We were thrilled to recently welcome Julia Donaldson, the beloved author of children's books like "The Gruffalo" and "Room on the Broom," to Grittleton House.

Julia is a renowned figure in the world of literature. With her enchanting storytelling and memorable characters she has captured the hearts of readers young and old around the globe.

In their younger days Julia, her sister Mary, and their great friends Jenny and Hilary, used to attend the Grittleton House Summer School of Music. They had expressed a wish to come and revisit and we were more than happy to oblige. Upon arriving, the four friends were instantly transported back in time, from the moment they stepped through the front door, each were eager to explore in every direction possible and get lost in the fond memories they all shared together. The ladies chattered with great excitement, with lots of oohs and aahs, as they rediscovered areas of the house which were deep rooted in their memory bank. This is what Julia had to say after the visit:

Julia Donaldson’s holidays at Grittleton House, "the Happiest Week of the Year"

‘I spent a week every summer at Grittleton from when I was four till when I was eighteen and it was my favourite place in the world. The reason my sister and I went there was that our father played the cello in a summer school of music. But we didn’t participate in any of the quartets or the orchestra – instead we explored the house, grounds and countryside, swam in the pool and played wonderful exciting games of hide and seek. We also went riding every day in the neighbouring stables, with our two best friends Jenny and Hilary Beavan, who were the daughters of one of the coaches.

At the end of the week we would put on a show to entertain the grown-ups, mercilessly poking fun at them all, and I think that these shows, with their songs and rhymes, were really formative in my career as a writer and performer.

We all still have dreams about all the secret passages, spiral staircases and cellars, and there are sights, smells and sounds that instantly conjure up Grittleton. I recently unearthed the diaries I kept for some of those years, in which I frequently called Grittleton “gorgeous”, “wonderful”, “blissful”, and described my annual holiday there as “the happiest week of the year”.’

Grittleton House is a beautiful Victorian mansion, nestled in the picturesque Wiltshire countryside in the beautiful Cotswolds. The house played host to the Grittleton summer school of music in the late 50s and 60s. Today Grittleton House has been transformed into an exclusive and exquisite Wedding and Events Venue. With its authentic historical features, grand ballrooms for dancing and ornate orangery for wedding ceremonies and dining, overlooking the stunning Italian Sunken Gardens. For those wishing to stay longer there are the most beautifully designed bedrooms, each unique in their décor and completing the package perfectly. However, during the four friends recent visit all this splendour was lost on them, they were only interested in secret doors, hidden staircases, and the cellars!! The sense of sheer joy beamed from the ladies faces as they became their younger selves once again. We could only begin to imagine what it must have been like in the days when the corridors were filled with their laughter! Who knows maybe one of Julia’s many characters were born from her early days at Grittleton House. From now on we will be keeping an eye out for anyone with ‘terrible tusks and terrible claws and terrible teeth in his terrible jaws’.

With many thanks to Julia Donaldson and her three fabulous friends, for making us feel young again.

Journeying Down Memory Lane: A Visit from Julia Donaldson and the Magic of Childhood Memories

Julia Donaldson’s holidays at Grittleton House, "the Happiest Week of the Year"