A literary history of famous artists, authors and publishers from Worcester Park is uncovered as a church holds a heritage open day.

St Mary’s Church, Worcester Park, sits at the top of the Avenue – a road once home to science fiction author Herbert George Wells who penned The Time Machine, The Invisible Man and The War of the Worlds.

Painters William Holman Hunt and John Everett Millais, two of the founders of the pre-Raphaelite movement, also used it.

They lived at Worcester Park Farm in the latter part of 1851, while working on some of their most famous paintings, such as The Light of the World and Ophelia in the Stream.

The farm later became Worcester Court – now Worcester Gardens – where novelist Annie Hector, whose pen name was Mrs Alexander, wrote about 40 books, including Look Before You Leap and The Wooing of O’t.

Publisher Allen Lane, who founded Penguin Books and the associated Pelicans and Puffins, also lodged for a time at Eastwood, in the Avenue, when he was a young man working in his uncle’s publishing company the Bodley Head in the early 1920s.

Author and historian David Rymill said: “This area is rich in literary history and visitors will be able to browse through a book display associated with them.

“There will also be a chance to see some of the parish’s present artistic and literary activities such as the Epsom Lacemakers, who will stage an exhibition and a demonstration of lacemaking.

“Botanist Richard Crook will also exhibit some paintings.”

The open day will be held on Saturday, September 11, from 11am to 5pm.