With a deep respect for the land and woodland around them, Ross and Marina were committed to building using their own timber, stone, and as many reclaimed or environmentally sound materials as possible. They began by clearing windblown larch trees by hand, stripping each trunk with spades. These first timbers became the skeletal structure of the building.
Over the following months they carefully selected and felled additional trees by hand. Much of the woodland required thinning for healthy long-term growth, allowing this work to benefit both their project and the forest. The process quickly became a labour of love, drawing the whole family into the woods daily and strengthening their appreciation of the resources the land was providing.
Once the timber frame was ready, they constructed the foundations and stem walls using stone and lime mortar—deliberately avoiding concrete. An abundance of stone from former walls and old buildings on the land was hand-collected, sorted, and laid over many months.
The timber frame was erected with only minimal assistance from the tractor to avoid disturbing the woodland floor. They are now completing the reciprocal roof structure. The walls will be built from hempcrete and finished with lime plaster for warmth and breathability. Recycled glass windows will fill the entire south-facing side and the centre of the roof, and a living grass roof will allow the building to blend naturally into the landscape.
The completed building will contain a circular teaching room with a central roof window, two treatment rooms for clinical herbal practice, a dispensary, and a large kitchen for course catering. Situated beside the woodland and river, the structure forms part of a wider landscape that includes ancient hazel groves, woodland trails, a medicinal teaching garden, and a developing food forest.
To learn more about herbal medicine from Ross and Marina, visit the videos page and articles page. To explore upcoming workshops and courses, visit the event shop. For information on the medicinal plants they grow, see the herb nursery.
