Dorothy L. Sayers Blue Plaque

About This Blue Plaque

Dorothy L. Sayers was a renowned English crime writer, poet, playwright, essayist, translator, and Christian humanist. Born in 1893, she is best known for her mysteries, a series of novels and short stories set between the First and Second World Wars that feature English aristocrat and amateur sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey. Her first novel, “Whose Body?”, introduced Lord Peter to the world in 1923.

Sayers was one of the first women to be awarded a degree by Oxford University, and her academic and creative talents extended far beyond crime writing. She considered her translation of Dante’s “Divine Comedy” to be her best work. She also wrote religious plays like “The Man Born to be King”, which stirred up controversy at the time for portraying Christ as a character.

From 1921 to 1929, Sayers lived at 24 Great James Street in London’s Holborn neighborhood. It was during her time at this residence that she published her first few Lord Peter Wimsey stories and began to establish herself as a prominent detective novelist. In 2000, English Heritage honored her legacy by erecting a Blue Plaque at this address.

Great James Street is located in the London Borough of Camden, an area known for its rich literary history. Many other famous writers, poets, and artists have called Camden home over the years. By unveiling this plaque, London pays tribute to Sayers’ contributions to English literature and honors her as one of Camden’s most distinguished former residents.