Wednesday 16th September 2026

Amber Butchart: The Forensic Fashion of Agatha Christie

The Agatha Christie Festival is delighted to welcome Amber Butchart for the first time. Amber is often seen on television in shows such as Great British Sewing Bee sharing her extensive knowledge on the history of fashion. For many Christie fans, it is the costumes and fashions in the TV and film adaptations that epitomise the glamour of the Golden Age of crime fiction. However, there is a deeper connection between these fashions and Christie's texts.

Drawing on the evidence found in Christie's detective novels, fashion historian and Forensic Garment Analyst Amber Butchart investigates the relationship between clothing and crime in her work.

Amber Butchart is a curator, historian and broadcaster who specialises in the cultural and political history of textiles, dress and design. She has researched and presented documentaries for television and radio, including the six-part series A Stitch in Time for BBC Four that fused biography, art and the history of fashion to explore the lives of historical figures through the clothes they wore, and she is the history consultant and resident historian for BBC One's Great British Sewing Bee. She is a practitioner in the field of fashion forensics, acting as an external adviser for the National Crime Agency as a Forensic Garment Analyst, working on cases that require investigation of clothing and textiles. She's the author of five books on the history and culture of dress, and her exhibitions include The Fabric of Democracy at the Fashion and Textile Museum and Splash! A Century of Swimming and Style at the Design Museum, both in London.

www.amberbutchart.com

Gallery

Venue: Spanish Barn, Torre Abbey

Accessibility

There is a drop-off point and limited parking within the grounds for disabled visitors. Entry to the Spanish Barn is relatively level, but there are a few cobble stones to cross, before entering the completely flat interior. We have space for wheelchairs, although if you let us know in advance, we can ensure that there is ample dedicated space for the number of wheelchair users. We have again raised the height of the main stage this year, so that guest speakers can easily be seen and have a hearing loop in the front half of the Barn nearest the stage. We also have two TV screens midway down the barn screening what is happening on the stage. There is a disabled toilet available to the rear of the Spanish Barn.

If you have any particular access requirements or enquiries, do please get in touch and we will do whatever we feasibly can to accommodate you. Please email admin@iacf-uk.org

Getting there

Getting to the venue

The Spanish Barn is in the grounds of Torre Abbey. This is on Torquay seafront and walkable from most hotels in the area. It is also right next to Torquay Train Station.

Parking

There is no parking in the grounds of Torre Abbey except for disabled parking. The nearest car park is Torre Valley - Torbay Council. This is a five-minute walk from the Spanish Barn.

Toilets

Toilets are available to the rear of the Spanish Barn for the duration of the Literary Festival.

Inside the Spanish Barn

Whilst we only have one evening event in the Spanish Barn this year, it can get cold so please dress with this in mind.

Food and Drink

The cafe at Torre Abbey is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am till 4pm and is dog friendly.

A short 10-minute walk away from the Spanish Barn are a variety of cafes, bars and takeaways.

Dogs

Dogs, except for assistance dogs, are not allowed in the Spanish Barn.

If you have any further questions, please email admin@iacf-uk.org

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