Writing Hut of Henry Williamson

Henry Williamson’s writing hut, built by the author from 1929-30.

MATERIALS: elm, oak and slate.

PLAN: single-cell hut on an east to west alignment.

EXTERIOR: a single-storey hut with waney-edge cladding. The west elevation contains an off-centre plank-and-muntin entrance door with peep hole and decorative metal strap hinges. The north and south elevations each have a casement window; the cill under the south window is inscribed with the letter ‘W’. The east elevation has two casement windows to the ground floor (the left of which is a later insertion) and a thin casement under the eave. A stone chimney stack rises on the north side of a half-hipped slate roof.

INTERIOR: the hut interior has been maintained as it was when the author passed away in 1977, with furniture and furnishing belonging to the author (many of which are personalised) left in place and items of his clothing hanging from the coat hooks at the entrance. Next to the door is a built-in corner cupboard. There is a brick fireplace in the corner opposite the door. Above is a small mezzanine level where the writer used to sleep. This is accessed via a trap door above a set of steps built into the fire surround. The underside of the trap door bears two inscriptions; one appears to be initials reading ‘HW M IH AT’; the other reads ‘HIS TEARS ARE CLOUDS/ THESE MANY CENTURIES’. Another inscription can be seen on the underside of one of the timber tie beams and reads ‘HW 1952’. There are further shelves within the roof space. The walls are decorated with the dust jackets of many of his works including The Dark Lantern, How Dear Is Life, and Donkey Boy, as well as cuttings referring to his work and other articles of interest. The roof is an A-frame construction.

Henry Williamson’s 1940s studio, which stands to the north-west of the writing hut, is excluded from the listing.