About a mile up the lane from our house stands Ellens Court. A strange oast house conversion with a distinct entrance. This was the home of Dr Josiah Oldfield a "Fruitarian" and he ran it as a hospital early in the twentieth century. There are various instances of his initials and dates inset onto walls.
He had been great friends with Gandhi and rumour has it that he once visited - on foot, of course.
The Manor House over the road had a chapel built onto it, now partially ruined, and the house is under complete renovation.
Ellens Court was used to give East End children a country holiday in the 1940s, and then became a Youth Hostel for many years. It is now a care home for adults with learning difficulties.