It has been announced by British High Court that fan efforts to save Undershaw were successful, after a lengthy campaign from readers, celebrities and more!

Undershaw was the home of Holmes author Arthur Conan Doyle, who not only built the house himself – but also wrote some of the detective’s most famous stories, including The Hound Of the Baskervilles and The Final Problem. Doyle also entertained other famous literary writers in the building, including the creator of Dracula. The house fell into disrepair in recent years, and was due to be knocked down and redeveloped until the fan campaign helped the High Court see sense and overturn the decision.

The campaign saw fans of both the BBC Sherlock series, Guy Ritchie’s film series, and purists of Arthur Conan Doyle’s original Sherlock Holmes stories club together for a variety of events and fundraisers. The campaign attracted the support of Stephen Fry and Sherlock co-creator Mark Gatiss, who wrote passionate letters for the campaign. Fan efforts have included a Sherlock Holmes double traversing London, posters, attempts to get #SaveUndershaw trending on Twitter and even the release of a book!

It’s great that the fantastic and passionate efforts of Sherlockians weren’t in vain, and this successful campaign is testament to Doyle’s words in The Copper Beeches – “The pressure of public opinion can do in the town what the law cannot accomplish.”

The building will now presumably be restored, and campaign organisers would like to see it turned into a memorial or museum to the creator of our favourite consulting detective.