Powell, a Philhellene, made frequent visits to Greece, including attending the British School at Athens' excavations at Emporio on Chios in 1954 in order to report on the excavations for "The Sunday Times". She was the author of several books about the country, including 'Remember Greece' (1941); '"An Affair of the Heart" (1958), describing her repeated visits to the village of Perachora, site of Payne's excavations of the Heraion; and "The Villa Ariadne" (1973), a memoir of the archaeologists associated with the house built by Sir Arthur Evans near the palace of Knossos, including several, such as John Pendlebury, who were active in the Cretan Resistance during World War II. Other works include a biography of Payne, "The Traveller's Journey is Done" (1943). Powell served as President of the Classical Association from 1966–7, giving her presidential address at the University of Reading on 5 April 1967. She was only the second woman President of the Classical Association, following Professor Dorothy Tarrant (President 1958-9). Powell was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1974, awarded a British Film Institute Fellowship in 1983, and made an Honorary Fellow of Somerville College, Oxford University, in 1991. Powell was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.