Plankbridge Hut Makers

The Classic Plankbridge
Shepherd’s Hut
The shepherd’s hut as we know it today started life in the Victorian
era. On the South Downs of England large flocks of sheep were
folded with hazel hurdles, fertilising the ground as they went. The
shepherd would also tend to his ewes at lambing time. His basic and
much-needed shelter would have been a shepherd’s hut. The iconic
metal cladding and curved roof developed soon after the invention of
corrugated iron by Henry Palmer and Richard Walker in the 1840’s.
Plankbridge have been making and restoring shepherd’s huts for many
years, inspired by an original hut that stood by the drove on the way
to Thomas Hardy’s cottage near Dorchester. Sure that the shape and
size could be utilised for a wide range of modern day uses, Richard and
Jane set about making their first hut using an old set of wheels. Today
Plankbridge have the country’s leading team of hutmaker craftsmen
making home offices, artist’s studios, extra bedrooms and holiday
ventures. Customers include The National Trust, Kate Humble’s farm
in Monmouthshire and St James’s Church, Piccadilly.
The Plankbridge shepherd’s hut is based closely on Victorian originals.
We have a wonderful set of blueprints from the Dorchester firm of
Lott & Walne, and our classic huts closely follow the proportions of
these plans, and those of other local firms such as Farris of Shaftesbury
and Reeves of Bratton. Within the classic form of the original huts
the contemporary structure is fully insulated and lined with breather
membrane and vapour barrier. The huts have one foot firmly in the
past and one very much in the present.
plankbridge.com | 01300 348414