Holiday home The Shingle House

For decades, the place smelled of smoke. Jim Moate lived here for over 50 years and had formerly been a fisherman. Later, he smoked fish at Pearl Cottage and sold it at the weekend in a tiny shop. In his twi­light years, however, he pre­ferred Spain. So he sold his long-time home, built in the 19th century, to Alain de Botton’s ‘Living Archi­tecture’ initiative. Tog­ether with the Glasgow-based firm NORD, they con­firmed that the cottage was indeed one of the oldest houses in the area. And yes, it was in a ter­rible state of dis­repair. It was decided not to restore it – but instead to con­tinue the story of Pearl Cottage through a new building.

Dun­geness, this stretch of the Kent coast, is one of the largest shingle flats in the world and is inter­na­tio­nally pro­tected for its flora, fauna and migratory birds. This is another reason why ‘Shingle’ has a double meaning here: it refers both to the shingle on which the house stands and to the shingles that clad it.

NORD retained the shapes of the old complex almost unch­anged and bathed them in black. Black cedar shingles cover the walls and roofs so seam­lessly that some guests drive straight past the house the first time they visit. Where the Jim Moates shop once stood – actually the timber-clad rear of a ref­ri­ge­rated lorry – the bathroom is now located, whilst the garage has been con­verted into a kitchen and dining area. Each little cottage has its own purpose, just as if every everyday ritual – sleeping, cooking, bathing – deserved its own roof. To ensure that no one has to go outside in a storm, they are con­nected by a glass cor­ridor. Its backbone is a core of white con­crete, modelled on Moates’s brick-built fire­place. The con­crete runs as a floor through the cor­ridor, becoming the ent­rance ramp and finally the kitchen worktop.

Inside, in con­trast to the façade, it is sur­pri­singly light: the white con­crete is com­ple­mented by white-oiled wooden panelling, lamps by Jean Prouvé and Alvar Aalto, and an arm­chair by Hans J. Wegner. The floor, made of violet-coloured pur­ple­heart wood, is remi­niscent of the viper’s bugloss that bathes Dun­geness in a purple haze in August, whilst the brass fit­tings echo the orna­men­tation of Moate’s fire­place. From the thoughtfully posi­tioned windows, one looks out onto the light­house and film­maker Derek Jarman’s Pro­spect Cottage as if they were pain­tings. Four bed­rooms accom­modate up to eight guests, one of which is in the attic next to a gallery with a large pan­o­ramic window.

What to do

Plenty of unexpected delights: taking a miniature steam train along the coast, climbing the Old Lighthouse, visiting Derek Jarman’s garden at Prospect Cottage. Hiking to the Sound Mirrors at Greatstone, exploring the churches of Romney Marsh or flying kites on Camber Sands beach. There’s also plenty of fish and seafood to be found nearby.

Why we like this house

Because it doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel, but takes a close look: every detail, from the floor to the fittings, tells a story about the place and the people who have lived here. And because it shows that even a black house on a seemingly barren gravel patch can radiate real cosiness.

This house is great for

Ideal for families, friends, dog lovers and anyone who wants to experience life by the sea in an extraordinary architectural and natural setting.

Details

Availability calendar

The calendar shows the current availability of the accommodation. On days with white background the accommodation is still available. On days with dark gray background the accommodation is not available.

Request/Booking