Have you ever wondered if there is a real-life 17 Cherry Tree Lane in London, just like the one in the beloved childhood classic, Mary Poppins? Well, the answer is both yes and no.
The Fictional 17 Cherry Tree Lane
First, let’s talk about the 17 Cherry Tree Lane that we all know and love from Mary Poppins. This address served as the Banks family’s home in both the book by P.L.
Travers and the subsequent Disney film adaptation. It was at this address where Mary Poppins arrived to take care of Jane and Michael Banks, transforming their lives with her magical adventures.
In reality, however, there is no actual 17 Cherry Tree Lane in London. The address was entirely fictionalized by Travers for her book.
Real-Life Inspiration for 17 Cherry Tree Lane
So if there’s no real-life 17 Cherry Tree Lane, where did Travers get her inspiration for the iconic address? Some sources suggest that she based it on a street called Cherry Tree Road in a London suburb called East Dulwich.
While this street doesn’t have a house number 17 (the highest number is only 16), it’s possible that Travers combined elements from various locations to create her fictional address.
Other Locations with Similar Addresses
Interestingly enough, there are other locations around London with addresses similar to 17 Cherry Tree Lane. For example, there is a house at 19 Cherrywood Gardens in southeast London that has become known as “the real-life” Banks family home due to its striking resemblance to the one in Mary Poppins.
Similarly, there is a residential street in southwest London called Lavender Sweep which features houses with numbers that reach into the teens. While none of these houses are number 17 either, it’s possible that they could have served as inspiration for Travers’ fictional address.
Conclusion
In summary, while there is no actual 17 Cherry Tree Lane in London, it’s clear that the fictional address has become a beloved part of popular culture. Whether Travers took inspiration from real-life locations or created the address entirely from her imagination, the magic of Mary Poppins and her adventures on Cherry Tree Lane will continue to captivate readers and viewers for generations to come.