THE twin draws of Sherlock Holmes and the recent restoration of author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s former Hindhead home, attracted more than 250 visitors to Sunday’s Heritage Open Days event at Undershaw.

Now home to Stepping Stones upper school for pupils with special educational needs, Undershaw opened its doors from 10am-4pm, and the activities on offer featured a talk by Emmy-winning Hollywood screenwriter Bonnie MacBird, who has just published the second book in her Sherlock Holmes trilogy, and guided tours by restoration architect Mark Goodchild.

More than 80 people enjoyed her talk ‘Writing Sherlock Now – Modern Holmes on screen and in print’, covering BBC and film adaptations and contemporary novels, and she teamed up with Haslemere Bookshop to sign copies of her new publication, Unquiet Spirits.

“As a Sherlockian and deep admirer of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, it was a thrill to have the opportunity to speak at Undershaw, the home built and designed by the creator of Sherlock Holmes,” she said.

“Undershaw has been lovingly and creatively adapted to house the beautiful Stepping Stones School.

“Sir Arthur’s study has been restored to its original footprint, and I was humbled to be invited to sign my own homage to the great man in the very place he penned Hound of the Baskervilles. Congratulations to the school and the architect for a stunning adaptation of a place revered by Sherlockians worldwide.”

She also got to see the Haslemere Society’s Blue Plaque denoting Conan Doyle’s residence from 1897-1907 which was unveiled at the school reopening last year.

Stepping Stones’ business manager Anne Edwards said: “It was a very successful day. people started arriving before we even opened and they came from as far afield as Southampton and north London.

“Before Bonnie gave her talk she did a very inspiring workshop for our media students, talking about her career as a writer, actress, playwright, screenwriter and producer.”

She thanked the volunteers who organised the day, including three students who acted as tour guides.