Wealden Times | WT260 | January 2024 | Good Living Supplement inside

This page: Originally a simple two-up, twodown,
the farmhouse has been extended over
the years to create a five bedroom home
not a B&B.” The first thing on their list was to
raise the standard of the accommodation which Ian
oversaw himself. He explains, “We re-built the barns
from the inside out.” Lifting the entire timber frame
onto car jacks to create more solid footings and then
adding the plasterboard first. This hands-on approach
has been instrumental in creating the farm the way
it is. Ian continues, “Most of the farm is hand built.
Which means you get exactly what you want. It may
take more time, but it feels more normal to me.”
Abutting the courtyard outside is another
traditional barn, but on a much larger scale than
the others. As I walk inside I’m gobsmacked to find
a cavernous space which reminds me of a Medieval
banqueting hall. A grand part-glazed area with a
vaulted ceiling and high dark-wood panelled walls.
When we arrive it’s set up as a dining hall, but it’s
a multi-functional room that can be turned into a
meeting space or a yoga studio with relative ease. The
custom made tables are an example of the many small
tweaks that have been made across the farm to make
life easier for guests. Ian says, “I got fed up moving
the old tables around, these have removable tops so
they’re easy to shift.” Towards the rear of the hall
there is another example of the constant evolution
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