This is a text-only version of an article first published on Tuesday, 19 January 2016. Information shown on this page may no longer be current.
CHOLSEY Churchyard was the scene of a special commemoration last month on the 40th anniversary of the death of Agatha Mary Clarissa Mallowan, better known to the world as Agatha Christie.
Agatha Christie's grave.
Ian Wheeler.
Around 40 people gathered around the grave of the famous writer, whose work has been translated into 103 languages - even more than Shakespeare.
The ceremony was led by Judy Dewey, Curator of Wallingford Museum and the Revd Andrew Petit, the Vicar of St Mary's. In 1934 Agatha Christie and her second husband, the renowned archaeologist Max Mallowan, bought Winterbrook House, in the parish of Cholsey on the outskirts of Wallingford.
It was to be their family home until her death there in 1976.
Mr and Mrs Mallowan attended St Mary's Church in Cholsey for many years, enjoying its quiet rural setting. Agatha was a very private person who preferred to remain well away from the oppressive glare of fame.
A brief account of her local life included her only 'public' involvement, as President of The Sinodun Players, the local amateur dramatic group; she loved a good pantomime and Wallingford Museum displays several personally written letters from her concerning this. One of her Cholsey neighbours, Tony Wheeler, recalled memories of being her paperboy as a young lad - she ordered so many different daily papers that it made his load extremely heavy! She was a kindly neighbour, well liked and respected by those who knew her. Andrew pointed out that there had been seven different vicars at Cholsey during the years of her life in the parish; he wondered which of these might have inspired the various clergy appearing in her books.
Above is the procession to the graveside.
Ian Wheeler.
Agatha's own words featured in a reading from her autobiography, including a description of the great cedar tree on the lawn at Winterbrook House.
Judy went on to read Agatha's poem The Cedar Tree which poignantly muses on the origins of the Cedars of Lebanon.
After the laying of the wreath by local naturalist and author Tony Rayner, assisted by Cholsey schoolgirl Rosie Powell, the ceremony ended with a prayer of thanksgiving for the life and work of Agatha Christie and a note that commemorations will be continued in a full Celebrating Agatha Christie Weekend in Cholsey and Wallingford from 9-11 September 2016. Judy Dewey is the Curator of the Wallingford Museum.