This page is to help me gather material about Rosemary Sutcliff, historical novelist, writer of children’s books and fiction for young adults; and for you to take part, should you wish!
Posts made because of contact from this page or by email include:
- Rosemary Sutcliff influenced and inspired … Australian writer Keith Taylor
- Rosemary Sutcliff Dutch Translations
- Rosemary Sutcliff influenced and inspired … Reading University lecturer Matthew Nicholls
You might use this page to send me copies of reviews, or links to your own or other people’s material that you think might interest me and the increasing number of visitors to this blog. What have you read of Rosemary’s or about her or her work? What did you enjoy? Why? Would you recommend it to others? Have you recommended it? Who to ? Was your career (if you have one) or life influenced by Rosemary Sutcliff or her books at all? Anything else you want to suggest I put here about her? Do you have advice on improving this site and especially on fostering a network of the many people interested in Rosemary or touched by her in her lifetime or since? Anybody in particular to connect with for some reason? I look forward to hearing from some of you
Thank you! Anthony Lawton
a(dot)g(dot)lawton(at)gmail(dot)com
ROSEMARY SUTCLIFF (1920-92) 
Belatedly, I thought to add a link to my blog pointing here to RosemarySutcliff.com — added it just now —
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May I invite you to read my blog post on visiting the ruins of the Roman town of Viroconium? It starts out about how I first became acquainted with “The Eagle of the Ninth” (in sixth grade, in the US), because I don’t seem to be able to write about one thing at a time. Ah, well.
general link: http://mefoley.wordpress.com
permanent link to that post:
http://mefoley.wordpress.com/2011/04/01/viroconium/
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I have belated used your comment – I hope that is OK? http://wp.me/p42Yg-1LI
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Okay? I’m delighted you were interested!
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Hi Anthony
I have just used the interview material published by the Broadcasters Bulletin to create an interview with you for Castledown Radio. It will be transmitted on my morning show tomorrow, the 26th, at 8.30 and 9.30 (it’s in two parts). You can listen live via http://www.castledownradio.info. If you want the mp3 files send me your email address.
Best regards
John Sparrow
Castledown Radio
104.7 FM
Ludgershall, Wilts
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Thanks. I’ll try to listen; but yes please for the mp3 files – I will email you.
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An interesting article by author Manda Scott in the “Independent” looks at the role Rosemary Sutcliff and the “Eagle of the Ninth” have played for today’s crop of historical novelists writing fiction with a Roman setting, herself included.
‘Rome recast for today as “Eagle of the Ninth” is adapted for big screen’
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/rome-recast-for-today-as-eagle-of-the-ninth-is-adapted-for-big-screen-2244715.html
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My father was (and still is) a huge fan of Rosemary Sutcliff and when I was a kid he gave me every novel of hers that he could find. I loved them as much as he did, and I re-read them to this day. When my dad’s vikings novel Black Sun came out in 1980, Rosemary wrote the cover blurb – something that delighted both Dad and me, as you can imagine!
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Thank you – a wonderful anecdote to receive. Have you the text of the cover blurb? (I shall try to track it down anyway).
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I was a teenager when I read The Eagle Of The Ninth and it inspired me to both read and write. I told my teacher I wanted to be a writer, but being a disabled person, I doubted I would succeed. Not too long after the school had a visitor, it was Rosemary. I had my answer and I still have the passion for writing. In my opinion Rosemary is up there with the best.
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Thanks for this. Rosemary would have been delighted to know of her effect on you as a visitor to your school: I have re-posted it on the main blog. I hope that’s OK?
Anthony
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I can’t claim any past history, apart from the fact that The Eagle of the Ninth was one of the books that was on our list in school, and was particularly enjoyed.
So much so that, 30 years later, when I read the synopsis of the film, I turned to my wife and immediately recalled that I’d read a very similar book a long time ago.
That’s as good a tribute as I can give – given the hundreds of books that I’ve read in the intervening years, this story was still fondly recalled.
Robert
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I remember visiting Rosemary once, as a small boy. I believe she is a second cousin to my father Malcolm. I would like to add someone famous to the family tree I am putting together and Rosemary would seem like a good candidate.
My late brother Michael was a polio victim and I believe the visit may have been to inspire him, by showing that a physical disability does not crush a creative spirit.
I have a childhood memory of Rosemary seated in a very bright room, adjacent to a wooded area. I also have a memory of seeing a red squirrel, the first I ever saw.
The point of this post is to try and establish the names of Rosemarys parents for my tree.
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Great to hear from you. Yes Rosemary seems a good candidate for your famous family tree member. Rosemary’s father was George Ernest Sutcliff. Her mother’s name escapes me now I start typing but I will check up for you. She was my grandfather’s sister!
Sad to read that your brother both had polio and is now dead, but it would be good to think that he was indeed inspired. I suspect that the bright room you remeber is Rosemary’s study which had french windows and large other windows; and the wooded area was her garden which can be seen, as it is now here
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In conjunction with the release of “The Eagle” movie and tie-in books, Ben Kane, author of the “Forgotten Legion Chronicles”, has written an article paying homage to Rosemary Sutcliff, and reviews of “The Eagle of the Ninth” and “Silver Branch”.
http://www.commandposts.com/author/bkane/
Command Posts are also running a competition for 5 free sets of the “Eagle of the Ninth” trilogy, though it looks as if this may only be for US residents
http://www.commandposts.com/2011/02/win-1-of-5-sets-of-the-roman-britain-trilogy/
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We live in Rosemary’s old house in the lovely Sussex village of Walberton. Rosemary lived here until she died in 1992. She is very fondly remembered here, having been an active member of village life. Our next door neighbours daughter remembers coming to the house to help out and many other villagers have stories to tell, we have heard how Rosemary would welcome groups of children from the village school for talks.
The cover photograph for Blue Remembered Hills was taken in the garden, last year we replaced the dovecote in her memory.
The property includes a flint cottage which I think was once a barn/pigsty. In Rosemary’s day her housekeeper lived here. As a photographer I use this as an office & studio, and we are aware of a creative atmosphere in the house, a legacy of Rosemary’s that we continue.
One day we hope that English Heritage will see fit to honour her memory with a blue plaque.
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How wonderful to read this. I know the house well, having spent many a day there from age about 6. Latterly I used to come to stay with Rosemary with my two small children. We, or at least they, were terrorised by her little dogs! I am delighted you have replaced the dovecote in her memory-she treasured it. And she would have been so delighted that creativity continued at Swallowshaw.
Actually her handyman-driver lived in the flint cottage, as I recall. The housekeeper(s) always lived in the house, partly so there was someone around if Rosemary (who was severely disabled) needed help.
It would be wonderful if you could get some of the villagers to post their stories here too. And we should pursue the blue plaque!
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Absolutely, we should pursue the blue plaque! I was wondering what had happened to Swallowshaw, having visited it almost annually from 1969 to 1987. What a lovely tribute!
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