ONE of Elgar's favourite places of ponder where the first notes of many a famous symphony and concerto were penned is being re-thatched by a master thatcher from Shipston, in time for the busy season ahead.

The summerhouse which sits within the cottage garden of his birthplace in Lower Broadheath, will have provided many moments of quiet contemplation for the composer and many an enlightening, melodic moment will have flashed into his mind as he enjoyed the peace.

Now placed at the Birthplace Museum, the summerhouse was originally in the garden of Elgar's last house, in Rainbow Hill, Worcester, but when that building was demolished the wood and thatch building was saved and later erected at the place he was born in Crown East Lane.

Today the Elgar Birthplace Museum and Visitor Centre, is the only museum dedicated to the great British composer.

Museum supervisor Chris Bennett said it was thanks to a grant from Ernie Kay and the Kay Trust that the roof was able to be re-thatched so the building was in tip-top condition as the visitor season started to get busier.

"It is in a lovely quiet part of the garden and people enjoy sitting in there knowing it was one of Elgar's favourite places," he said.

The thatched work is being carried out by Shipston thatcher Paul Clemons who said: "I usually work on much larger buildings but I've never worked on a building which was once owned by someone so great and famous.

"We know that Elgar used to sit in this summerhouse on summer afternoons and jot down musical ideas as they came to him. It would be nice to think that some modern-day visitors to the museum might also be inspired while sitting in this beautiful little spot."

For details of the museum go to elgarmuseum.org.uk