An arty stay in cider land: a brush with the Somerset countryside
Share:
A cosy cabin offers not just a place to stay but a chance to learn from local artists and discover the gentle, rolling landscape and its farm produce. Frost tints the landscape silver as we set up our easels in the watery morning sunlight. On the horizon is Burrow Hill, a gentle surge in the pancake-flat Somerset scene. Local artist Frances Watts talks me through how to mix colour palettes and then, with her help, I attempt to capture some of the wintry magic in oils.
![[Craftsman’s Cabin, Somerset]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/3cc1ac8a9c51b34a5f3c2dfd57f665d429d4241d/0_284_2400_1440/master/2400.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
I’d come to Kingsbury Episcopi, 20 minutes west of Yeovil, to stay in the new Craftsman’s Cabin, set in its own meadow on the edge of the Somerset Levels and Moors. Built by hand, the interior brims with work by artists from the area – some of Frances’ paintings hang on the walls. Those who stay can arrange an outdoor painting session, connecting more deeply with the pretty countryside and taking a keepsake home.
![[Sculptor and stone carver Tom Clark.]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/19d09bd4e4a223d6e1d4f96bb6b3058a5713aff9/0_64_3703_2221/master/3703.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
While the Somerset art scene may be dominated by Bruton farther north, with its Hauser & Wirth gallery, in the south there’s a more down-to-earth, crafty vibe, says cabin owner Decca Lang, an interior designer who grew up on a farm here. “There’s a long tradition of all sorts of crafts and lots of artists around here,” she says. “I wanted to celebrate local craftsmanship and creativity and shine a spotlight on our wonderful makers. Guests can even try their hand at something while they’re here – pottery, basket weaving, painting – it’s all nearby.”.
![[The cabin has a wide veranda and outdoor bath.]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/9b9fcdd04cf963b9af68cf9737f0c2de69c15f62/0_81_2400_1440/master/2400.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
We walk through a small orchard to the two-bedroom cabin which faces west to make the most of the sunset. Inside, it’s all earthy colours, with a cosy living area warmed by a wood burner, well-equipped kitchen and a wide covered veranda with rocking chairs, table and freestanding roll-top bath. Everything has a story: the woollen blanket by Gather was made with wool from sheep three fields away, the curtains were made from cloth woven by Fox Brothers, the oldest surviving mill in Somerset, and the firepit was forged by a blacksmith in the next village.
![[Sunrise at Burrow Hill Cider Farm.]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/ba9a68b584f745128b41fa13dc08706ddf0882fc/0_392_7586_4552/master/7586.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
.jpeg?crop=4:5,smart&quality=75&auto=webp&width=960)
.jpeg?width=1200&auto=webp)
