Devon, also known as Devonshire, is a county of England, reaching from the Bristol Channel in the north to the English Channel in the south. It is part of South West England, bounded by Cornwall to the west, Somerset to the north east, and Dorset to the east. The city of Exeter is the county town.
The county is mentioned in the nursery rhyme Ten Little Indians.
Agatha Christie and Devon[]
- Both Agatha Christie’s birthtown Torquay, and her home Greenway are located in Devon.
- Burgh Island, an inspiration for the setting of several stories, is also in Devon.
Devon in the works by Agatha Christie[]
Agatha Christie occasionally uses real world names of locations but more often than not she would use a fictional name but even so, the real world inspiration is reasonably easy to determine.
Dartmoor[]
- The Adventure of the Dartmoor Bungalow - Dartmoor
- The Idol House of Astarte - Silent Grove, a house on the edge of Dartmoor
- The Sittaford Mystery - Sittaford, Exhampton, Dartmoor, Exeter
- The Thumb Mark of St. Peter - Grey Wethers
- The Mysterious Affair at Styles - Agatha Christie wrote this novel while staying at the The Moorland Hotel, Haytor, Dartmoor.
South Hams and Burgh Island[]
- And Then There Were None - Soldier Island
- Evil Under the Sun - Smugglers' Island
- Towards Zero - Saltington, Saltcreek
Torquay and environs[]
- The Man in the Brown Suit - Hampsley Cavern
- The Unbreakable Alibi - Torquay
- Postern of Fate - Hollowquay
- Peril at End House - Majestic Hotel, End House
- Three Act Tragedy - Crow's Nest is apparently based on a bungalow opposite Ashfield[1]
- The Body in the Library - Majestic Hotel, Danemouth
- Sleeping Murder - The Imperial Hotel and Torquay mentioned by name.
- Why Didn't They Ask Evans? - the golf course by the cliff edge is said to be inspired by Torquay Golf Course. Book is dedicated to Christopher Mallock of Cockington Court, Torquay.
- Murder at the Vicarage - said to be partly inspired by the vicarage at 16 Newton Road near Ashfield. Agatha Christie was a regular visitor to this vicarage.
Dartmouth and Greenway[]
- Five Little Pigs - Alderbury.
- Poirot and the Regatta Mystery - Dartmouth.
- The Regatta Mystery - Dartmouth.
- Dead Man's Folly - Nasse House, Nassecombe based on Greenway.
- Ordeal by Innocence - Drymouth, Sunny Point.
- Sleeping Murder - Dillmouth, Torquay.
- Mrs McGinty's Dead - Drymouth, Cullenquay.
- The A.B.C. Murders - Churston, Elberry Cove, Torquay.
- Greenshaw's Folly - proceeds from this story paid for the stained glass window at the church of St Mary the Virgin (Churston Ferrers).
Others[]
- The Case of the Missing Will - Crabtree Manor, a fictional farmhouse in Devon.
- Double Sin
- The Flock of Geryon
- The Plymouth Express