A year-long programme celebrating Agatha Christie's connection to Stockport is underway, with free community events planned throughout 2026. 

The programme, organised by Cheadle Civic Society, includes talks, walking tours, literary events, and a book club. All are free, though many require advance booking. 

The initiative highlights the author's ties to the village through her sister Madge, who lived in Cheadle with her husband James Watts from 1902 to 1950.

Their home, Abney Hall, now a Grade-II listed building, is widely believed to have inspired the country house settings featured prominently in Christie's novels. 

Christie also stayed at Abney Hall following her well-known disappearance in 1926, and dedicated several of her works to the house and her extended family in the area. 

Chairman of the Civic Society, Phillip Gould-Bourn MBE, said: "Lots of places claim a 'Christie connection', but Cheadle's is a very personal - and influential - one. Madge lived in Cheadle all of her adult life, and it's clear her home was a place of refuge for her sister, in good times and bad. 

"Through the programme of events we've put together - all of which are free of charge - we hope to make more people aware of the influence our village had on the life and work of the best-selling novelist of all time." 

Events already held include the launch of the Agatha Christie Book Club by contemporary crime writer Kate Ellis, as well as a village walking tour on April 19 and an "In Conversation" event with crime writers Martin Edwards and Kate Ellis on April 25.

advertisement

Looking ahead at the packed summer itinerary, the next book club session on 7 May is already full, but more dates are planned. The July session, focusing on The Body in the Library, will open for registration to members in mid-May, with remaining spaces released in June. 

A walking tour around the village, led by the local historian Andrew Frazer, is on the schedule, which will highlight the buildings and locations with ties to Christie and her novels. The next registration for this will open on 2 May. 

Meanwhile, local brewer Hydes Brewery is supporting the celebrations through its pubs. The James Watts and The Crown will serve a special guest ale, Who Dunnit, on selected dates. 

A key moment in the programme is the unveiling of an information board outside Abney Hall by Christie's grandson, Mathew Prichard, detailing her connection to Cheadle.  

Abney Hall, now owned by Bruntwood, will also open its doors for selected events this year, with plans to take part in the Heritage Open Days in 2026. 

Sharon Johnson, head of commercial at Bruntwood, said: "We're proud to be supporting Cheadle Civic Society in opening up this remarkable building and sharing its history with the wider community. 

"Celebrating Abney Hall's literary legacy, and its deep connection to Cheadle, feels like a fitting way to bring people together and shine a light on the stories that were inspired by the building."