CASE STUDY RECLAIMED RETREAT
A timber cabin in the woods, designed as a tranquil Cornish rural retreat, has been carefully crafted from reclaimed, natural and sustainable materials
TEXT DEBBIE JEFFERY IMAGES UNIQUE HOME STAYS
s a Cornish farmer, Bob Coad has always held strong opinions on ecology and the merits of sustainable building, so when it came to designing a woodland cabin on his own land there was no question that the project would be as environmentally benign as possible. “There had been a caravan on our farm for almost 40 years which was occupied by a retired farm worker, Andrew, who grew all his own vegetables – giving away the surplus to friends in the village,” explains Bob. “Andrew died when he was in his late 80s, so we needed to move the old caravan and decide what to do with the small piece of land where it had stood.” Bob and his wife, Pat, planned to build a secluded woodland cabin on the plot using local, natural materials and causing as little disruption to the immediate area as possible. “Andrew was a master of make do and mend,” says Bob. “After a lifetime spent working on farms he lived frugally in the caravan and discarded very little, spending his time gardening, repairing hedges and walking his dog.” Andrew’s consideration and knowledge of his natural surroundings inspired Bob and Pat to design something simple and rustic, which they
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could rent out for holidays to people in need of a rural escape – creating an additional income stream. The couple grow crops and raise sheep and cattle on their 350-acre farm, in the quiet village of Cubert on the north coast of Cornwall, five miles from the busy seaside resort of Newquay and within walking distance of Holywell Bay. “My father originally bought the narrow strip of land as part of the farm and then it was passed to me while Andrew was still living there,” Bob explains. The land stands between an old barn and a field, and is edged with elm trees, making it a peaceful setting with long views towards the sand dunes.
Although the couple had a vague idea about building a house in the woods, they soon realised that expert guidance would be needed as this was their first new build project.
Bob continues: “I got O-Level woodwork at school, but that didn’t really equip me for building a cabin, so Pat went to the Cornwall Home and Lifestyle Show, where she met Stuart Bowman-Harris on the Good Life Joinery stand.” He adds: “I then had a chat with him on the phone and visited an oak-framing
july/august 2019 TRANQUIL
Standing in a tranquil woodland setting and inspired by a “true countryman who once lived on the site” Juneberry cabin was designed and created with a ‘make do and mend’ ethos using local and reclaimed materials
LOW POINT
“Building the cabin took longer than we thought, partly because of the site location, but not having a fixed deadline gave us more time to solve any problems.” – Bob Coad
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