Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
(May 22nd 1859 - Jul 7th 1930)
Brief Bio:
Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Doyle’s childhood was strained by his father’s alcoholism. He studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh, where he was taught by Joseph Bell, who became the inspiration for the character of Sherlock Holmes. Doyle tried several times to launch a medical career, but had little success. In his spare time, he took to writing fiction. A Study in Scarlet was published in 1887, prompting a long and lucrative career as an author of mysteries, though Doyle grew weary of writing them. He often branched out to historical novels and adventure stories. Doyle was a lifelong believer in spiritualism, which caused him to fall out with his friend and Masonic brother Harry Houdini. He served in the Second Boer War, and his writings on the subject led to his being knighted. He died of a heart attack in his home at East Sussex.
Notable Works:
A Study in Scarlet (1887)
The Sign of Four (1890)
The Hound of the Baskervilles (1902)
The Lost World (1912)
The Valley of Fear (1915)
The Maracot Deep (1929)
The Grave:
Doyle is buried in the village of Minstead, Hampshire, which is right in the middle of the New Forest District. Being in a National Park, transit is limited. The nearest rail station is Ashurst New Forest, from which one may take a bus into Lyndhurst. From there, it’s a three-mile walk along a busy road to reach Minstead. Doyle is buried toward the back of the cemetery adjoining All Saints’ Church, under a large tree.
Church Lane, Minstead, GB
SO43 7EX
Surrounding Area:
Minstead is home to The Trusty Servant pub. Nearby Lyndhurst is the final resting place of Alice Liddell, the inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland.
Further Reading:
Arthur Conan Doyle Project Gutenberg
The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia
New Forest National Park website
New Forest visitor page
Minstead Village website
“You are wonderful.” - Last Words to his Wife
