She arrives, later walking to the nearby staithe that opens into a creek inset a marsh. During her journey, she apathetically reflects on her loneliness and Mrs Preston's overwhelming concern for her. Pegg and Sam, to stay at their home after learning she is ill. Preston, anxiously bids farewell as Anna boards a train to Norfolk she had been invited by an old couple, Mrs. The novel follows an adopted girl named Anna. Robinson continued to write more notes after the holiday, these notes were eventually collated and developed into a manuscript over the course of about 18 months. The beach, sandhills, meadows, and routes across the marsh became major settings of the story. Characteristics of The Granary influenced the fictional 'Marsh House' in the story.

The location of Burnham Overy Staithe directly defined the settings of the story. Throughout the remainder of her stay in the village, she spent time in the sandhills and wrote notes, creating the characters of Anna and Marnie. This experience prompted Robinson to write a story. She came near the house and looked through an upper window, where she saw a young girl sitting and having her hair brushed. At a distance, she noticed the house seemed to disappear into the surroundings-until low sunlight dramatically illuminated its brickwork. During low tide, Robinson walked from the beach along the marsh path, watchful of a house with distinctive blue doors and window frames, named 'The Granary'. Major natural features of the location include a creek and tidal marsh, with an isolated beach surrounded by sandhills. The daughter of Robinson, Deborah Sheppard, said that the creation of When Marnie Was There began during a family summer holiday in the coastal village of Burnham Overy Staithe. The location of Burnham Overy Staithe inspired Robinson.

Ghibli when marnie was there