Before the Great War, sheep were reared for food and wool, and to fertilise the fields the manure wagons couldn’t reach. Enclosed by wooden hurdles, they were pastured on a rotating basis under the watchful eye of the shepherd in the more remote parts of the farm or estate.
Hence the need for a hut that could be towed to pastures new along with the flock – a mobile home, in effect, in which the shepherd lived throughout the year. It contained a hay mattress, basic animal medicines and a small area under the bed to keep newborn lambs warm. Seasonal food, a primitive stove and a few clay pipes with an ounce of baccy was all the shepherd needed.
It was a tough life. With walls and roofs of timber or corrugated iron, the huts provided minimal protection in winter, and with the introduction of tractors and nitrate fertilisers after the Great War, most of the old huts fell into disuse. Few survive.
But that’s all changing. Because as more and more people work from home, or need temporary extra accommodation, or garden playrooms and dens, or simply more space, the traditional shepherd’s hut is making a comeback – this time round, warm, secure and cosy ones, and with all mod cons.
The only limit to what you can do with them is your imagination – and that’s where the Dream Hut Company can help, because we turn dreams into reality.
Our most popular hut, wide enough for a full-size double bed crossways, makes this an excellent choice as a spare room for guests, a home study or for use as a summer house. Naturally, the Cuckmere is built to the same high standards as our other models.
The versatile Arundel is a third longer than the Cuckmere. Ideal for B&B accommodation, the extra length also makes this model an attractive choice for a fully kitted-out office for the home worker. Expect many years of use, thanks to its fine build quality.
Although the popular choice when used as a holiday home, the Beacon’s generous size lends itself to a multitude of uses from a shop, tearoom or pub(!) to the ultimate home cinema or gymnasium. The Beacon’s high quality construction ensures a lifetime of service.
We’ve been designing and building bespoke structures since 1981. Our parent company began in the village of Herstmonceux (pron. hirst-mon-zoo, which even the BBC rarely get right), providing highly creative temporary environments for companies to market their products. It still does.
The Dream Hut Company is much less corporate, but just as enthusiastic. Our mission is very simple: to celebrate a great job for happy customers.
The Dream Hut Company nestles by the South Downs in rural East Sussex - an area of England that’s been home to shepherds since time immemorial, passing traditional country crafts and skills from one generation to the next until today, when we can add the creature comforts and energy performance made possible by modern technologies.
We always have a selection of huts, both new and old, at our workshops, so do feel free to pop in for a chat. Whatever the outcome, we promise you an enjoyable visit – and we make a wicked cuppa!
