The Changing Landscape of Gayles

From the early 1900s until the late 1990s, Gayles was, like the surrounding fields, a working farm. The priority was livestock and crops, and the impact this had on the surrounding nature was a secondary concern.

The names of the buildings and fields tell some of the story: the Cow Shed, the Stables and the Strawberry Field. What is now the Courtyard was once a large vegetable garden. Old drinking troughs can still be found around the property, and some of the old fence lines remain where livestock used to be separated. If you spend some time walking around Gayles, its farming past is not difficult to find.

When farming at Gayles came to an end, we decided not to continue managing the land in the same way, there is already plenty of farmland around the premises. Instead, we wanted to give more of it back to nature and see what would happen. Since then, it has been a gradual process of rewilding and restoring different habitats, with some inspiration from local projects such as Knepp and the work of Isabella Tree.

We have reinstated ponds and meadows and opened up areas where trees had become too dense and were blocking light from reaching the ground. More recently, three Exmoor ponies have been introduced to graze the land naturally. They have quickly become some of our best landscape workers and, in many ways, are doing the job better than we ever could.

Our location gives us a great opportunity to create more space for biodiversity. Gayles is small, but we are in the South Downs National Park, on top of the Seven Sisters, next to the Cuckmere and the King Charles III England Coast Path. Around us are chalk grasslands, rolling hills and some incredibly rich habitats for wildlife.

We are still learning as we go. We have started making dead hedges from cut branches, leaving more fallen trees and dead wood where they are, and looking at better ways of collecting and using rainwater for wildlife. We are giving nature more space and doing the research to understand where we can help and where it is better to leave things alone.

We have been moving in this direction for just over six years, and we are starting to see changes. Deer are moving through the fields, along with stoats and weasels, and we are seeing more birds of prey. Butterflies and other insects have noticeably increased, including some we had not seen here for many years. Gayles also sits beneath an important bird migration route, and we now regularly spot visiting birds that are completely new to us. Every year seems to bring something different.

We are also trying to make Gayles as sustainable as we reasonably can. Solar panels and battery storage have recently been installed, allowing us to produce and store much of our own electricity, and a good deal of the food we eat is grown here using ecological methods.

For those who come here on retreat, the history of the land and the changes taking place are all around them. Retreaters are free to explore Gayles, see what we are doing and watch as the land continues to change.

You can find out more about our silent retreats at Gayles on our website.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Will I notice the rewilding, or is it more subtle?
It tends to be something you notice gradually. Not in a dramatic way, but in small details. Changes in birdlife, insects, the way certain areas feel less managed. It’s a slower shift rather than something obvious all at once.

Does being in this kind of landscape change the experience of the retreat?
It often does. There is something about being in a space that isn’t tightly controlled or overly structured. The pace is different, and that tends to carry through into how people feel and move during the retreat.

Is everything here deliberately “natural”, or still managed in places?
It’s a balance. Some areas are left to develop more freely, while others are still looked after in a more practical way. We are learning as we go, rather than trying to impose a fixed idea onto the land.

What if I’m used to more structured or polished retreats?
Gayles is a little different in feel. We take care in how the place is looked after, both the buildings and the land, but it isn’t designed as a highly curated or spa-like environment. The emphasis is on space, quiet, and allowing the natural surroundings to be as they are.

For some people that shift is noticeable at first. For others it feels like a relief. Over a short time, most people settle into the simplicity of it, and that tends to become part of what helps them relax.

Will I have time to explore the surroundings on my own?
Alongside the structured parts of the retreat, there is time to walk or sit on your own. Some people choose to explore the land, others stay closer to the house. There is no pressure to use the time in a particular way. The space is there to use as you need it.

How close is Gayles to the cliffs? What types of landscape are there nearby?
Gayles is set in the South Downs in East Sussex, not far from the coast. The Seven Sisters cliffs and the Cuckmere Valley are not far away, and there are walking routes that connect into the wider landscape.

On the land itself, there is a mix of small woods, ponds, open meadows, and gentle hills. It’s a varied landscape, and it changes depending on where you walk.

Close by, there is also Friston Forest and the wider South Downs, which offer longer walks and a different sense of scale. Between the land at Gayles and the surrounding area, there is quite a range of environments to spend time in.

Does the environment change throughout the year?
Quite a lot. Each season brings something different, whether that’s changes in light, wildlife, or how the land feels to walk through. 

What if I just want some quiet time inside? Is there space for that?
Yes. There are a number of spaces inside where you can sit quietly, read, or rest. Some people spend time in the reading room, others settle on a sofa or find a quieter corner. 

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