A strawbale cottage with an open plan lounge and kitchen framed by beams that reach up from the floor to the arched ceiling...

This incredible structure was designed and built by Ben Law, a permaculture expert and wood builder whose project was voted the most popular ever to feature on Channel 4’s Grand Designs. It’s a graceful work of exposed timber beams that sweep down from the high arched ceiling and sink into the worktops and the floor, framing the open plan kitchen and living room.
There are two bedrooms on the ground floor, one en suite double or twin and one double at the other end of the cottage next to the family bathroom. The gallery bedroom on the second floor is another double or twin and shares the family bathroom with the bedroom below. All are simply decorated, leaving the breathtaking quality of the workmanship to shine through. Upstairs and down, there is a sense of modern comfort blending seamlessly with the rustic design of the structure itself.
Local and sustainable are the two principles at the heart of Withyfield. From the veranda you can see the woodlands where the trees that clad the outside of the house were cut and then replaced. Take a step or two off the decking and you’ll find yourself in a wonderful pastoral paradise, criss-crossed by walking trails and studded with places of beauty, history and culture.

• Esentials
• Getting there
• Eating & Drinking
• Things to do
• Booking terms
• Meet your hosts

The essentials

The important stuff

• Check in time is from 4pm
• Check out time is 10am
• If you’d like to bring more than one pet, please give us a ring to make sure its ok

Sleeping arrangements

Kids & Pets

Cooking

• Electric cooker
• Fridge/freezer
• Dishwasher
• Microwave
• BBQ
• Enclosed private meadow with woodland campfire area

Washing

• Full bathroom facilities, one en suite bedroom.
• Washing machine

Heating, lighting & bedding

• Wood-burner in the living room
• All linen is provided

Entertainment

• Wifi and mobile reception
• DVDs
• Books, cards, board games, some toys (lego and train track)

Getting there

Withyfield cottage, Merrion Farm, Horsham, West Sussex, RH13 8EH

By public transport

Horsham or Shoreham are the nearest train stations and Horsham also has the nearest bus stop, both are 10 miles away. Given enough notice Janice, the owner, can arrange to pick you up at no charge.

By car - satnav will bring you straight to the end of the farm drive, using the postcode

From the M25 - leave at Junction 7, then keep left and join the M23, sign posted Brighton and Gatwick Airport. The M23 turns into the A23 after about 15 miles. Leave the A23 after another 6.5 miles to join the A272. At the roundabout take the 4th exit onto the A272, signposted London, Petersfield. At the next roundabout, (approx 4 miles), take the 1st exit onto the A281 (Henfield). After 2.5 miles turn right onto Partridge Green Road B2116, continue along here for another .75 miles. At mini-roundabout continue forward onto High Street - B2116. At the end of the High Street, turn left onto the B2135 (Steyning). After 1.5 miles you will go over the river, take the drive which is the 2nd on the left after the bridge, just after the post box on the right. There is a sign with a cow and Merrion Farm on it. (If you go past the Fountain Inn you have gone too far.)

Withyfield Cottage is on the left down the farm road, past the Farm House and some outbuildings. There is parking for 3 cars alongside the cottage.

Eating & drinking

A selection of pubs & restaurants near Withyfield

The Fountain Ashurst – specialising in local beer and food

The Bull, Shermanbury (good for dogs and children)

The Green Man – Partridge Green

The Chequers , Steyning

The Black Horse Nuthurst

The Orchard (a traditional family restaurant on the edge of the Downs Link) (lovely breakfasts before 12)

Wiston Tea Rooms – traditional tea rooms – popular after a trip up Chanctonbury ring

Things to do

There are many lovely pastoral spots to explore around Withyfield. Here's a small sample:

Steyning - Historic market town at the foot of the downs, quaint High Street with tearooms etc

Arundel - With its cathedral, castle, antique shops and wildlife reserve

Shoreham - Our nearest beach with historic airport

Lewes - County town of East Sussex , has a Castle and lots of history

Local produce

One of the things the area does really well is produce. Just about everything you could need is grown or reared nearby. All this good stuff is brought together for you to feast on at a series of farmer's markets in the area. There's so many that some kind of gruelling market crawl might be in order...

Arundel Farmers Market
 3rd Saturday of each month from 9am to 1pm
 Where: The Square, Arundel, West Sussex 

 
Chichester Farmers Market
 1st and 3rd Friday of each month from 9am to 2p
Where: East Street and North Street, Chichester, West Sussex 

Henfield Farmers Market
 3rd Friday of each month from 9am to 1pm
 Where: Village Hall, High Street, Henfield, West Sussex 

Horsham Farmers Market
 Every Saturday from 9am to 4pm
 Where: Carfax, Horsham, West Sussex 

Shoreham-by-Sea Farmers Market
 2nd Saturday of each month from 9am to 1pm
 Where: East Street, Shoreham, West Sussex 

Slindon Farmers Market
 4th Thursday of each month from 9am to 1pm
 Where: Coronation Hall, Reynolds Lane, Slindon, West Sussex 

Steyning Farmers Market
 1st Saturday of each month from 9am to 1pm
 Where: High Street Car Park, Steyning, West Sussex 

West Chiltington Farmers Market
 2nd Saturday of each month from 9am to 12noon
 Where: Village Hall, Mill Road, West Chiltington, West Sussex 

Lewes Farmers Market
 1st Saturday of each month from 9am to 1pm.
 Where: Cliffe Pedestrian Precinct, Lewes, East Sussex 

Meet your hosts

The Griffiths have been on the land at Merrion Farm since the 1920s, it's even named after Alan's grandfather's family farm over in Pembrokeshire. The traditional dairy farm of around 100 cows supplies milk to local shops on a daily basis and the cows are even involved in the community in another way, disposing of the grains from the brewery after they've finished making Dark Star, a local ale.

Wildlife and the environment

As you'd expect from a strawbale house, the list of environmentally friendly features is pretty long. So, please bear with us...The shower is solar powered, the insulation is sheep's wool, the shingles are cedar, the plaster is lime, the frame and cladding are all local and the plaster render that seals the gaps on the outside is made of Weald clay taken from the foundations.

In all aspects the Griffiths have tried to make Withyfield as sustainable as possible. They love the fact that you can sit on the deck and see the wood where the trees that clad the outside were felled and then replaced. They have aimed to use local materials and craftsmen as far as possible. The kitchen was made in nearby Partridge Green and the bedroom's chests of drawers are either recycled or made by a local charity.