South Cottage

The oldest part of the pair of cottages, evidenced by the pitch of its roof (likely once thatch), low entry doors (smaller people back then!), exposed unsawn timbers in the bedrooms, an amazing rock-hard oak beam in the main room and similar bressummer supporting the centre of the chimney breast that stands outside the building. It was modernised in 1965, the kitchen area redesigned in 1990, refurbished upstairs in 2007, with an upstairs loo added and new kitchen fitted in 2020.

Since 1966, it has been by turns a 'furlough' place for its then missionary owner, a few months' sanctuary for people in a tough place, a place of spiritual retreat, a self-catering holiday let publicised by word of mouth and most recently a 'Homes for Ukraine' shelter for a woman and her son.

Many testify to it being special for them, a place from where much prayer has gone up; a 'thin' place.