about us your hospitality team
Becky
The Elms came from my belief that the most important moments in life are the ones spent together.
Before The Elms, I worked 15 years in the caring profession, and that time shaped how I see people and hospitality today. It gave me a real understanding of how much difference small details, kindness and genuine care can make.
We live in a traditional Devon longhouse, where family life has always meant space for everyone - grandparents, children, extended family and friends all coming together under one roof. That is exactly what we wanted The Elms to reflect.
I'm very hands-on in every part of The Elms. I manage and look after almost everything myself - from cleaning and preparation, to styling, decorating, guest communication, social media and the website. The only part now done externally is laundry, but everything else is kept
in-house so I can maintain the standard and consistency I want for every guest stay.
The Elms is very much a family effort during busy quick changeovers, with help from Neil, our children and family when needed.
What matters most is that every guest arrives to a home that feels cared for, thought through, and ready for them to simply relax and enjoy their time together.
When we bought the property, the aim was simple - to create a place where families and friends could stay together under one roof, without feeling crowded, and actually enjoy time with each other and make lasting memories.
Neil
Life on the farm is a big part of who I am, and it shapes everything around The Elms in a very natural way.
I'm a beef farmer, and i've lived and worked in Shillingford since 1988. Farming isn't just a job, it's a way of life built around the land, the seasons, and the rhythm of the countryside here in Devon.
Becky and I raised our children on the farm, with open space, fresh air, and family life at the centre of everything. Although they've both followed their own paths, they still come back to help when needed, especially during the busy times on the farm. In the summer you might see me out on the tractor, or family members popping in to help bring in the crops when work demands it.
The Elms sits alongside our farmland, so guests are very much staying in a working part of the countryside. You may see livestock in nearby fields, hear the day-to-day life on the farm, and enjoy walks straight out into open Devon landscape.
Farming life doesn't really follow a 9 to 5 routine, and holidays have always been something we worked around rather than took often. But when we could, we always made time for family trips across Devon and Somerset - the moors, the coast, and the villages that make this part of the world so special.
Because of that, our home naturally became the place where everyone came together instead. A space for birthdays, celebrations, and family time. That feeling of having somewhere big enough and welcoming enough is what led to the idea of The Elms.
We wanted it to feel like a place we would choose ourselves, somewhere comfortable and relaxed
Where it all began
Restoring a home full of heart
Long before The Elms became our holiday home, it was already part of our family story.
Neil’s parents, and his sister Helen, were regular visitors here over the years, spending time chatting with the then - owner about farming life, Shillingford, and local history. Over time, she became much more than a neighbour - she was a cherished family friend, and The Elms became a place filled with warmth, conversation, and shared memories.
As the years passed, the house became quieter and eventually stood empty. Each time we drove past, we couldn’t help but imagine what it could be again - a home full of life, laughter and family gatherings.
Those thoughts stayed with us for many years.
Then, through a gesture of kindness we will always be grateful for, our dear family friend offered us the opportunity to buy The Elms, supporting our vision for bringing it back to life. What mattered most to her was that the house would once again be filled with people, conversation, and shared moments.
In 2021, we became the proud owners of The Elms. After a celebratory glass of bubbles the work began.
From the outset, our aim was simple - to restore the house without losing its soul. We carried out much of the renovation ourselves, from repairs and painting to restoring, before carefully furnishing and styling each space. Every decision was made with one question in mind: Would we want to stay here ourselves?
We’ve worked hard to preserve the character of the house while making it comfortable and welcoming for modern family life. And even now, The Elms continues to evolve as we refine and improve it.
Today, our greatest reward is seeing families and friends gathered together here - sharing meals, celebrating milestones, and making new memories within a home that already holds so many.
The Elms has always been a place for togetherness. We are simply its custodians, and we feel privileged to share its next chapter with you.
Bygone Years
The Elms, a house with a story to tell
The Elms is more than a holiday home. It is a Georgian property shaped by time, purpose and the people who have lived and passed through it over the centuries.
Built in the Georgian era (1714-1830), the house reflects the period's defining features - symmetry, balance, and a quiet sense of elegance. Clean lines, proportioned rooms and generous natural light create a feeling of calm that can still be felt today.
Like many homes of this time, The Elms was designed across multiple floors, originally seperating working spaces, reception rooms and bedrooms. That traditional layout still gives the house its structure, space and flow.
But what truly gives The Elms its character is its history of people and purpose.
In 1913, The Elms became a Reformed School for children of unmarried parents, offering care and education at a time when support was limited elsewhere. The house provided shelter, stability and opportunity, and it is humbling to reflect on the lives and stories that passed through these rooms during that time.
Over the years, the wider estate has naturally evolved. The Elms cottage and former barn were once part of the main estate, while the orchard remains a lasting green heart of the property - still a place for children to play, families to gather, and guests to slow down and enjoy the space.
The house sits within a quiet village of Shillingford, a place with its own gentle history. The former Devon and Somerset Railway once ran nearby until 1966, and traces of it still remain in the landscape today. The village itself once supported a pub, post office, chapel, sawmill and watermill - now mostly private homes, but all part of its layered past.
Step outside The Elms and you're immediately into open Devon countryside. Public footpaths lead through fields and quiet lanes, offering simple walks where nature and history sit side by side.
Today, what matters most is that The Elms continues its story as a place for togetherness. A house that has held many lives, served many purposes, and now welcome families and friends to create new memories within its walls.
To celebrate, to rest, to reconnect.
We don't believe you just stay at The Elms - we believe you become part of its story. And we would be delighted to welcome you into its next chapter.