Wealden Times | WT265 | June 2024 | Education Supplement inside

Above: Next to the main bedroom, a family bathroom
has a huge walk-in wet room area and a generous freestanding
bath, all from Drench Left: The careful renovation
has left many of the stables’ original timbers exposed,
carefully blending the old with the contemporary
to share our beautiful farm with much larger groups.
The first phase will sleep 18 people and once the barn
is converted this will extend to 26,” says Andrew who,
along with Rachel, plans to run holistic, experiential
retreats that are rooted in food, the arts and wellness.
Currently the two-bedroom stables, North and South,
are both available as holiday lets, having been beautifully
renovated by the couple. The North Stable is both pet and
family friendly and available to rent via Petspyjamas.com
(the South Stable is pet-free). All the building work
has been done by Andrew, who also renovates historic
properties, when he is not working on Crabtree Farm.
The couple’s passion for interiors and for garden
design is apparent throughout the stunning and very
sympathetic renovation. A modern rustic aesthetic has
been employed by Andrew and Rachel, who have aimed
to be as sustainable as possible with their choices. “We
took out the gas and oil and put in air source pumps and
will be using solar power for the entire farm. We have
used locally sourced materials wherever possible and we
recycle whatever we can. Eventually we want the entire
farm to be self-sufficient and for families to be able to
come down and live off grid during their stay with us.”
Despite the back-to-nature narrative, there is still
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