Nassecombe

In the novel Dead Man's Folly, Nassecombe is the locality in Devon in which most of the events in the story take place. Within the area are large estates, notably Nasse House and Hoodown Park which had been turned into a youth hostel. There is also a village the house of the Tuckers is located.

Nassecombe is served by Nassecombe station which has trains from London's Paddington Station. According to Poirot, it takes ony three and a half hours to get to Nassecombe from London.

The river Helm runs to one side of Nassecombe. On the other bank is Gitcham. According to the narrator on a tour boat, this is a famous village. Passengers from tour boats from Helmmouth alight at Gitcham for a stop and to sample crab or lobster teas. Gitcham is also where Old Merdell's favourite pub is located.

At the time of the events in the story, the member of parliament whose constituency includes Nassecombe is likely to be Wilfred Masterton.

Real life equivalent
Agatha Christie based Nasse House on her own holiday home at Greenway. Nassecombe is therefore likely to be Churston. This has a station which at one time had trains to London. In The A.B.C. Murders for example, Poirot and Hastings took a train from Paddington to Churston. There is a station nearer to Greenway called Greenway Halt, but this is only a small stop within walking distance of Greenway. There would have been no need for a chaffeur to pick Poirot up and there would not have been a drive long enough from Greenway Halt such that the chauffeur could give a commentary on the countryside and stop to pick up hitchhikers.

Gitcham is likely to be Dittisham, across the river from Greenway, and linked by the Greenway Ferry.