Set within the rich, ecologically significant landscape of Oxfordshire is a Grade I listed abbey set to be redefined as a writer’s retreat.

The existing manor house is an amalgamation of 15^th and 16^th century medieval structures that adjoin internally through a labyrinth of circulation corridors and partitions. Recent years of neglect and an unsympathetic residential conversion may have dampened this lively character but certainly not obscured its potential. Alongside restoration, the collaged interior needs streamlining, befitting of a modern retreat for writers, charitable organisations and academics.

Under this new guise, the abbey will once again be representative of the many voices and influences that contributed to such a rich built fabric. Our proposal re-establishes a quadrangle as an integral point for reflection, harnessing the affinity between abbey and outdoors. A variety of accommodation typologies will tailor to the needs of guests as well as their duration of stay. A restored grand hall, events theatre, flexible workspace, library and gallery are among the communal spaces performing as a backdrop for collaboration and discourse.