For those of you who signed up to our newsletter and wondered why things had gone quiet recently — it wasn’t because nothing was happening at Monimail Tower! We were having some technical problems behind the scenes. Thankfully, our resident tech geek Aidan managed to get things working again, so we can finally catch up on all the activity that has been happening here.
Henry’s Open Studio was a wonderful success. Across the weekend he welcomed around 50–70 visitors each day, with many people stopping by to see the work, explore the tower, and spend time chatting over tea and cake. Sunday, when the Open Studio joined forces with the Open Garden, was especially lively. The place was buzzing all day with conversations, visitors wandering through the grounds, and a really lovely atmosphere. Together, we raised around £270 in donations.
These donations are hugely important to the charity. Keeping the grounds safe, maintaining the buildings, and making sure Monimail Tower continues standing for future generations all requires a great deal of ongoing work and expense. Every donation genuinely helps.
At the same time, Becky’s course became a true festival of mud and earth building. Participants spent the days working hands-on with natural materials, learning traditional building methods, and embracing all the joys (and mess!) that come with working with earth. There was a fantastic spirit throughout the week.
People also made use of the different accommodation options available at MTP during their stay. Some camped on the grounds, others stayed in the room in the Winery, and several guests used rooms in the main house. These spaces are all available for rent, and we’ll be sharing more information about accommodation options very soon.
