The Snowshill Cats

About the Book

            The story developed from the author’s visits to Snowshill Manor where the remains of a model village, showing Wolf’s Cave and Thirwall Manor, can still be seen. When the whole village was assembled, it was so realistic not in photographs it would pass as a real place. John Betjeman wrote an article about it for ‘The Architectural Review’ (1932) allowing his readers to believe that it was a real but little known village in an isolated creation. Only in the final sentences did he reveal the truth.

            Sheep still graze peacefully in the fields surrounding the manor house and its unusual village. Doves still frequent the dovecote. Cats wander the gardens, and who knows what lives they lead when the visitors depart?

About the Author

            Frances Ball was born in Kew where she spent her childhood. Her family later moved to the south-west where she trained to teach infants. Her favourite teaching post was at Parracombe School on Exmoor where the niece of Richard Doddridge Blackmore (author of Loma Doone) had once been headmistress. She began writing as part of her work as a teacher. Her book The Development of Reading Skills was published by Blackwells. She has also written various children’s stories. These have appeared in collections such as The Flying Squirrel And Other Stories In The Woodlands (Eurobook) and under her own imprints, Bradhill Books and Paper Leaves.Her two sons have always been dedicated football supporters. They have written about the fame and the sentimental trade memorabilia.