03/11/2024
Times change ☺️
In the 1800s, a shepherd’s hut would have been a common and an unremarkable sight on the downlands on England. By the mid 1960s, the shepherds parked them up and walked away from them.
The abandoned shepherds huts that littered the countryside only 20 years ago have long gone. Not many survive. Shepherds’ huts have made the fascinating journey from portable rural ‘sheds on wheels’ to glamorous and uber-expensive outdoor accommodation – a far cry from the size and discomfort of the original huts.
Many rural historians question why these new ‘shepherd’s huts’ are labeled as such, as they are now the size of a railway carriage rather than a 12’x 6′ hut on cast iron wheels.
However, in the last few years, a thriving industry has developed, creating a range of shepherd’s huts for occasional use in the garden. An outside office for homeworkers, or as holiday lets for farm diversification schemes. The AirBnB website is full of them for weekend retreats – you are spoilt for choice.
