Fairlea Grange
A House that Inspired Hitchcock
The childhood home of Ethel Lina White, the novelist behind The Lady Vanishes
The Birthplace of a Classic
Fairlea Grange was built by William, the father of Ethel Lina White, in the 1880s. It was designed in a Mock Tudor style with carved fireplaces, stone archways and stained glass windows. The layout of the staircase featured in the novel The Wheel Spins and was also featured in later movie adaptations of The Lady Vanishes.
Ethel Lina White was seen as a contemporary of fellow crime writer Agatha Christie and when it came to casting the lead role for Hitchcock's original version of The Lady Vanishes, Margaret Lockwood said she was inspired by the heroines of White's novels.
The House Today
The Mock Tudor features William White designed in the 1880s are still here - carved fireplaces, stone archways, and stained glass windows throughout the house. The grand staircase that featured in The Wheel Spins remains the architectural centrepiece, as imposing now as it was when Ethel climbed it as a child.
When Peter meets you at the door, he'll share the stories and history of the house. It's one of the highlights guests mention again and again.
Ready?
Write Your Own Chapter
From milestone birthdays to family reunions, every group that stays at Fairlea Grange adds their own story to this house's remarkable history.
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