Meet the family

We, (Simon and Margaret) live and work here at Birchill Farm with our two young children and our growing collection of animals. Our three older children have now left home, but visit Birchill as often as their busy schedules allow.

We feel very fortunate to be able to spend our time in such a beautiful and special place. There is nothing we enjoy more than pulling on our wellies and taking a long walk around Birchill and into the surrounding countryside, accompanied by our two black Labradors, Rosie and Pluto.

Since making the big decision in 2004 to take on Birchill, we have been very busy transforming the old farm buildings into holiday homes, alongside marketing our new business, Birchill Cottages, not to mention raising our family.

We have about eight acres of land here at Birchill Farm. The area surrounding the cottages and their gardens is mostly pasture land where our animals graze. We have a children’s play field and a (fenced) wildlife pond. We have some woodland where some ancient oak trees can be found – we reckon the oldest is almost 400 years old!- and a meadow bordering a stream which defines the boundary of our land. A path winds its way around the land, so that visitors can enjoy a stroll, perhaps spotting some of the many different species of wildlife that are attracted to our unspoilt haven.

Our land is surrounded by that of neighbouring farms where cows and sheep graze on a patchwork of lush Devon pasture laced by diverse and bountiful hedgerows.