This picture was mailed to us by Kate Simcoe, our Kilns Coordinator. Kim Gilnett (of Seattle Pacific University) is sitting in the foreground, with Laurence Harwood in the back, in front of the Bee Cottage.
Laurence Harwood, C.S. Lewis’s godson, was a lecturer at last year’s Summer Seminar on C.S. Lewis Remembered. His father, Cecil Harwood, was a close personal friend of Lewis as well as fellow Inkling Owen Barfield. Harwood and Barfield had often rented a small cottage-Bee Cottage-in Beckley, a few miles from Lewis’s home in the Kilns, and Lewis often visited the place (perhaps while on walking tours though the countryside just like his character Elwin Ransom). Unfortunately its precise location was lost and remained unknown.
However, after Laurence’s lectures in memory of C.S. Lewis, Kate, Kim, and Laurence decided that searching for the cottage would be a great idea, and a great way to remember Lewis. After a while, they managed to locate the small house, and found that it looked just as anyone would have expected-the waning summer sun sinking behind it, and the bees buzzing about the lavender plants alongside the stairs.
Who’s that handsome guy in front? Oh wait, it’s just Kim. Never mind. ;-)
I put “Bee Cottage, Beckley” into Google Maps, and got “Bee and Church Cottage, Church St, Beckley.” Is that the one? Looks like a nice hour’s walk from the Kilns.
Very nice find! Thanks Kim, Kate, Laurence!
This lovely cottage is owned by some dear friends who have recently learned of its connection with C.S. Lewis. I am sure they would be interested in learning any more background you can share.
I was fortunate to stay at Bee and Church Cottage before attending the 2009 summer seminar at the Kilns with Kim and the team.
Pure delight!
This is absolutely fascinating. I lived at Bee & Church Cottage from 1970 to 1981 with my father, mother and sister. Although we knew of C.S.Lewis and enjoyed his books immensely, none of us knew of any connection that C.S. Lewis had with our home until now. It was truly a wonderful cottage with so many quirky characteristics that I fondly remember from my childhood.