Places associated with writers and artists have several
kinds of attractions for visitors. First, they attract
people who have an intrinsic interest in the personal
life histories of writers or artists. The visit allows
contact with places closely associated with admired
individuals, allows sight of, and perhaps the chance
to touch, artefacts or memorabilia; the setting enhances
the experiential quality of these contacts.
The foreword to the book by Marsh,- which offered
a detailed guide to some 50 former residences of
British and Irish writers, expressed this point well: