Fans retrace literary character's footsteps through Kirkcudbright
09.10.2023 - 07:49
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
A special tour has retraced the footsteps of a literary character through Kirkcudbright.
Dorothy L Sayers used the town’s vibrant artistic community as the backdrop for her 1931 novel Five Red Herrings, with last week’s tour taking people along the route followed by aristocratic detective Lord Peter Wimsey as he solved the murder mystery.
The town’s current artistic community collaborated with the organisers to reimagine the town in the 1930s to put on a historical tour de force for the rapt assembled audience.
Tour leaders, Fiona Lee and Sarah McConnell, entertained with fulsome and fascinating knowledge.
Dorothy L Sayers Society artist in residence, Jane Gibson, was present with her DLS material to support the occasion.
Artist Ewan McClure put in a special appearance at Broughton House, where the fabulous Alvis vintage car outside received copious attention.
The talented Kirkcudbright quintet was rounded off by refreshments organised by Joanna Scott, general manager of The Selkirk Arms Hotel – a favourite hostelry of Dorothy L Sayers and her Kirkcudbright entourage.
Famously the Selkirk Arms featured as a location during the popular BBC series in 1987 which featured Ian Carmichael as Lord Peter Wimsey.
The timing of the tour marked 100 years since Dorothy’s first novel, Whose Body, was published to largely favourable reviews. Thanks go to Wigtown Book Festival 2023 for conceiving and supporting the event and to Storm Agnes for holding off until the tour had finished.
Local DLS Society fan Jim Beveridge kindly provided these pictures of the occasion.