Ashdown Forest

Alan Alexander (A.A.) Milne was born in London in 1882. He was educated at Westminster School and Trinity College, Cambridge and pursued a career writing articles for newspapers and magazines, including Punch. In 1913, Milne married Dorothy Daphne de Selincourt and together they had one son called Christopher.

Despite being a pacifist, Milne volunteered to fight in the First World War with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and ended up on the Somme in 1916. However he caught a fever and was sent home.

Christopher Robin was born in 1920. His nurse was called Olive, but in the poems that A.A. wrote her name was changed to Alice for easier rhyming. He spent much of his childhood at the family home in Hartfield. From there it was just a short walk onto the Forest.

About Pooh Bear

Winnie-the-Pooh was published in 1926 with illustrations by E.H. Shepard. Neither Christopher Robin nor his father could remember the origin of the name, though “Winnie” is said to be named after a bear brought from Winnipeg by a Canadian soldier called Lieutenant Colebourn, and then resident in London Zoo.

The characters in the story were Christopher Robin’s toys, although E.H. Shepard used his own bear (Growler) as the model for Winnie. The toys went on tour and ended up in the New York Public Library, where they now live (except for Roo who mysteriously disappeared).

Christopher Robin always blamed A.A. for the terrible teasing he got at boarding school and throughout his life and the two never really got on together. Christopher wrote about his life in several volumes with the most important two being The enchanted places and The path through the trees.

Where Pooh Lived

In his autobiography Christopher Milne wrote that "Pooh's Forest and Ashdown Forest are identical". Several of the sites described in the books can be recognised on the Forest although their names have been changed. For example, the Five Hundred Acre Wood became the 100 Aker Wood and Gills Lap became Galleons Leap. The North Pole and the Gloomy Place are in Wrens Warren Valley while the name, Enchanted Place, is applied to a memorial to Milne and Shepard.

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Resources Books The Enchanted Places by Christopher Milne (1974) The Path Through the Trees by Christopher Milne (1983) A.A. Milne: A Critical Biography by Tori Haring-Smith (1982) Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne with illustrations by E.H. Shepard (1926) The House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne (1928) Websites Egmont Publishers Everything about your favourite bear Information about A.A. Milne Official Disney Pooh Site Pooh Corner at Hartfield	Winnie-the-Pooh About the Author Alan Alexander (A.A.) Milne was born in London in 1882. He was educated at Westminster School and Trinity College, Cambridge and pursued a career writing articles for newspapers and magazines, including Punch. In 1913, Milne married Dorothy Daphne de Selincourt and together they had one son called Christopher. Despite being a pacifist, Milne volunteered to fight in the First World War with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and ended up on the Somme in 1916. However he caught a fever and was sent home. Christopher Robin was born in 1920. His nurse was called Olive, but in the poems that A.A. wrote her name was changed to Alice for easier rhyming. He spent much of his childhood at the family home in Hartfield. From there it was just a short walk onto the Forest. About Pooh Bear Winnie-the-Pooh was published in 1926 with illustrations by E.H. Shepard. Neither Christopher Robin nor his father could remember the origin of the name, though “Winnie” is said to be named after a bear brought from Winnipeg by a Canadian soldier called Lieutenant Colebourn, and then resident in London Zoo. The characters in the story were Christopher Robin’s toys, although E.H. Shepard used his own bear (Growler) as the model for Winnie. The toys went on tour and ended up in the New York Public Library, where they now live (except for Roo who mysteriously disappeared). Christopher Robin always blamed A.A. for the terrible teasing he got at boarding school and throughout his life and the two never really got on together. Christopher wrote about his life in several volumes with the most important two being The enchanted places and The path through the trees. Where Pooh Lived In his autobiography Christopher Milne wrote that "Pooh's Forest and Ashdown Forest are identical". Several of the sites described in the books can be recognised on the Forest although their names have been changed. For example, the Five Hundred Acre Wood became the 100 Aker Wood and Gills Lap became Galleons Leap. The North Pole and the Gloomy Place are in Wrens Warren Valley while the name, Enchanted Place, is applied to a memorial to Milne and Shepard. You are Here Home - Winnie-the-Pooh	Find out about » The Forest where Pooh lived » Click here for a Map of Pooh's Forest This is a hand drawn map of the Pooh sites - we apologise for the quality and are waiting for a better version to become available. A guide to Pooh sites on the Forest is available from the Forest Centre. Illustrations from the recent Pooh Exhibition Introduction Eeyore in the snow Forest streams and ponds Galleons Lap Gills Lap Sandy Pit Scots Pines Spring time Summer time Top pines Winter at Pooh Corner Copyright Text (c) A.A Milne Line illustrations (c) The Estate of E.H Shepherd Colouring (c) 1970 E.H Shepherd and Egmont UR Ltd

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