Blackwell Farmhouse and Flackley Ash Hotel
Blackwall Farmhouse Studio (and surrounding area)
Blackwall Farmhouse Studio is located between the villages of Wittersham in Kent and Peasmarsh in East Sussex. The river Rother creates the boundary between the two counties and the studio is just on the East Sussex side.
The studio is newly built (2023) and specifically designed for artist’s use. It is situated in the garden of the tutor’s home on a one-acre plot in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the edge of the Weald of Kent.
The studio is surrounded by wild meadow in summer and backs onto a small wooded area with coppiced hazel trees and bluebells in May. The garden is rich in wildlife with bees, dragonflies and occasionally deer visiting the meadow. Owls are regular visitors and hedgehogs inhabit the garden and in early summer cuckoos and turtle doves can often be heard. There is also a newly developed wildlife pond near the studio.
NB when you arrive, please park in the drive at the house (Blackwall Farmhouse) There should be enough parking for everyone if you park closely.
Please let us know if you have any dietary requirements.
Here is a link to find Blackwall Farmhouse Studio:
Flackley Ash Hotel
Accommodation for the course is provided a short distance away at the Flackley Ash Hotel, including breakfast and access to the spa and gym.
Flackley Ash Hotel is a charming Georgian country house hotel, nestling deep in the Sussex countryside.
A warm welcome awaits with 44 individually styled rooms, cosy lounges, a well- stocked bar, a restaurant offering a la carte dining and a health club with an indoor swimming pool, gym, saunas and treatment rooms.
The hotel is a short drive away from the ancient town of Rye and the stunning East Sussex coastline including Camber Sands and Rye Harbour Nature Reserve.
There is plenty of on-site parking, electric car charging facilities and complimentary wifi.
Rye and its artistic heritage
The historic town of Rye is a medieval citadel with contemporary restaurants, charming English pubs and independent shops. The surrounding area is a popular tourist destination with many visitor attractions such as vineyards, national trust properties, walks and beaches to visit including the famous Camber Sands.
Artists such as the Pre-Raphaelite John Everett Millais, Paul Nash and Edward Burra are all know to have been inspired by the local area and Rye has several art galleries worth a visit. Rye is easily accessed by public transport as the high speed train runs from St Pancras to Ashford international with a connecting local train that takes you across the beautiful Romney Marsh to Rye. The journey in total takes just over an hour.