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Neverland

August 15, 2011

The story of Peter Pan has enthralled millions of children the world over since JM Barrie penned the classic in 1904. But the house which inspired the fantasy adventure came close to being lost forever.

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Peter Pan bookcover
Children will soon have a chance to visit the original Neverland

Moat Brae House in the town of Dumfries in south-western Scotland is where the young JM Barrie spent some of the happiest times of his childhood. Playing pirates in the gardens of what he described as the "enchanted land" became the inspiration for Peter Pan and his fantasy island Neverland, where children never grow up.

However, the home designed by Walter Newall and built in 1823 was set for demolition. From a private house, it was turned into a care home in 1914 and then boarded up and left to decay from 1997.

Now ambitious plans are afoot to turn the dilapidated shell of Moat Brae House into an international center of literature for children celebrating the magical and unique history of the once grand building.

JM Barrie (1860-1937)
'Peter Pan' was Barrie's most famous workImage: picture-alliance / KPA

Saved from the bulldozer

Cathy Agnew, project development director of the Peter Pan Moat Brae Trust which aims to raise 4 million pounds (4.55 million euros) to save the landmark, explained that the trust was set up two years ago.

"The first thing we had to do was go to court to get an injunction to stop its demolition. We literally saved the house from the bulldozer by three days," she said.

Agnew and her colleagues at the trust did a lot of research to devise a plan to transform the building into Scotland's first center for children's literature.

"Somebody said to me, 'What is the point in this? Isn't it because of JM Barrie?' and I said of course it is," recalled Agnew. "That was the key and suddenly we realized we had to go back to what JM Barrie did for children, literature, imagination and inspiration."

According to the trust, the building will not last another winter without essential repairs to make it watertight. British actress and former Bond girl Joanna Lumley lent her face to the cause and launched a fundraising appeal.

"In the first phase, we are looking to raise 750,000 pounds for the emergency repairs and to put on a new roof to keep it wind and watertight," Agnew said.

Fiona Hyslop (right) and Cathy Agnew in Moat Brae
Hyslop and Agnew inspect the interiorImage: Crown Reproduced Courtesy Of Historic Scotland

Scottish Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop announced a 250,000-pound grant from heritage agency Historic Scotland this week to help kick-start the repairs program.

"JM Barrie comes from a long list of renowned Scottish writers who have delighted generations of children around the world," said Hyslop. "It is a lovely idea that both the house and the garden that inspired him to write this story can provide inspiration for a whole new generation of children.

Birthplace of Peter Pan

JM Barrie (1860-1937) was born the ninth of 10 children in the town of Kirriemuir in Angus, Scotland and moved to Dumfries when he was 13. He was a journalist and became a well-known author and dramatist, although "Peter Pan" is by far the most famous of his works. Before he died, Barrie gave the rights of "Peter Pan" to Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital in London, which to this day benefits from the royalties.

Agnew says working on the project and hearing people's reactions to Barrie has made her realize what a place of cultural significance Moat Brae House can become. She recalled attending a conference in Madrid celebrating 100 years of Peter Pan and Wendy and those she met were awestruck when they found out she came from Dumfries - the birthplace of Peter Pan.

Moat Brae
Barrie spent time in the house's gardens when he was a childImage: Peter Pan Moat Brae Trust

"Sometimes you need outside eyes to make us realize what we've got here," said Agnew. "From reactions like that, we know it's a site of international cultural and literary significance."

Joanna Lumley also unveiled a statue of Peter Pan in Dumfries this week in recognition of the part the town played in the story.

Plans are now underway to create a Peter Pan exhibition and a Peter Pan experience at Moat Brae House, where the trust also intends to hold workshops and invite children's authors to tell stories, run creative writing classes and help children with reading.

Author: Lillian McDowall

Editor: Kate Bowen