Contact Details

holiday@torbay.gov.uk
Tel: 0844 474 22 33

Greenway

Agatha Christie made Greenway her holiday home from 1938 until 1959.  The author’s family gave the property to the National Trust in 2000, and for several years visitors were able to enjoy the beautiful woodland garden on the banks of the River Dart.  However, as the home of her daughter and son-in-law, Rosalind and Anthony Hicks, the house remained closed to the public until their deaths in 2004 and 2005, when the house passed to the Trust, along with the generous gift from Agatha Christie’s grandson, Mathew Prichard, of the majority of the contents.

Visitors can now view the many personal collections and mementoes of the Queen of Crime and her family, and will discover a house that evokes the spirit of a holiday home in its 1950s heyday.

Among the rooms on view are:

• The Library; The most stunning aspect of the Library is a frieze painted on the walls by Lt Marshall Lee of the United States Coastguard, painted while the house was requisitioned by the admiralty in the autumn of 1943.

• The Drawing Room; Agatha Christie spent summer evenings here reading a chapter from her latest novel, described as the ‘Christie for Christmas’, to the assembled house party of friends and family.

• Agatha Christie’s bedroom;  A stunning view stretching down the River Dart from her first floor bedroom illustrates perfectly why Agatha Christie called Greenway ‘the loveliest place in the world’.

In addition to the rooms open to daily visitors, part of the house is available as a holiday apartment, continuing Greenway’s legacy as a holiday retreat, accommodating up to ten. 

Travelling to Greenway

Due to traffic restrictions in the lanes leading to the property all visitors are encouraged to arrive by green ways to Greenway.  However, visitors wishing to arrive by car can do so by prior booking only at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/greenway or by telephone 01803 842382 (during normal office hours).  There is a high level of interest in this wonderful house and unfortunately this means that we will have no option but to turn away cars that have not booked ahead.  Please check the National Trust website for updated details.

Quote from Dead Man’s Folly (1956) of Greenway

“He took Poirot’s case from him and opened the door of the car.  They drove away from the station over the railway bridge and turned down a country lane which wound between high hedges on either side.  Presently the ground fell away on the right and disclosed a very beautiful river view with hills of a misty blue in the distance.  The chauffeur drew into the hedge and stopped.

‘The River Helm, Sir,’ he said.  ‘With Dartmoor in the distance.’

They went on, down a steep hill through woods, then through big iron gates, and along a drive, winding up finally in front of a big white Georgian house looking out over the river.