News | The Nancy Blackett Trust

Your Christmas ordering deadlines for the Nancy Blackett Shop

3rd November 2019

Grab a chance and don’t be sorry for a might-have-been! To help you plan ahead for Christmas, here’s our handy guide to our last dates for ordering your Christmas gifts from the Nancy Blackett Shop. Please …

Photo story: Nancy Blackett’s last sail of the season

25th October 201920th October 2019

Nancy Blackett successfully made her way from Woolverstone to Woodbridge this weekend, in advance of her end-of-season liftout. Saturday lunchtime saw her moored to a buoy in Bathside Bay, Harwich, before slipping over the Deben …

Inside the Dog’s Home from “The Picts and the Martyrs”

19th October 2019

Earlier this month the intrepid Jon Porter, following in the footsteps of author Marc Grimston, explored inside and around the Dog’s Home, the small stone hut in woods that was a location in The Picts and …

Sophie Neville on: Ten reasons why imagination is so important – inspired by the author and travel writer Arthur Ransome

25th October 201911th October 2019

Sophie Neville explores the influences of Arthur Ransome’s imagination on her own travelling adventures… The Arthur Ransome Society recently invited me to speak at their bi-annual Literary Weekend held at the Royal Agricultural University. The …

Barge Growler restoration underway with help from the Nancy Blackett Trust

22nd September 20213rd October 2019

Restoration of the barge Growler has just passed an important milestone with the insertion of the first piece of new timber into the hull. It’s one of 10 new frames, using oak timber bought with …

As it happened: the Pigeon Post Marathon Reading in Coniston Coppermines

29th September 201929th September 2019

Here are some of the highlights of today’s Marathon Reading of Pigeon Post in the Coniston Coppermines Youth Hotel, as told by some of the participants. Please note: to see any single full-size photograph, click …

Libby Purves to give the first Brian Hammett Memorial Talk

3rd January 202019th September 2019

Update (January 3rd 2020): Please note that plans for this event are currently under reconsideration due to the illness of our proposed speaker Libby Purves. We hope Libby will be recovered and well enough to fulfil …

Photo story: Nancy Blackett’s summer sailing

15th September 2019

Nancy Blackett has had a busy summer of sailing trips for members of the Trust along the East Coast, from local daytrips and overnight stays on the Rivers Orwell and Stour, to venturing further afield …

Photo story: Exploring Holly Howe from “Swallows and Amazons”

8th September 2019

Earlier this summer author Marc Grimston explored Bank Ground Farm on the eastern shore of Coniston Water, best known as the model for “Holly Howe” in Swallows and Amazons, home of Swallow and the farmhouse where …

Video: By Steam Launch to Octopus Lagoon

31st August 2019

Earlier this week Greg Simpson borrowed the steam launch Bruin for a run down the River Crake from Coniston Water to Allan Tarn (Octopus Lagoon in Swallows and Amazons) as seen in this short video:

Finding the Dog’s Home from “The Picts and the Martyrs”

19th October 201925th August 2019

Earlier this summer author Marc Grimston went in search of the Dog’s Home, a small stone hut in woods that was a location in The Picts and the Martyrs, the eleventh and last completed book …

In photos: “Swallows and Amazons” the York Theatre Royal

22nd September 20212nd August 2019

It’s the end of the first week of “Swallows and Amazons” on stage at York’s Theatre Royal, so here are some photos of the production. There are also photos below of the theatre foyer decked …