The 17th century oak beamed house of Bateman’s became the home of Rudyard Kipling in 1902 until his death in 1936, when it passsed to his wife Carrie, and to the National Trust in 1939 after she died. When the couple first saw the house they exclaimed  ’That’s She! The Only She! Make an honest woman of her – quick!’ before immediatley buying the property. Whilst in residence Kipling wrote some of his best known works including If and Puck of Pook’s Hill. Visitors can step back in time to feel the atmosphere in which Kilping wrote with the book lined study and other rooms untouched, remaining as he left them.