My role as one of the two main freelance photographers supporting Blackdown Shepherd Huts often has me visiting some of their customers as part of their own marketing campaigns.  Touring the country with their management team talking to some of their customers is a delightful part of my business.  I meet so many wonderful hut owners/custodians and am always intrigued by their individual stories.  I allow the story of Blackdown in their life come through the images.

There are times when those customers reach out to me at a later date and become clients of mine in their own right, looking to develop their own brand images. It feels like a nod of approval, and I know it’s a strengthening of a relationship built on prior experience and trust.

This edition of ‘On Location’ is an example of one of those occasions – Old Rectory House, Somerset.  

I first met Jamie and Lisa in 2023 and was enraptured by their energy and drive. Two hard working professional with a very young family who made the decision  leave the smoke and lights of London behind, heading to the rolling hills of Somerset, fully prepared to turn their lives upside down thanks to a stunning country property with views to dream about that they fell in love with.

Arriving in Kilve, a sleepy place on the edge of Englands first official Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), The Quantocks, in 2016, they tamed the land the house stood in and lovingly redeveloped a tired old building on the property into a beautiul holiday cottage.   Their vision was to offer the perfect ‘escape’ accommodation alongside high welfare produce nurtured within their grounds.  The animals arrived, a learning curve in sheep/pig and goat husbandary followed!  A few years later they added two shepherds hut’s to their accommodation options, each one themed after one of their daughters – Dotty and Charlotte and finally a 3rd arrived in the autumn of 2023, named after their 3rd daughter – Minnie – who arrived after their move.

The biggest change came to Old Rectory House came over the winter and spring of 2023/24 when they decided that the entire business should be aimed towards a spa and wellness retreat. 

The re-development of the original holiday cottage into a wellbeing studio with spa and additional accommodation began, along with updating the outdoor heated swimming pool area and some new facilities build in an elevated position in their woodland containing a sauna, additional hot tub and an area for feasting in an outdoor kitchen.

Their aim is to nourish both mind and body and have a number of therapists and practitioners to provide a wide range of services. You truly will leave feeling lighter, brighter and well rested.

For many this may all have been a little too much to contend with in such a short period of time, but Jamie and Lisa have an incredible work ethic and are driven by a desire to share their own wellness and sustainability journey – an area they are extremely passionate about.  Lisa is blessed with the most incredible creative skills and attention to detail, time and again I’d turn and discover a pocket of bliss for others to enjoy or indulge in.

In just 8 short years they have created an oasis of joy, whether that’s for those looking for a special place to stay for a night or 3, for those looking to indulge in a day of calm, a weekend full of nourishing classes or a combination of all, it’s a place that’s ready to curate you your perfect escape for that special occassion.

Or even an everyday treatment.

You’ll find their website here and their social media channels are below in the icons.

Thanks for reading, don’t forget you can find more customer stories by visiting the ‘Client Stories’ section of my blog here. 

Rachel x

PS… if you have a brand product or service that you would love to show the world about, then drop me a message here