WHAT IS HOGCHESTER?
Image by Angela Ward Brown
Hogchester is the 75 acre remnant of a Dorset dairy farm with a deep rooted local history stretching back a thousand years. Set in an beautiful rural location within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the locality is quiet and unspoilt with views to the Dorset Jurassic Coast. The land was formerly part of the Forde Abbey Estate with the medieval centre of the farmhouse dating back to the 12th century.
Hogchester now aims to maximise the conservation potential of the site and to provide unique ways for people to enjoy, get close, and be inspired creatively by nature. The land encompasses a wonderful diversity of wildlife habitats from the ancient broadleaved oak trees, ponds and streams to the wildflower meadows and SNCI area. Although the land already supports a rich and varied complex of natural flora and fauna we are working closely with Dorset Wildlife Trust to enrich this with sensitive and appropriate management (follow our conservation link to learn more).
Art is an important part of Hogchester's current story and we have established an ongoing Artist Residency Program to explore the intersections between contemporary art practices and the land at Hogchester. Residents are invited to stay and work on site in order to be inspired by Hogchester and respond to its unique history and landscape. A program of workshops, artist talks and exhibitions are planned for the future.
For our holiday guests, who stay in the cottage, we hope that Hogchester becomes a precious memory, of time spent relaxing with those they love. It is a place where nostalgic childhood memories easily coalesce around the rhythm of goats and chickens and nature. The kinds of memories that last a life time.
Hogchester now aims to maximise the conservation potential of the site and to provide unique ways for people to enjoy, get close, and be inspired creatively by nature. The land encompasses a wonderful diversity of wildlife habitats from the ancient broadleaved oak trees, ponds and streams to the wildflower meadows and SNCI area. Although the land already supports a rich and varied complex of natural flora and fauna we are working closely with Dorset Wildlife Trust to enrich this with sensitive and appropriate management (follow our conservation link to learn more).
Art is an important part of Hogchester's current story and we have established an ongoing Artist Residency Program to explore the intersections between contemporary art practices and the land at Hogchester. Residents are invited to stay and work on site in order to be inspired by Hogchester and respond to its unique history and landscape. A program of workshops, artist talks and exhibitions are planned for the future.
For our holiday guests, who stay in the cottage, we hope that Hogchester becomes a precious memory, of time spent relaxing with those they love. It is a place where nostalgic childhood memories easily coalesce around the rhythm of goats and chickens and nature. The kinds of memories that last a life time.
Image by Angela Ward Brown
