The House At Pooh Corner Goes Up For Sale

Cotchford Farm, the story book setting for the adventures of Winnie the Pooh, has just been put on the market. Author A.A. Milne lived in the real life Pooh corner home for three decades until 1959. The English estate is where Milne dreamed up several of the stories and poems about the lovable bear. It is also where he raised his son, Christopher Robin.

But Cotchford Farm isn’t all about cuddly bears, honey, and bouncing Tiggers. The home is also the setting of a darker piece of pop culture. Forbes notes that in the late 1960’s, Brian Jones, one of the founding members of the Rolling Stones, purchased the house. Jones was kicked out of the band in 1969 and less than a month later he was found floating dead in his pool at Cotchford Farm.

The house is currently being listed for about $3.2 million, but according to Will Peppitt, the director of the Country House department at Savills, the house’s famous history could drive the price up. Peppitt said:

“I’ve never come across a house with two significant previous owners before… It’s obviously very difficult to put a price on a house because of a famous owner; what you do get is more interest.”

The house in East Sussex dates back to the 16th century. It is currently owned by Alastair Johns, a property developer who bought it shortly after Jones’ death.

The property is full of references to Pooh corner. In the nearby Ashdown Forest you can find Pooh locations like Galleons Leap and Hundred Acre Wood. The property also has a sculpture that was commissioned by A.A. Milne of Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, Rabbit, Owl, and Piglet.

The sculpture, a sundial, reads:

“This warm and sunny spot belongs to Pooh / And here he wonders what it’s time to do.”

The pool where Jones drowned is also still on the grounds.

Alastair Johns told the Telegraph that the house at Pooh corner gets its fair share of visitors from both Winnie the Pooh fans and Rolling Stone fans.

Johns said:

“To people of a certain age, this place is something of a shrine. For many years, an Italian girl used to come and tie a sheaf of flowers to the hedge, on the anniversary of Brian Jones’s death… We’ve had Dutch fans come and float pages of magazines in the pool.”

Johns said that he thinks the house’s history will drive up the interest in the sale. Johns said:

“We’re expecting a huge number of inquiries when the property goes on the market. The hard part will be distinguishing between fans who just want to come and see the place, and people who are genuinely interested in buying it.”

Would you like to live in Pooh Corner?