Dame Daphne du Maurier, Lady Browning was as born in London in 1907 and grew up in Cannon Place, Hampstead.

She was the daughter of the famous actor/manager Sir Gerald du Maurier and the actress Muriel Beaumont.

Although du Maurier is classed as a romantic novelist, her stories have been described as “moody and resonant” with overtones of the paranormal. Many have been successfully adapted into films, including the novels Rebecca, and My Cousin Rachel, and the short stories “The Birds” and “Don’t Look Now”.  Du Maurier spent much of her life in Cornwall, where most of her works are set. As her fame increased, she became more reclusive.

Her father gave her two cottages (at the rear of his garden) as a wedding present, which were knocked together, and the Daphne moved in with her new husband, Sir Frederick Arthur Montague known variously as Boy or Tommy.

They lived in Cannon Cottage until 1934. Thereafter they lived in Cornwall. Her most famous novel Rebecca was written in 1938 whilst she was a military wife living in Egypt, where she was desperately missing home.

The plaque was erected in 2011 and unveiled by her daughter Lady Tessa Montgomery who was born in the house and married to the 2nd Viscount Montgomery of Alamein.