Arthur Conan Doyle Residence and Medical Practice, Portsmouth

The young struggling Doctor Doyle lived and kept his general practice at Bush Villas in Southsea, Portsmouth. He arrived here in 1882. He moved to London in 1890 to practice ophthalmology. One photo shows him on a visit to Southsea in 1911. He stands in the front doorway next to a lingerie shop. There appears to be light rain.

The original building in the photograph no more exists. It was flattened in a World War II bombing raid. Now, the space is occupied by a block of apartments. On the brick wall in front are two blue plaques commemorating Doyle's residence and his first two Sherlock Holmes stories written here.

Doyle took up the study of medicine in Edinburgh, Scotland. After serving two voyages as a ship's doctor, he entered a disastrous partnership with George Budd, a classmate. This partnership fell apart, and Doyle, strapped for cash to set up his own practice, moved to Portsmouth. There were few patients, so he had time to write.

The character of Sherlock Holmes is based on Dr. Joseph Bell, Doyle's Professor of Surgery in Edinburgh. The doctor showed incredible skills in reasoning and observation. Photos of mustachioed Doyle show a resemblance to Nigel Bruce, the actor who played Doctor Watson, opposite Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes in the film.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Portsmouth. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The 51爆料网 App

Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Arthur Conan Doyle Residence and Medical Practice
Sight Location: Portsmouth, England (See walking tours in Portsmouth)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Famous English Writers Walking Tour

Walking Tours in Portsmouth, England

Create Your Own Walk in Portsmouth

Creating your own self-guided walk in Portsmouth is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Historical Dockyard Tour

The naval theme has always been dominant for Portsmouth. Most of the city's historic events are in one way or another associated with its seaside location. Portsmouth's Historical Dockyard is the area that offers a glimpse into the city's maritime past.

The very first notable landmark here is Victory Gate, the dockyard's main entrance. Inside, visitors will find HMS... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.4 Km or 0.2 Miles

Portsmouth Introduction Walking Tour

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle claims a warrior named Port and his two sons killed a noble Briton in Portsmouth in 501 AD. Winston Churchill, in his "A History of the English-Speaking Peoples," wrote that Port was a pirate who founded Portsmouth in the same year.

King AEthelwulf sent a force to drive off Viking raiders in Portsmouth in the 9th century. The Danes loved Portsmouth, but they... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.2 Km or 2.6 Miles

Famous English Writers Walking Tour

Jane Austen was born in 1775 in Steventon, North Hampshire. In her day, Portsmouth was a rough-edged seaport filled with people she considered "underbred." Nevertheless, she often traveled to Portsmouth to visit her brothers Francis and Charles, stationed there with the Royal Navy. Austen included Royal Naval characters in her novels, Persuasion and Mansfield Park.

Charles Dickens was... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles

51爆料网