Today we’re celebrating 13 years since we moved into Tilton House and began running a Retreat business!

We moved in under a full moon lunar eclipse, which is viewed by astrologers as being a deeply transformational time!

We renovated.

We cultured an expensive habit for interiors that had us filling the house with antiquities and the walls were often used as a gallery space by artists.*

We had little budget but huge-hearted support from friends and well-wishers who, intrigued by our project, offered themselves a front-row seat on our new life and we became experts at recounting the stories that kept us fed and others entertained.

When we set up in 2007 the only people ‘retreating’ were Nuns and Buddhist Monks.

Our early guests were relieved we’d swapped the ‘spartan look’ for the aesthetic of a small, comfortable ‘boutique hotel’

( Remember those?)

Now, the Wellness industry is the fastest growing industry worldwide and we are so proud and thrilled to continue to be included by journalists who write articles in the broadsheets, wellness and lifestyle magazines, travel guides and online travel sites.

Tilton is a storied house. Stories are literally falling out of the walls. From wonderful Diana Athill , who was a guest on one of Damian Barr‘s many Reading weekends, telling stories of Lydia Lopokova, fireside in the library, or Hillary Mantel writing a short story about our cat Hector! (She was kind enough to send us a copy of the story, published in the Sunday Times.)
Our neighbour Chris Difford filling the place with music on his songwriting retreats & inviting Jeff Beck to jam with The Strypes in the library. Clairvoyant cleaners who sensed hilarity as they cleared/cleaned the space after each retreat!

In fact each retreat or guest has created its own story.

As fate would have it, and as stories go, the Keynes; Lydia and Maynard, moved into Tilton some 81 years before us, to be near their friends at Charleston Farmhouse, also on the 3rd of March.
We have felt their influences at Tilton; from the yoga or bodywork akin to Ballet movement, to the small businesses, charities and universities drawn to the space for workshops.

Who isn’t attracted to the light and space of the South Downs National Park only an hour away from our busy capital?

Its was also two years ago on the 3rd March 2018 we set up the Department of Wellbeing where we run our own retreats, talks, workshops and consultancy.

We have such gratitude for our adventure here, when the stars are aligned once again, we’ll share the stories in a book.

We’ll be celebrating tonight and will raise a glass to you.
You have trusted us in creating a safe, supported space in Nature for us all to retreat to. Thank you!

Meeting you and hearing your stories is the pleasure that keeps this story thriving and growing!

Cheers to you!
Polly and Shaun X

*In the warmer months we have a small shop where we sell both art, plants and antiquities. The shop offers 10%of its profits to a local food bank.