Monkton Wyld Court

Monkton Wyld Court is an Educational Centre for Sustainable living, run by a resident workers cooperative, with the help of volunteers. 

It offers courses on low-impact and land-based skills, eco building and various other sustainable topics. There are also various family orientated activities held throughout the year, including residential family weeks, school visits and groups such as local home educators and toddler groups.
There is also a variety of unique accommodation options on offer, including B&B, camping, self-catering and the newly renovated eco cabin “The Wyld Lodge”.
There are also opportunities to hire the venue for retreats, weddings and large group accommodation.
Within the 11 acre grounds there is an organic walled garden which supplies most of the communities fruit and vegetables, and an organic farm and micro-dairy producing milk and cheese. 

The building was originally built as a vicarage in 1848. Later becoming a boarding school, and was eventually handed over to a trust in 1984 as charity and an intentional community.
At this time the property was run in-efficiently and in a very unsustainable way, typical of this era and needing much work to bring it up to date and fit for purpose.
Whilst the community itself was focused on sustainability, permaculture and green living, it wasn't until 2010 that the renovation initiative shifted to a more sustainable focus, and during this time Monkton Wyld has become a pioneer for sustainability and eco matters.
Over the last 10 years the entire infrastructure has undergone extensive work to bring it up to a high environmentally sustainable standard, setting a benchmark for other projects, within the local community and beyond.
Some of the improvements are:

• The entire heating and hot water system in the main house has been retrofitted to run efficiently and sustainably.
• Solar thermal and 7 photovoltaic installations supply some of the workers' homes, charging of power tools, and outside lights.
• An entire wetlands system, which is highly beneficial for the environment, services the entire property and neighbouring houses sewage and wastewater.
• There are currently 5 internal and 2 external high quality and award winning compost toilets, with more to come.
• There is an extensive rainwater harvesting system which supplies irrigation to the walled garden, the laundry and some of the flushing toilets.

Almost all of this work has been carried out by the workers cooperative, volunteers and course members, in a cost efficient and resourceful way, using reclaimed materials wherever possible, and repurposing and improving existing systems.

There are various eco builds throughout the 11 acres, including a substantially improved straw bale house, responsibly sourced timber framed sustainable homes, a newly updated and high spec eco lodge, and yurt.
Much of this and more will be available to view on the day.

You can find out more about Monkton Wyld Court at monktonwyldcourt.co.uk

Additional information

Sustainability at Monkton Wyld (PDF, 4MB)