Julia Hailes MBE

Sustainability Pioneer

Who is benefiting from the proposed restoration of Parnham House? (Jan26)

Those promoting the Parnham proposals often frame the issue very simply: do you want to save this historic house in West Dorset, near Beaminster – or leave it as a ruin? It is a compelling question, but a misleading one. Most people would like to see Parnham House restored. Few would argue otherwise. But restoration […]

Beaminster Rebellion over Parnham Planning (Dec25)

There was shouting.There were walkouts.There were calls for councillors to resign.Placards were waved reading “Represent Us – Reject Parnham.” Feelings were running high at Beaminster’s extraordinary planning meeting on Parnham – and understandably so. But this was not an angry mob lacking substance. The people who spoke were measured, articulate and deeply informed. Many had […]

All Pain, No Gain for Beaminster

All Pain, No Gain for Beaminster Parnham House – the striking Elizabethan mansion just outside Beaminster – is once again in the spotlight. In 2017 a catastrophic fire gutted the building, leaving behind a shell of what had been one of Dorset’s finest homes. The circumstances were unsettling – and are still mysterious – but […]

Second Wilding Weekend in June 2023 (Jan23)

Come to our next Wilding Weekend on 17th and 18th June 2023. We’ll be opening our garden and land through the National Garden Scheme, offering lunch, tea and cakes as well as showing what we’ve done to create more wildlife-friendly habitats. Stalls, Talks and/or Tours will include: