Garden Office Blog

Efforts begin to save Roald Dahl’s writing shed

By Steven WIllis on 13th September, 2011

The humble shed in which Roald Dahl created some of the greatest and most beloved children’s stories of all time is to be the subject of a restoration effort by his granddaughter Sophie. Writer and former model Sophie is aiming to raise £500,000 to restore and relocate the famous hut to the nearby Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre.

Originally built in the 1950’s, Dahl’s writing shed is tucked away amongst an orchard at the bottom of his Buckinghamshire home, providing the peace and solitude he needed to work on his tales. He famously described the writing shed as his ‘nest’. The shed has remained in the same condition as when Dahl worked in it, since his death in 1990. However the condition of the building is thought to be precarious, prompting Sophie’s concern. In addition to restoring the writing shed, the restoration project would allow the public to finally see into the inner sanctum of Dahl’s creative genius.

It’s no surprise that Roald Dahl chose a garden building as the place to craft his magical stories. The serenity that such a building provides is the perfect environment for imagination to run wild, without distraction. It’s interesting to bear in mind that timeless stories like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The BFG, Fantastic Mr Fox and The Witches were all born from a simple shed.


Category:  Garden Buildings

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