Cotchford Farm is a very special place in the heart of Ashdown Forest. Often referred to as the ancestral home of Winnie-the-Pooh it was this house and garden - and the neighbouring landscape of Ashdown Forest and its ‘Hundred Acre Wood’ - that AA Milne and E H Shepard found the inspiration for their stories, pets and illustrations.

Originally acquired in 1925 by the Milnes as their country retreat, it became the permanent residence of Alan Alexander, Dorothy and Christopher Robin Milne in 1940. These beautiful gardens not only embody the magic and charm of times gone by, but they also contain original artefacts of literary history. A statue of A.A. Milne’s son, Christopher Robin, looks onto the gardens, while the character Owl can be found nestled within the herbaceous perennial borders. An entirely unique garden sundial, with several of the iconic Pooh characters carved into its base, stands proudly on the lawn.

Limited tickets are available and will include a talk from Annemarie Bilclough, the Frederick Warne Curator of Illustration at the Victoria & Albert Museum, exhibition curator and author of the accompanying book Winnie the Pooh: Exploring a Classic.

Afternoon sessions are from 2pm to 5pm and will include a talk from Kathryn Aalto, landscape designer, historian, spealker and author of The Natural World of Winnie-the-Pooh.

Each session will also include a talk by James Adler (CEO of Ashdown Forest) about the flora and fauna of the Forest and its importance today and into the future.

Tickets cost £20 per person plus £2.15 Eventbrite booking fee. All funds will support The Ashdown Forest Foundation.