CALL OF THE WILD

When a run-down farmhouse caught their eye, Lisa and Toby Smallpeice grasped the chance to start a happier and healthier way of life, inspired by woods, wildflowers, botany and brewing

- CLARIE GOGERTY

Moving to a dilapidated farmhouse with 140 acres of land wasn’t part of Lisa and Toby Smallpeice’s life plan. They had just had their second child and were ensconced on a country plot near Brighton. But when an estate agent’s email alert arrived with details of a run-down property in an East Sussex village, everything changed.

‘We were having supper one summer evening and I waved it in front of Lisa, saying, “Shall we just go and take a look?”’ recalls Toby. ‘We parked by the side of the road and Lisa wandered up a little track to a high point, turned around and gave me the thumbs up. We could see it would open up all these opportunities for us and our family, but we didn’t realise what an undertaking it would be.’

The house and its outbuildings hadn’t been updated for about 30 years, and the land hadn’t been farmed for a similar length of time. This didn’t daunt them, however. ‘It was actually a great benefit to us,’ says Lisa. ‘It meant we had a blank canvas to work with, and that we inherited ancient wildflower meadows and woodland.’