IT IS the country home where Walt Disney was entertained and now it could be about to get historical recognition.

The Barretts – a grade two listed cottage in Fitchingfield – was home to Dodie Smith, who penned 101 Dalmations, which was turned into an incredibly successful Disney animation.

Dodie, who brought the cottage in 1934 for £425 and lived there until her death in 1990, was a lively, sociable and focussed writer, who wrote five other novels, three children’s books, 11 plays and four sequential autobiographies.

Now her home could get a blue plaque from the Braintree and Bocking Civic Society.

Ron Hawkins, a local historian, said: “I think this will be recognition for Dodie. She is internationally known and had eight plays going on simultaneously at one time in London.”

The house is now home to her first cousin once removed, Christopher Reynolds-Jones, who first met her when he was aged 11.

He remembers her love of animals and said that when her pet dalmation Folly had a litter of 15, she was inspired to write 101 Dalmations.

He added: “Talking of her love of animals, she wouldn’t even close a book to kill a fly in it. She would close it very gently to make sure it didn’t injure anything.”

Mrs Smith, who wrote her first works under the pseudonym CL Anthony, thought up her infamous baddie Cruella after buying her Rolls-Royce, a Sedanca de Ville. The name came from the car and the inspiration for the character was partly due to a comment from a friend, who said of Dodie’s pets, “wouldn’t those puppies make lovely fur coats?”. Mr Reynolds-Jones said he had many memories of visiting her with his parents as a child and eating “the most delicious chicken that I have never tasted the like of since”, and finishing with afternoon tea.

Her hosting was renowned. Mrs Smith, a talented pianist, entertained Walt Disney in her impressive music room when he came to broker the animation deal for 101 Dalmations.

She kept her maiden name, despite marrying Alec Beesley when she was 43, and he became her manager.

Mr Reynolds-Jones said they worked well together as a team, adding: “They were a devoted couple. Alec was about 12 years younger than Dodie, and when he died before her, Dodie felt it was unreasonable he went first.”

Public consultation on whether planning permission should be granted for the blue plaque ends this week.