watson is a medical doctor, writer, and has served in the British Army.
Conan Doyle played many sports, including golf on the neighbouring course with writer Rudyard Kipling. Late in life Conan Doyle became interested in spiritualism and lectured internationally on the subject.
When he died in 1930 he was buried in the rose garden, as was his wife who died ten years later. Their remains were moved to Minstead churchyard in Hampshire when Windlesham became a home for the elderly.
A statue of Conan Doyle was erected in Crowborough in 2001.
Sussex in Conan Doyle's books
Conan Doyle wrote in a summerhouse in the garden or in his first floor study at Windlesham. In his Professor Challenger story 'The Poison Belt' he describes the view from his study across Crowborough Common to distant Rotherfield.
In 'The Valley of Fear' Holmes investigates a murder at Birlstone Manor in Sussex involving his enemy Professor Moriarty. The manor is based on Groombridge Place, which Conan Doyle often visited to take part in seances with the owners Louisa and Eliza Saint. In his non-fiction book ‘At the Edge of the Unknown’ Conan Doyle talks about the ghost of an ostler he saw at Groombridge.
Conan Doyle used his experience as a ship’s doctor in the ‘Adventure of Black Peter’. Holmes and Dr Watson stay at the Brambletye hotel in Forest Row as they investigate the murder of a retired sea captain.
Three of the Holmes stories are about crimes in West Sussex, including 'The Five Orange Pips', 'The Musgrave Ritual' and 'The Sussex Vampire'. In later stories the detective has retired to the Sussex coast, but occasionally gets involved in cases such as 'The Lion's Mane’ and 'His Last Bow'.
‘Sir Nigel’ – one of Conan Doyle’s historical novels – included a visit to Winchelsea.
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Books by Conan Doyle
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