$500 million energy project meets Harry Potter fan backlash over Dobby’s grave
Harry Potter fans rallied to protect Dobby’s fictional grave — and the way they pulled it off is the real magic.
When plans for the Greenlink interconnector called for bringing a high-voltage cable ashore at Freshwater West Beach in Wales—the spot where the Harry Potter films shot Dobby’s death—phone lines lit up. Project manager Simon Ludlam says that after he discussed the landing site during a BBC Wales segment in 2019, he was hit with “hundreds” of calls from viewers begging him not to disturb the house-elf’s fictional grave.
“The whole thing is fictitious,” Ludlam recalled discussing it with his colleague, only to get a clear picture that this was indeed serious.
Speaking on the Energy Revolution podcast, Ludlam—who now runs Etchea Energy—said the team ultimately rerouted the cable away from the memorial. According to the BBC, the project now passes near two real Bronze Age archaeological remains instead of crossing the fan-made tribute on the beach.
- Project: Greenlink interconnector between Ireland and the UK
- Route length: 125 miles, County Wexford to the Pembrokeshire coast
- Cost: about $500 million (£430 million)
- Status: operational since last year (per The New York Times)
Why this beach matters
Freshwater West doubled for Shell Cottage in the movies, and it’s where Dobby dies—killed by a thrown knife—before Harry buries him overlooking the sea. Since then, fans have treated the spot like a shrine, leaving notes and mementos to the character.
In 2022, the National Trust, which manages the site, decided to let the memorial remain in the environmentally sensitive dunes—but asked visitors not to leave socks or other items that could harm marine life.