Appledore – A Village of Authors

Writers, storytellers and authors who have called Appledore home

For a village of its size, Appledore has an extraordinary literary history.

Across more than a century, the village has been home to authors writing in an astonishing variety of styles and genres. There have been children’s writers, novelists, poets and storytellers, writers of natural history, autobiography, espionage, crime and historical subjects. Some were internationally published authors, while others wrote about the people, places and everyday life they encountered around them.

Their lives in Appledore span generations. From illustrator and author Harrison William Weir, who moved to Poplar Hall in the village in 1882, through to contemporary author Will Iredale, who moved to Appledore with his family in 2018, the village has provided a home and inspiration for writers over well over a century.

Among them are writers whose books became films, authors who wrote under pseudonyms, former diplomats and intelligence officers, a celebrated children’s author who wrote more than 100 books, and people who turned their own extraordinary experiences into published works.

Here are some of the authors known to have lived in, or spent significant periods in, Appledore.

Authors at a glance:

Harrison William Weir – 1882 onwards
Nelly Sandeman – 1928–1930
Arthur Henry Brown – born in Appledore, 1924
Heron Carvic – from 1959
Antonia Barber – from 1972
Pamela Oldfield – from the 1980s
Kenneth Benton – from 1968
Sir John Winnifrith – from 1969
James Took – from the early 1980s
Michael Jack – 1947–1958
Kenneth Parker – later resident
Fred Brown – several periods, including the 1980s onwards
Stephen Homewood – from the 1990s
Georgina Jack – from 2012
Gary Kinsley – from 2014
Will Iredale – from 2018

Harrison William Weir (1824–1906)

Illustrator, writer and natural history author

Harrison William Weir was born at Lewes, Sussex, in 1824. A distinguished illustrator, he contributed to the Illustrated London News and became particularly well known for his ornithological illustrations.

After building his Victorian gothic home, Weirleigh, at Matfield, Kent, Weir sold the property in 1882 and moved to Poplar Hall, Appledore, where he remained until his death in 1906.

In 1889 he wrote and illustrated Our Cats and All About Them, described in the source material as the first pedigree cat book. It covered the varieties, habits and management of cats, as well as a fascinating range of feline-related subjects.

Selected works

Every Day in the Country (1883)
Our Cats and All About Them (1889)
The Poultry Book (1912), with Weir as writer/illustrator

Nelly Sandeman (1869–1943)

Artist, diarist and writer

Eleanor Constance “Nelly” Bell was born in London in 1869. Following the failure of her husband’s business and the breakdown of their marriage, Nelly began a life of travelling around Kent and Sussex, renting rooms and cottages and recording what she saw in the countryside.

Between 1928 and 1930 she stayed at Fayre Cross Cottage, Appledore, painting and writing about the countryside around her.

Her notes and diaries were later collected by her granddaughter, Ann Sandeman Tilt, and published as A Winter Rainbow – The Nelly Sandeman Diaries in 1998.

Arthur Henry Brown

Novelist and prolific writer under several names

Arthur Henry Brown was born in Appledore on 24 August 1924 and grew up with his two older brothers at 2 Heath Villas.

He showed an early talent for writing, winning a national story competition run by Cadbury’s at the age of just eight.

After serving with the Royal Signals during the Second World War and returning to work for the Co-op, Brown supplemented his income by writing short stories and novels. He used several names, including A. H. Brown, Rod Brannan for westerns and Susan Brown for children’s stories.

Around 20 books were published, with the possibility that further pseudonyms remain to be discovered.

Selected works

For Valour (1959)
Special Unit (1959)
The Fourth Man (1961)
The Sun and the Sand (1961)
Treachery at Carson’s Creek (1965)
Prairie Preacher (1966)
The Steer Stealers (1966)
Man from Wyomin’ (1967)
Outlaw Lawman (1967)
Ghost Herd (1968)
Texas Stranger (1968)

Don W. Avis (1925–1995/96)

Writer and former RAF serviceman

Donald William Avis was born in South London in 1925. When he was 14, his family moved to Rose Cottage, The Street, Appledore.

He was called up in 1943 and joined the RAF. After the war he returned to Southend-on-Sea, where he lived for around 20 years before emigrating to Canada in 1967.

Avis wrote A Dream Machine, which contained references to properties in Appledore. The source material notes that it has not been confirmed whether this was published as a book or as a magazine article.

Fred Brown (1923–2016)

Theologian, psychotherapist, author and nature writer

Fred Brown had a varied and remarkable life. Born in 1923, he joined the RAF under age when war was declared and later captained the RAF football team in Rhodesia.

After the war he studied theology and literature, gained degrees in mental health and worked as a psychotherapist. His early writing included religious books, while later works focused on nature and country life.

Fred lived at several addresses in Appledore, including Donkey Lane, eventually settling at 3 Donkey Lane, where he continued writing until his death.

Among his works were The Making of a Modern Quaker, The Grass is Greener, Happy: The Life of a Working Sheepdog, Badgers in our Village, A Woman’s Secret and War Hero and a Boy.

Antonia Barber (Barbara Anthony) (1932–2019)

Children’s author

Antonia Barber was the pen name of Barbara Anthony, sister of fellow author Pamela Oldfield.

Born into a theatrical family in London in 1932, Barbara studied English at University College London. After marrying Ken, a structural engineer, she lived in America, where her experiences in New York helped inspire her first book.

Her debut, The Affair of the Rockerbye Baby, was accepted for publication immediately. Her second book, The Ghosts, was later filmed as The Amazing Mr Blunden.

Barbara and Ken returned to England and bought Hornes Place Oast, Appledore, in 1972. She died in 2019.

Selected works

The Affair of the Rockerbye Baby (1966)
The Ghosts (1969)
The Ring in the Rough Stuff (1983)
The Enchanter’s Daughter (1987)
Satchelmouse and the Doll’s House (1987)
The Mousehole Cat (1990)
Catkin (1994)
Dancing Shoes
Hidden Tales from Eastern Europe

Pamela Oldfield (1931–2011 )

Prolific children’s and historical fiction author

Pamela Margaret Wilson was born in Hornsey, London, in 1931 and was the sister of Antonia Barber.

After training as a teacher, Pamela discovered her talent for storytelling while telling stories to the infants she taught. She went on to become an exceptionally prolific author, writing more than 100 books, ranging from children’s adventure and picture stories to historical fiction for adults.

Selected works

Melanie Brown Goes to School (1970)
Melanie Brown Climbs a Tree (1972)
The Adventures of Sarah and Theodore Bodgitt (1974)
Green Harvest (1983)
The Mill Pond Ghost and Other Stories (1991)
All Our Tomorrows (2001)
Truth Will Out (2011)

Heron Carvic (1913–1980)

Actor and creator of Miss Seeton

Heron Carvic, born Geoffrey Richard William Harris, was an English actor and writer. He provided the voice of Gandalf in the BBC Radio version of The Hobbit and played Caiaphas the High Priest in broadcasts of The Man Born to Be King.

He moved to Upton in Appledore in 1959.

As an author, Carvic created the character Miss Emily D. Seeton, a retired art teacher and gentle parody of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple. He wrote the first five Miss Seeton books.

The Miss Seeton books

Picture Miss Seeton (1968)
Miss Seeton Draws the Line (1970)
Miss Seeton, Bewitched (1971)
Miss Seeton Sings (1973)
Odds on Miss Seeton (1976)

Kenneth Benton CMG (1909–1999)

Diplomat, former MI6 officer and thriller writer

Kenneth Benton spent more than 30 years as an MI6 officer and diplomat before retiring in 1968 and moving to Appledore.

His second career was as a writer of spy, crime and historical fiction, drawing heavily on his experiences as an intelligence officer and diplomat, as well as his extensive travels.

Benton became President of the Crime Writers’ Association in 1974–75, succeeding Dick Francis.

He published 11 novels, including two under the pseudonym James Kirton. Six featured Peter Craig, a police adviser and counter-terrorism expert.

Selected works

Twenty-fourth Level (1969)
Sole Agent (1970)
Spy in Chancery (1972)
Craig and the Jaguar (1973)
Death on the Appian Way (1974)
The Red Hen Conspiracy (1982)
A Single Monstrous Act (1982)
Time for Murder (1985)
Ward of Caesar (1985)
Greek Fire (1985)

Kenneth Benton also appears on this website in our list of Appledore Spies. Read More here.

Sir John Winnifrith (1908–1993)

Civil servant and historian of Appledore

Sir Alfred John Digby Winnifrith had a distinguished career in the civil service, including serving as Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. He was knighted in 1959.

Following his retirement, he became Director General of the National Trust from 1968 to 1970 and held a number of other public appointments.

Sir John moved to Appledore in 1969, living at Hall House, a National Trust property. He was heavily involved in community events during his years in the village.

His contribution to Appledore’s written history is particularly important. His A History of Appledore, published in 1983, remains a key title in the village’s historical record.

Selected works

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1962)
A History of Appledore (1983)
The Royal Military Canal (1988)
Churches of Romney Marsh

James Took (1926–2015)

Diplomat and author

James Took, whose real name was John Michael Exton Took, was born in Dover in 1926.

His career took him around the world. After wartime service in India, he studied languages at Cambridge and joined the British Colonial Service. He subsequently served in Rhodesia, Nigeria, Germany, Ghana, Cyprus and Greece, and later became Deputy Director General of the British Council.

In the early 1980s James and his wife returned to England and bought Pilgrims in The Street, Appledore. After further overseas service, they returned permanently to England in 1984.

The family remained in Appledore during their retirement until 2006.

James was a lifelong keen birdwatcher and wrote Birds of Cyprus (1992).

Michael Jack (1920– )

Farmer, church organist and author

Michael was born in London in 1920 and was deaf from birth. After studying medicine and subsequently learning about farming, he moved to Appledore in 1947, where he rented a small farm.

During his time in the village he became organist at Appledore Church.

When his farming venture proved unsuccessful, he developed a new business after being asked by the local vicar to tidy the churchyard. This led to a Churchyard Maintenance Service for other churches.

Michael and his family left Appledore in 1958 and moved to Hythe.

His book, Life Among the Dead, was published in 1981.

Kenneth Parker (1934 – 2020)

Miller, writer and author

Kenneth Parker was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1934 into a family of millers.

In 1985 he and his wife Heather moved to a watermill near Frittenden, Kent, and subsequently moved to Beech Tree Farm, Appledore.

Parker died in 2020.

Works

Scribbles and Doodles (2010)
Scribbles 2 (2011)
Blood and Flour (2011)

Stephen Homewood

Author and survivor of the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster

Stephen Homewood was Assistant Purser aboard the cross-Channel ferry Herald of Free Enterprise when it capsized off Zeebrugge. He survived the disaster and received awards for his heroic actions.

In the 1990s Stephen and his family moved to Appledore, where they ran the Village Shop and Post Office.

He later co-wrote about his experience in:

Zeebrugge: A Hero’s Story (1989)

Georgina Jack (Denise Stephens)

Short-story writer

Denise Stephens moved from Cornwall to Appledore in October 2012.

From 2020 until November 2024 she wrote a monthly article for the Appledore Parish Magazine centred on her dog Brodie. The pieces followed Brodie’s adventures, including visits to the seashore, country walks and encounters with visitors to the house.

Denise also enjoyed writing short stories for her grandchildren and eventually had one published.

Book

George and Bertha and a Good Idea (2023)

Gary Kinsley

Cybersecurity author

Gary Kinsley spent 30 years in the cybersecurity industry and has written both fiction and non-fiction.

He moved to Appledore in 2014.

Books

If You Want Loyalty – Buy A Dog (2013)
Attack Vector (2021)
Deadly Protocol (2021)

The latter two are cybersecurity thrillers.

Will Iredale

Journalist and author

Will Iredale joined The Sunday Times in 1999, initially working on foreign affairs and later specialising in domestic news and undercover investigations.

Will and his family moved to Appledore in 2018.

His books explore remarkable episodes from military and wartime history.

Books

The Kamikaze Hunters (2015)
The Path Finders (2021)
Churchill’s Pirates (2026)

A literary tradition stretching across generations

The story of Appledore’s authors is also a story of the changing character of the village.

Some writers came to Appledore late in life, others were born here, while several found the village a home after careers that had taken them around Britain and the world. Their subjects range from cats and birds to espionage, children’s adventures, farming, village life, history and personal experience.

For some, Appledore was simply a place to live. For others, its countryside, buildings and community became part of their writing.

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of this story is its continuity. From Harrison William Weir in the 19th century to Will Iredale today, Appledore has continued to attract people who write.

The village may be small, but its literary roll of honour is anything but.

This page has been compiled from research relating to authors currently or previously residing in Appledore.